Hyderabad: GHMC Mayor Bonthu Rammohan said that the corporation would take steps to promote energy efficiency.
He was speaking at a workshop at Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) on the incorporation of Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) in Building online approval system.
The Mayor said that the demand for office space in Greater Hyderabad region has increased nearly 10 times during the last 7-8 years. It increased from 1.95 million sq ft in 2005 to 20 million sq. ft in 2013. He said that the GHMC was committed to a sustainable built environment in the city and the government was trying to strengthen efforts to promote energy efficiency, provide energy access to all the citizens and to reduce the cities carbon food print.
The Mayor said that to meet the rising demand for energy and reduce energy short fall the Telangana State was implementing energy conservation building code as well as other energy efficiency measures. All the new commercial buildings of more than 1000 sq.mts plot area or 2000 sq.mts built area must comply with ECBC. Successful implementation of the ECBC in our State will provide a powerful example of local Governance to help the state to achieve its energy potential, he said.
The GHMC is imparting training to Government officials, Architects, Real Estate Developers and other stakeholders to strengthen implementation of ECBC in Telangana and to encourage them to come forward to help make it successful. The GHMC is also creating a technical cell at GHMC to support compliance for Hyderabad first 25 commercial buildings. The Commissioner, GHMC, Chief City Planner and other officials are working diligently to help strengthen ECBC compliance said the Mayor.
The Mayor further stated that the GHMC was also proud to work with knowledge partners i.e., Administrative College of India, the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) and Indian Institute of Information Technology i.e., (IIIT) who are helping the state maximize energy efficiency in buildings by moving towards phased adoption of ECBC. The Mayor opined that GHMC will be the first urban local body to incorporate the ECBC through online approval system and will be definitely inspiring the Country towards ECBC complied constructions in near future.
GHMC Commissioner Dr. B. Janardhan Reddy, IIIT Head Dr. Vishal Garg, NRDC Director Dr. David Gold Stein, ASCI Advisor Subrahmanyam and ASCI Director Prof. Srinivas Chary also spoke. (INN)