SETTING UP SOLAR PASSIVE HOUSING DEMONSTRATION UNIT

Project Details:

The buildings, as they are designed today, contribute significantly to serious environmental problems in the country because of excessive consumption of energy by them. The close connection between the energy use in buildings and environmental damage arises because we still look to energy €“ intensive solutions to meet our demands of heating, cooling and lighting in buildings. Passive solar architecture and building technology is an emerging discipline of studies which promises 40% relief to electrical load requirements of government and private buildings. Therefore, it is imperative to cause a widespread application of Solar Passive building technologies particularly in the energy deficient areas like Manipur.

The widespread use of passive solar technologies and integration of renewable energy systems in buildings requires awareness at all levels. The lack of awareness about these concepts in the north €“ eastern regions of Indiais proved by the fact that not a single building constructed during the last two decades exhibits the energy efficiency measures or the concepts of passive solar architecture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to make people aware, at all levels, of the fact that buildings can be made more comfortable and energy efficient by using the available passive solar and other renewable energy technologies (RETs). The use of demo-buildings is considered the most effective method of causing awareness.

Both the Ministry of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India and Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), Govt. of India have specific schemes for propagating the Solar Passive Building Architecture and Technologies. The assistance from these Ministries include awareness campaigns, training workshops, DPR development fees, consultancy tie ups, demo-buildings and subsidy financing etc.

Since MASTEC at the moment does not have its own building. Therefore a project proposal on Solar Passive DemoBuilding was projected as the office building of MASTEC. This would give 3 advantages:

1. This would help MASTEC to save about Rs. 1.00 lakh a year spent on rent.

2. Constructing a usable building would have more demonstrability than constructing just a test building using Solar Passive technology.

3. The constant use of the Demo building as office building will facilitate the performance monitoring in a realistic way.

MASTEC submitted a proposal to the Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India for construction of a Solar Passive Demo-building at a project cost of Rs. 29.00 lakhs during March 1998.

DST, GOI accepted our proposal. However, sanctioned a sum of Rs. 6.00 lakhs during 1998-99 for setting up a passive solar demonstration housing unit at Imphal.

Expected Benefits

1. Live demonstration of the Solar Passive technology at work for replication in Manipur and other NE States.

2. Substantial energy solution to Manipur through widespread replication of the demo building.

3. Better living environment in cities, towns and villages in the region given by the higher aesthetic values of Solar Passive building.