The seven-storey Indira Paryawaran Bhawan, inaugurated on February 25, 2014, is the country's first on site Net Zero Building generating its own power through the largest rooftop solar-powered panels. Its installed capacity is of 930 KW peak power. As part of its directive, the general administration department will also allow only limited entry to the roof of the building, to prevent littering on the panels.
Noticing that some of the solar panels located in the energy efficient green building Indira Paryavaran Bhawan – home of the environment ministry - were littered with sundry trash by its staffers, officials of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) have issued a directive asking colleagues to clean up their act. The directive, sent by the General Administration department, asks the ministry staff to not throw garbage such as disposable cups, paper, empty food packets as they impact the efficiency of the solar panels.
The seven-storey Indira Paryawaran Bhawan, inaugurated on February 25, 2014, is the country's first on site Net Zero Building generating its own power through the largest rooftop solar-powered panels. Its installed capacity is of 930 KW peak power. As part of its directive, the general administration department will also allow only limited entry to the roof of the building, to prevent littering on the panels.
Apart from the solar panels, the building is made of energy efficient materials such as Fly ash bricks and recycled content. The cost of the entire building is about Rs209 crore, including the land price. In the past month, the ministry noticed that some of the solar panels located on the south facing wall on fourth floor were being littered.
"Those staffers working above the fourth floor panels throw trash at times. It is not affecting the energy output adversely, but, this is not a good habit. We have asked them to refrain from throwing trash, otherwise the building's green rating would be affected,"said an official privy to the preparation of the directive. The energy efficiency of the building and the solar panels are often used by the ministry to showcase its commitment to the environment.
Early this year, when United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon visited the ministry, Prakash Javadekar, the MoEF&CC minister had hosted him on the terrace. Work on the building, though, began under former environment minister Jairam Ramesh.
Speaking on other challenges to the building's energy efficiency the official added, "We are also asking the different departments to be judicious about the energy use across the building as that too would affect our green rating." The ministry building has been accorded a LEED (Leadership in Energy Environmenta Design) a global certification and GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) national certification for use of green materials.
Energy efficient building
Apart from the solar panels, the building is made of energy efficient materials such as Fly ash bricks and recycled content. The cost of the entire building is about Rs209 crore, including the land price. In the past month, the ministry noticed that some of the solar panels located on the south facing wall on fourth floor were being littered.
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