According to Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE's executive director for research and advocacy, it is an important policy instrument that is expected to set the sustainability terms for energy savings in new constructions in India. By 2020, almost 500 million people in the country will be living in cities, triggering a huge infrastructure boom.
Moreover, the building sector's share of overall electricity consumption has more than doubled in the last four decades.
"It has grown from 15 percent in 1970-71 to 34 percent in 2010-11 and, therefore, offers cost effective opportunities for savings," Seth said.
However, some gaps need to be bridged.
For example, ECBC standards are designed assuming that 100 percent of India's commercial building stock will be fully air-conditioned, requiring both cooling and heating. But it does not define temperature and humidity standards customised for Indian climatic conditions.
