Focus On Energy Efficient Projects

ACREX Hall of Fame is a new industry benchmark instituted by Ishrae and Danfoss India to recognize the excellence achieved in conserving energy by commercial buildings in the country.

The eminent recognition aims to recognize iconic projects in India which can be global benchmarks in energy efficiency and sustainability and further encourage industry to utilize these experiences in building a sustainable industry.

The projects are evaluated and shortlisted on the criteria such as Energy Performance Index, Indoor Environment Quality initiatives, Energy Saving Initiatives including Renewable Energy, Building Management System and one year operational data. 

The Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) is an international associate of ASHRAE. The main objective of ISHRAE was to promote the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry in India. 

The event witnessed discussions in the field of energy efficiency and presentations by nominees who showcased their successful incorporation of energy efficient technologies in their Commercial Building projects commissioned post-January 2014.

Sushil Chaudhry, Presidential Member – ISHRAE, said “It was incredible seeing the massive entries we received this year for the ACREX Hall of Fame. We believe in acknowledging and honoring the efforts taken by the builders to help spread the message of sustainability and importance of energy conservation and this was our stride towards the same”.

He also shared his views on sustainable living. 

COULD YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR VIEWS ON SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SAME?

We at ACREX believe in organic development and sustainable living which runs parallel with where we reside. With resource degeneration steadily rising in the country, it is crucial that we construct buildings that are environment friendly and that help in harnessing and optimizing the renewable resources. ACREX- Hall of Fame is a platform to promote and generate awareness about the significance of green living and this ceremony was to applaud the commendable work that has been developed in the last year. We look forward to the incessant support of builders and architects in helping establish our vision of 100% sustainable buildings one day. 

Elaborating further on this unique initiative, D. Nirmal Ram, Chairman, Acrex 2018 and ISHRAE expressed his views on smart cities and Ishrae’s association with the same.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ISHRAE’S ASSOCIATION WITH A CONCEPT LIKE SMART CITIES?

I believe that every project that is developed should be smart which further enables the concept of smart city as a whole and that is what Ishrae as a foundation primarily believes in.

For example, from the air conditioning point of view, ac’s s consume a lot of water and power the design should be efficient enough to save water but do the job as well that according to me is smart.

A concept like smart city will have various buildings ranging from a mall, school, hospitals which means different applications have to be utilized ranging from heating, ventilation, refrigeration according to the need. 

People need to focus on life cycle cost and smart efficiency which is why we work on a concept called building automation system which allows us to focus on keeping technology on the priority level. 

ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS THE NEED OF THE HOUR, GIVEN THE DEPLETING ENVIRONMENT?

With the rising negative impact of climate change, it is essential that individuals and industries shift towards adopting energy efficient practices, taking into account the life cycle cost of the capex. Since infrastructure is the primary tool for development, it is important to ensure that the upcoming infrastructure projects in India adopt energy efficiency at its core.

Energy efficient interventions in commercial buildings have the potential to save not less than 30% in energy consumption and thereby help meet the rising demand for power.

HOW RELEVANT ARE THE PROJECTS OF ISHRAE TO SMART CITY?

Each and every product that we do is based on a concept in Ishrae called integrated approach to project delivery. Before a building is born we do simulation in terms of glazing and our engineers play a very big role. 

The idea is to involve as many people ranging from architects, consultants, owners, facility inducers, developers, to try and work together to achieve a bigger goal like smart city.