Kerala set to adopt Eco Niwas Samhita for residential buildings

Kerala is preparing to adopt the Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS), the Energy Conservation Building Code for residential buildings (ECBC-R) prescribed by the Centre to promote energy-efficient houses.

The Energy Management Centre (EMC), Kerala, tasked by the Power department with framing the notification for its roll-out, has published a draft and invited inputs from stakeholders. Once adopted, the code will be applicable to all residential buildings and residential parts of ‘mixed land-use projects,' both of which are constructed on plot areas greater than or equal to 500 sq m.

Kerala falls within the ambit of the guidelines listed in the code for regions with ‘warm and humid’ weather conditions.

The ENS comes in two parts – the Eco Niwas Samhita 2018 (part-I: building envelope) that sets minimum standards for 'building envelopes,' and the Eco Niwas Samhita 2021 (code compliance and part II: electro-mechanical and renewable energy systems) that lays down the minimum requirements for building services, indoor electrical end-use and renewable energy systems.

Once the code is adopted, compliance will be necessary for obtaining occupancy certificate from the local bodies, R. Harikumar, director, EMC, told The Hindu.

Energy use

Building envelope consists of walls, roof and fenestration (openings including windows, doors, vents.). ''Building envelope has the highest impact on thermal comfort, and consequently on the energy use in residential buildings. The envelope is also a permanent component of the building with the longest life cycle. An early introduction of this code would improve the design and construction of new residential building stock being built currently and in the near future, thus significantly curtailing the anticipated energy demand for comfort cooling in times to come,'' the code notes.

The ECBC for commercial buildings was introduced some years ago and it was revised and updated in June 2017. At the time of launching the ENS in 2018, the Union Ministry of Power had noted that its implementation was expected to save 125 billion units of electricity annually by 2030.

The code, it added, was designed to help architects and builders involved in design and construction of residential complexes. ''There is a need to sensitise planners, architects and builders in the State to the ENS. This task is expected to be made easier by the fact that they are already familiar with the ECBC for commercial buildings,'' said Mr. Harikumar.