CBERD

Center for Building Energy Research and Development (CBERD)

Project Year: 2012-17

Funding Agency: Indo US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and DST-India

Awarded to IIIT Hyderabad:  Rs. 559 Lacs

Principal Investigator – India: Dr. N. K. Bansal

Co-Principal Investigator – India: IIIT-H: Dr. Vishal Garg

The Indo-US Joint Center for Building Energy Research and Development (CBERD) conducts collaborative research and promote clean energy innovation in building energy efficiency with measurable results and reduction in energy use in both nations.

This project focuses on the integration of information technology with building controls and physical systems for commercial buildings The R&D tasks are intended for technology acceleration and include:

(1) simulation; (2) monitoring; (3) controls; (4) envelope/passive design (insulation, cool roofs); (5) advanced technologies (HVAC, lighting); (6) thermal comfort; (7) grid responsiveness, (8) renewable integration; and (9) scientific collaboration. This outcome-based R&D will result in significant energy savings by driving development of cost-effective technologies and their implementation across buildings.

The approach is to facilitate high performance building design, construction, and operation through integration of building information technologies (BIT) and building physical systems (BPS). As part of the building information technologies (BIT) portfolio, CBERD is developing design and operation software tools, integrated controls platforms, building energy monitoring solutions, and new benchmarking methods. As part of the building physical systems (BPS) portfolio, the focus on technologies for HVAC, lighting, envelopes, low-energy cooling and mixed mode ventilation increase their potential to save operational energy and deliver occupant comfort.

R&D organisation and academic institutions

US: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Carnegie Mellon University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of California Berkeley

India: CEPT Ahmedabad, IIIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad, MNIT Jaipur, Auroville Center for Scientific Research.

Industry partners

India: Infosys, Schneider Electric, Wipro EcoEnergy,  Philips, Saint Gobain Research India, Paharpur Business Center, Oorja Energy Engineering, Asahi India Glass Ltd., PLUSS, Sintex, Skyshade.

USA: Autodesk,  California Energy Commission, HOK Architects, Ingersoll Rand/Trane, and The Weidt Group, enLighted, Honeywell, Neosilica, Synapsense, Certain Teed, Delphi