Inhabitat » India’s First Green Housing Project Completed

July 30, 2008

India’s First Green Housing Project Completed

Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India green building, India solar energy, India solar community, India Rabi Rashmi Abasan, solar energy, building integrated solar photovoltaics, BIPV India, bengal3.jpg

According to the Planning Commission, India will need to generate at least 700,000 MW of additional power by 2030 to meet growing electricity demands. India will certainly be looking towards alternative energy sources to generate a substantial portion of this energy. Although solar energy production in India accounted for a mere 1.7% of the world total in 2007 (80 megawatt peak (MWp) power compared to a world total of 4,700 MWp), several great green strides have been taken by the country to harness the immense potential of solar energy. The latest example of this future forward thinking is Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India’s first completely green housing project.

Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India green building, India solar energy, India solar community, India Rabi Rashmi Abasan, solar energy, building integrated solar photovoltaics, BIPV India, bengal2.jpg

Built in Kolkata, Rabi Rashmi Abasan is India’s first completely solar-powered housing complex. The complex has been built on a plot of 1.76 acres at Action Area I in New Town. The 58 kilowatt project consists of 26 photovoltaic systems comprising 464 units of Conergy C125W solar modules. The solar modules were customized to fit on the building roofs. Each home will generate 2kW of power. The solar power generated will be used to fulfill electricity needs of the homes, and the surplus power will be sent to the public grid. This is also India’s first building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) project. The building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system would save 0.5 kgs of carbon emissions for every kw hour of solar power produced.

The houses will have both passive solar architecture and active solar energy features. The passive solar features will make houses cool during summer, ensure natural light, and better air circulation inside the house. The active solar energy elements include the solar water heating system. The housing complex will also have other sustainable features like garbage management system, battery operated pick-up vans for residents, solar street lights, and a swimming pool with solar water heating system.

The complex has been conceived, designed, engineered and built by West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) and Bengal DCL. The solar photovoltaic has been installed by SunTechnics India, a brand of the Conergy Group.

+ Rabi Rashmi Abasan

Via indiaPRwire.com

Rabi Rashmi Abasan, India green building, India solar energy, India solar community, India Rabi Rashmi Abasan, solar energy, building integrated solar photovoltaics, BIPV India, bengal4.jpg

4 Responses to “India’s First Green Housing Project Completed”

JimMcDrip Says:

July 30th, 2008 at 8:50 pm

that is pretty cool dude. they come up with some cool stuff.

TM Says:

July 31st, 2008 at 9:47 pm

But why on Earth does it have to be such an utterly bland design..?

Will Says:

August 1st, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Good to hear that India is doing this. It will help with their power consumption as well as their pollution.

It would have been good if they had used green roofs in the design. I have read a couple of good articles about green roofs in India, particularly in new high-end real estate. The article was titled, \\\”Green Roofs Help India\\\” found at http://cleanerairforcities.blogspot.com/2008/07/green-roofs-help-india.html

Good to see the progress!

lehas Says:

August 2nd, 2008 at 3:58 am

Architecturally it is so ugly….you can install all the aforementioned features ( photovoltaic panels and other gadgets) to already existing suburban housing. No need to add up to already existing burden of Suburbia. It’s clear that in this particular case architect didn’t even try to think of solving environmental problems architecturally. He just filled the clone-houses with gadgets and there you go. Its not architecture. It’s just an example of present day land development using stylish word “green”,

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