Tamil Nadu has finally notified the Energy Conservation Building Code for commercial buildings, the last among the southern States to do so. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), which sets minimum energy performance standards for the various components of the building. The Union Power Ministry had launched ECBC in 2007 and a revised version was unveiled in 2017.
Tamil Nadu has finally notified the Energy Conservation Building Code for commercial buildings, the last among the southern States to do so. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), which sets minimum energy performance standards for the various components of the building. The Union Power Ministry had launched ECBC in 2007 and a revised version was unveiled in 2017.
Tamil Nadu Energy Conservation Building Code (TNECBC) Rules, 2022, will be applicable to new commercial buildings with a connected load of 100 KW or more or a contracted demand of 120-kilovolt Amperes (KVA) or more or a built-up area of more than 2,000 square metres. It covers government, private and public buildings, including the existing ones for which additions or alterations are made for commercial purposes.
It prescribes standards for aspects like building envelopes (including walls and roofs) to minimise heat gain and dependence on artificial lighting and also the use of renewable energy. Buildings that do not utilise any energy or fossil fuel are exempted from the rules.