Lok Sabha Question No. 4066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: Decarbonize Existing Buildings
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

(a) to (e):

Strategies  to  decarbonizes  buildings  are  heterogeneous  in  many different aspects, from building components (envelope, structure, materials,  etc.)  to  services  (shelter,  heating,  etc.),  to  building  types (residential  and  commercial),  to  building  size,  function,  and  climate zone. The  Government  of  India  is  making  multiple  efforts  at  mitigating emissions from building sector. Much of the efforts at mitigation efforts in the building sector focus on the demand side management of energy and material use through design and technology.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4066 TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 19, 2024

## DECARBONIZE EXISTING BUILDINGS

NO. 4066.     DR. D RAVI KUMAR :

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  strategies  proposed  by  the  Government  to  decarbonize  existing buildings, which contribute to 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions by giving their diverse age, condition, and type;
- (b) the plan proposed  by the Government  to  address  the policy and regulatory barriers that hinder the adoption of sustainable practices for retrofitting older, energy-inefficient buildings;
- (c) whether  the  innovative  financing  models  and  public-private  partnership initiatives  are  being  explored  to  support  large-scale  decarbonisation  of existing buildings across urban areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the measures taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to improve envelope efficiency and upgrade mechanical systems in older buildings to
- reduce fossil fuel consumption and enhance sustainability; and
- (e) the mechanism adopted by the Government to ensure that cities achieve their  carbon  reduction  goals,  considering  the  long-term  presence  of existing, unsustainable buildings in urban infrastructure ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

The National Mission for Sustainable Habitat (NMSH) is one of the nine missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, which seeks  to  promote  current  and  future  climate  change  mitigation  and adaptation  policies  in  the  built  environment,  including  buildings,  waste management and transport. The NMSH has been implemented through 4 flagship missions -Atal Mission on Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Swachh Bharat Mission, Smart Cities Mission, Urban Transport Programme. Additionally, several policies and programs aimed  to decarbonize existing buildings inter alia include, Energy Conservation Building Code, Building Energy Efficiency Programme, Star Rating  System  for  Commercial  Buildings;  Shunya  Labelling  Programme, Econiwas  Samhita  for  Residential  Buildings;  Standards  and  Labeling Programme;  Unnat  Jyoti  by  Affordable  LEDS  for  All  (UJALA);  Pradhan Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana.  Government  also  launched  PM  Surya  Ghar:  Muft Bijli  Yojana  in  February  2024  to  increase  the  share  of  solar  rooftop capacity  for  residential  households,  which  in-turn  decarbonizes  the Buildings/ Houses.

The  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  (MoHUA),  Government  of India has issued Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) guidelines, (https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/URDPFI%20Guidelines%20Vo l%20I(2).pdf). The Chapter-6 'Sustainability Guidelines' of URDPFI guidelines 2014 deals with Green Building, Climate Change and Adaptiion, Eco  sensitive  planning  and  green  Buffer  zones  in  Cities.  It  also  covers Energy  Efficiency  including  development  of  Energy  efficient  design  of Buildings  based  on  Energy  Conservation  Building  Code  (ECBC)  which provides  minimum  energy  performance  standards  for  energy  efficient buildings  and  promotion  of  use  of  Non-Conventional  Energy/  Renewable energy  and  promotion  of  green  Buildings,  thereby  reducing  carbon emissions and Green House Gas emissions.

Ministry  has  also  issued  Model  Building  Bye-laws  (MBBL)  -  2016 (https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/MBBL.pdf),  in  which  Capter10 deals with Green Buildings and Sustainability provisions for adoption by  the  States  and  covers  use  of  sustainable  environment  friendly  and local building materials based on geo-climatic conditions.

Further, India has also submitted it Long-Term Low Carbon Development  Strategy (LT-LEDS) to the  United  Nations  Framework Convention on Climate Change, which puts forth transitions to low carbon development  pathways  in  seven  key  sectors.  One  of  these  transitions includes  'promoting  adaptation  in  urban  design,  energy  and  material efficiency  in  buildings  and  sustainable  urbanization'.   Key elements of …3/-

India's LT-LEDS aiming to promote low carbon development pathways in the Building sector are; (i) to mainstream adaptation measures in urban planning;  (ii)  to  promote  measures  for  enhancing  energy  and  resource efficiency and low-carbon development within urban planning guidelines, policies,  and  bylaws;  (iii)  to  promote  climate-responsive  and  resilient building design, construction and operation in existing and future buildings;  (iv)  to  pursue  low-carbon  municipal  service  delivery  through resource efficiency and management of water, solid and liquid waste. In  addition,  Ministry  of  Power  has  also  finalized  the  guidelines  for Energy  Service  Companies  (ESCOs)  business  models  to  support  energy efficiency  improvement  of  existing  buildings.  Pilot  projects,  based  on these guidelines, have already been initiated for the large scale deployment of the ESCO business model.

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