Buildings account for 33 percent of the total electricity consumption in India. An estimated 70 percent of the buildings stock required for 2030 is yet to be built. This offers a huge opportunity for NZEBs that reduce onsite energy through energy efficiency and demand-side renewable energy technologies. The program focuses on demonstrating the technical feasibility of the NZEB concept and promoting awareness about NZEBs in India.

The Net Zero Energy Buildings Knowledge portal was developed under USAID’s Partnership for Advanced and Clean Energy Deployment (PACE-D) program to serve the information needs of developers, end users, architects and engineers, policymakers, sustainability consultants, academia. The portal provided detailed information about NZEB practices and policy programs in India and other countries. It featured a knowledge center to aid design of NZEBs and explains pros and cons of various NZEB design strategies, and energy efficient and renewable energy technology options. The knowledge portal now managed under the MAITREE program is integral in enabling market integration and transformation for energy efficiency to scale-up the design and construction of affordable NZEBs in India. Scaling up and accelerating NZEBs will be possible through:

• An enabling policy
• Availability, accessibility, affordability and awareness of design
• Integration of innovative and advance
• Acceptance of a lifestyle based on

The NZEB Knowledge series, launched in 2019, is envisioned on four thematic areas crucial to fruition of NZEBs.  Till date, 37 webinars have been hosted under the NZEB knowledge series, each providing useful insights for architects, engineers, sustainability consultants, developers, etc. The NZEB Knowledge series has received over 8000 participants from over 2500 organizations, across 56 countries. In addition to online virtual learning sessions, the monthly “NZEB Times” newsletter, is circulated to over 8000 subscribers across the globe.

Related Links:

• NZEB Portal: https://nzeb.in/
• NZEB Knowledge Series on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspEvBWw6V3-Apx5_B34zHA/featured