Tamil Nadu Announces Energy Conservation Building Code for Commercial Buildings

Tamil Nadu has announced 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 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 sets criteria for things like the building envelope (including walls and roofs) to reduce heat gain and reliance on artificial lighting as well as the usage of renewable energy. Buildings that use no energy or fossil fuels are exempt from the regulations.