Recent studies by CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) New Delhi, have claimed that some buildings certified as ‘green’ might actually be consuming more energy than that prescribed by BEE’s (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) benchmark energy performance index (EPI) values for large commercial buildings. In this context, here are excerpts from an interview with Deepa Sathiaram, executive director, En3 Sustainability Solutions.
How green really is a ‘green’ certified building? Any certification is like a college degree. There may be two people who go through the same curriculum and obtain the same degree, but one might end up a non-performer, while the other might function brilliantly. That doesn’t mean the degree is invalid. Similarly, a green building certification fundamentally tells you that the building has the design and systems in place to function as a green building. Its performance depends on many factors, including overall facility management, organisational practices and policies.
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A building is dynamic in nature. The activities keep changing — there may be changes in maintenance or the equipment there may be performing below efficiency levels. For instance, during post-occupancy analysis of a building, we discovered that its central air-conditioning had been changed to an unnecessarily low setting, which had resulted in excess energy consumption. In another building, we found a manufacturing defect in an equipment and took it up with the manufacturer. The key is in continuously monitoring the buildings.
Should continuous assessment be made mandatory?
Yes, continuous assessment for buildings would be good. One interesting development is the recently launched LEED Dynamic Plaque concept, which is a building performance monitoring and scoring platform. It keeps tabs on how an entire building or even specific office spaces perform in terms of energy use, water use, waste reduction and transportation impacts, and takes into account the experiences of employees within the space. We are currently in the process of piloting the plaque for a few buildings in Chennai.
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How has the green building certification contributed to our building industry?
The concept has had a positive impact on the entire industry. Today, even buildings that don’t follow a formal green rating are adopting many of these green requirements because of increased awareness and availability of energy saving and green materials/ systems. However, having a formal green certification provides an independent validation to the individual buyer/ user, that the building has implemented various green measures that benefit the end user.