Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Water Management

Role Of Energy Efficient Pumps in making Sustainable Economy

Water pumps are responsible for heating and cooling in buildings, treating and distributing water, and generating power, that are often overlooked in conversations around smart or sustainable cities.

The network of water supply pipelines is one of the critical infrastructure needs for any city. Taking water to every corner of the city is one of the important roles for any municipal authority. Unfortunately the cities are losing up to 60% of pumped water due to poorly managed water networks. A total of 80% of all wastewater returns to nature without being properly treated. This has further led to modern challenges in the form of huge capital requirements, providing adequate inter-state transmission system (ISTS), distribution infrastructure and developing suitable land resources. But if we begin to use the same water multiple times, with appropriate treatment processes and the implementation of intelligent water solutions, we can transform and evolve at a faster pace where resources can be managed efficiently.

Water and Energy are Corelated Recourses

Water and energy are fundamental components for all human needs and they are co-related. Just how producing energy consumes water, treating and distributing water also requires energy. Water is used in all phases of energy production and electricity generation for various purposes at different stages. Energy is required to extract, convey, and deliver water for diverse human uses, and then again to treat wastewater prior to their return to the environment. Several current trends are further increasing the urgency to address the water-energy nexus in an integrated and proactive way. First, climate change has already begun to affect precipitation and temperature patterns across the world. Second, world’s population is rapidly increasing and so is the urbanization which creates differentiated and heavy loads at different usage points. Third, the introduction of new technologies in the energy and the water domains could shift water and energy demands. Finally, developments in policies addressing water rights and water impacts of energy production are introducing additional incentives and challenges for decision making.

Integral part of Pumps in Water-Energy nexus

Water pumps are responsible for heating and cooling in buildings, treating and distributing water, and generating power, that is often overlooked in conversations around smart or sustainable cities. Intelligent water solutions can help reduce losses. Governments, development agencies and the private sectors are exploring and implementing solutions to improve access to, and sustainability of water.While other renewable energy options are being adopted, the private sector is showing a keen interest in developing efficient solar pumping solutions.

About 10% of the world’s electricity is consumed by pumps for various applications. It is vital to save energy with intelligent and smart water solutions and bring down the consumption of electricity to 5%. The agricultural sector alone consumes approximately 80 percent of total supply.The decentralized solar water networks could be the answer to both water and energy issues in rural communities.

Pumps running on Renewable-energy

As the world envisions to move towards a greener economy, it is critical that we all start working towards a sustainable plan that would jumpstart the future. To address the growing energy needs and to reduce carbon emission, the Indian government has reimagined the national energy supply and demand management with a higher focus on solar. This was evident in the recent Union budget; several incentives and schemes were introduced for farmers. The government has set a goal to reduce its current dependency on fossil fuel by 40%, which highlights the commitments made in solar energy as a source for the long-term.

With a rejuvenated outlook on renewable energy from the government and private stakeholders in terms of investment and initiatives, the solar pump industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 27% during the period 2018-2024. Technological innovation and product democratization will determine the future of this industry. The Solar pump schemes via the flagship Government program PM KUSUM in the Agri sector and the Jal Jeevan mission for the piped water supply in rural communities is bound to drive the demand for solar pumps over the next four years.

Considering India’s tropical nature, solar pumps can be employed to provide a reliable water supply for irrigation, drinking water and ancillary activities in such remote locations. Dependence on grid-based electricity consumption can be brought down with the intervention of solar pumps, inadvertently leading to a sustainable option for the farmers and rural communities across the country. This shift ensures in an increase in sustainability while improving cost and operational efficiency. Technology driven solar solutions ensure that farmers can operate these pumps without frequent downtime or maintenance requirements. With the right backup systems the farmer can use the energy for other purposes like lighting, cold storage etc., when the field doesn’t require water and hence the pumps need not run.

Digital transformation to drive smart pump industry

Innovative technologies have been making positive strides in the water industry – augmenting the existing water infrastructure as well as contributing in improving the water accessibility and recycling while simultaneously reducing consumption and wastage.

Increasing urbanization is contributing to significant amounts in terms of energy consumed — the global cooling demand alone has doubled in less than 20 years. This growth in energy consumption is a major driver of climate change. There are plenty of intelligent solutions available; with more energy efficient pump solutions, we can reduce CO2 emissions while optimizing energy consumption of the pumps used in the process of cooling in the buildings.

By deploying smart pumps, it becomes easier to understand the specific water requirement and thus save this critical resource water. In the agricultural sector, an IoT enabled pump can give farmers full control to operate the entire system from his mobile phone – set the quantity of water to be pumped and time of watering his field and also get a real-time report of the critical health parameters of the pump system.

For example, KSB Pumps with intelligent and smart technology has acted as a change agent. The solution enables real-time monitoring, remote control, system optimization, fault prediction and preventive maintenance to achieve highest level of performance and savings both in cost and energy. These smart pumps automate, understand the specific water requirement, optimize the entire system and thus save this critical resource.

Creating a circular economy

In order to utilize water efficiently, there need to be shift from a linear ‘use and dispose’ approach to a circular ‘use, treat and reuse’ approach. Water can be reused several times before it reaches its destination. For example, water used in showers and kitchens can be reused to water plants or wash cars thereby reducing freshwater usage.

Adoption of intelligent water solutions is leading us to use water efficiently, with a greater focus to avoid overusing water and energy.

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Econaur published in Air Quality, Best Collections, Blog

5 Diseases that caused due to Indoor Air Pollution !

Take a deep breath – it’s something that most of us do or suggest others to do; it can be after a good exercise session, or some stressful or tough activity – A deep breath is always bliss.
Unfortunately, today most of the air we breathe is terribly polluted. The horror stories about India’s pervasive pollution that costs the lives of many people annually isn’t new. What’s even more horrifying is the fact that there are just no signs of improvement.

Why Indoor Air Quality Is So Important?

When we discuss pollution, we often link it to something that is found outside, in the air, the ground, or in the water bodies. But it’s time we look inside. According to The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS), we spend 90% of our time indoors, hence the value of a fresh air exchange system cannot be underestimated. All in all, breathing quality indoor air is indispensable for good health.

Most of us spend a significant amount of time indoors; it can either be our home, office, school or any other types of building structures—where chemicals, gases, and other deadly types of pollutants can cause several short-term or long-term health concerns.

According to EPA, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality inside and around building structures. Indoor air directly linked to the health and comfort of the building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns – Know The Common Indoor Air Toxins.

Breakdown Of Top 5 Diseases Caused By Air Pollution In Indoor Settings

Also, did you know “People living and working in buildings of manmade materials inhale over 300 contaminants every day,” says the Environmental Protection Agency? In addition to this, WHO reports, 7 million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution.

What does this mean? Exposure to bad quality indoor air results in life-threatening diseases of course! Building on this, let’s know the top 5 diseases caused by air pollution.

1. Stroke

In simple terms, Strokes are brain attacks. They mainly occur when blood supply to the brain gets blocked. During a stroke, the human brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen or nutrients, this causes the brain cells to die. According to a study published in the Lancet Neurology, air pollution is allied with about a third of the global stroke burden. The researchers say, this includes environmental and indoor air pollution.                     

2. Heart disease

In May 2016, The Lancet published an influential article by lead investigator Dr. Joel Kaufman, this study reports that long-term contact to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides at levels close to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) can result in premature aging of the blood vessels and contribute to a quicker buildup of calcium in the coronary artery. This buildup of calcium restricts blood flow to the heart and other major blood vessels which increase the likelihood of cardiovascular events like a heart attack.

3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the 3rd leading cause of mortality worldwide. Both indoor and outdoor air pollution have strong links to this disease. A person who repeatedly breathes in bad quality air is at higher risk of getting COPD. Polluted air contains tiny particles called “irritants” which damage the lungs and can cause COPD or make it progress even faster.

4. Respiratory Diseases

Today, there are enough shreds of evidence that prove air pollution aggravate respiratory diseases, especially asthma. Chronic respiratory infections and diseases like asthma can be caused by rising levels of air pollution. In fact, air pollution is the main trigger for breathing ailments in children in several Indian metro cities today.

5. Lung Cancer

Previously, lung cancer was associated with people who smoke excessively, but new evidence suggests that air pollution can also be a cancer-causing. Especially, people who spend a lot of hours living or working in congested spaces with very little or no ventilation are susceptible to air pollution-related ailments.

Read: WHO Says, 600,000 Children Die Due To Air Pollution Every Year

Green Walls Can Help

So how does this all connect to green walls, you may ask? With respect to human health, it has been studied that harmful chemical substances in the indoor air, such as dust and mould spores, high levels of carbon dioxide, can lead to long term health hitches. Research of materials and their impacts on indoor air quality has shown that Clay bricks and blocks are one of the few man-made building materials whose mineral properties meet ‘all necessary requirements for healthy living’.

Since we spent close to 90% of our time indoors. Due to increasingly tight building envelopes, which stop air from entering the interior through leaking windows and are thus enhancing the energy efficiency of a building but also affecting the indoor climate, the importance of selecting the right building material becomes imperative.  Natural building materials like Clay, ideally incorporates sustainable design practices to integrate the building into its immediate environment. Choosing building materials right for your climate is also important.

Final Thoughts

Wearing masks while going out, staying in properly ventilated spaces, travelling in closed transportation, and keeping in mind “Green and Sustainable” when buying or building a house are few of the things you can do to counter indoor air pollution. It’s time to watch what you’re breathing.

Breathe Healthy Stay Healthy!

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Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Building Materials

Top 10 Building Material used in Construction in India

There are many different types of building materials used in the construction industry including Concrete, Steel, Wood and Masonry. Every single material is varied with diverse properties like weight, strength, durability and cost making it suitable for certain types of applications. The choice of materials for construction is based on cost and effectiveness to resisting the loads and stresses acting on the structure. Architects and builders work closely with their clients and decide on the type of Construction and Building Materials to be used in each project.

Now, the construction industry in India fits in a variety of locally sourced materials. This highly depends on the kind of construction, which range from ‘Kuccha’ mud houses to modern town infrastructures that use prime building materials. The pressing problem with the industry is, however, the way the source materials are obtained. Sand mining, open fly ash factories, and disregard of sustainability standards have had a huge impact on the environment across the past decades. While the civil engineering and construction industry has boomed over the past decade, the country faces strong challenges from the exhaustive and highly polluting nature of building materials. Problems like illegal sand mining have been affecting the river systems. Densely clustered city planning has been leading to climatic disasters like the one our nation’s capital city has been fighting with for over a decade now.

Construction and Building Materials used in India

The new age infrastructure weights a blend of innovative construction styles along with the use of vigorous technology and high end and durable construction and building material to bring in the desired shell life and sustainability. With upsurging numbers of skyscrapers and huge infrastructure projects being planned, the need for them to be made up of most appropriate materials has risen. In 1990, the Indian Government took an initiative under the Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) to encourage and promote sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally feasible building materials. The commonly used construction and building materials in India includes:

Source

1. Wood

Compared to alternatives like plastic and other engineered products, wood offers a great natural advantage. Traditionally, wood construction has been the primary choice of Indian construction, especially in rural areas. In modern times, wood as a building material is also making headway into urban spaces. The advantages include:

  • High tensile strength – lightweight and higher self-support length
  • Heat and electrical resistance – natural resistance to construction and heat – offering more stability and safety
  • Sound absorption – Naturally acoustic properties make it a great advantage in city living and workspaces
  • Aesthetic – Again, the natural touch of wood is fresh. Also, an incredible range of wood is available, based on the need.

Wood construction, however, has its set of disadvantages including:

  • Deforestation – sourcing requires cutting down of trees
  • Prone to damage – Easily damaged by natural elements
  • High maintenance – requires expensive maintenance

Source

2. Plastic

Mainly used as polymers in the construction industry, they form a relatively small percentage of the building materials in India. Its advantages include:

  • Can be molded into any shape or form
  • Hard, resilient, heat tolerant
  • Immune to water damage
  • Cost effective

However, at the same time,

  • Environment damage – Is not biodegradable and hence pollutes the environment
  • Flammable – Can be an easy cause of fires

Source

3. Glass

Glass has become an exceedingly important material in the urban scape. Not just corporate offices, but even modern homes are using glass as a façade alternative. The main advantages include:

  • Beautification – Looks good from outside
  • More sunshine – allows for maximum use of daylight, while saving energy costs
  • Privacy – Comes in a huge variety of reflective surfaces to offer privacy
  • UV Resistant – Keeps off the harmful UV rays from the indoors

However, glass fails when it is about:

  • Costly – Expensive to deploy and needs to be carefully handled
  • High maintenance – Requires regular cleaning and this can be challenging with high glass walls
  • Security concerns – Privacy and safety can be compromised

Source

4. Metal

Aluminum and steel alloys form a big part of the construction industry across the globe and are in fact the framework for big structures. The strengths lie in:

  • Flexibility and resilience – Highly durable and strong
  • Weatherproof – Can withstand adverse climatic conditions to a great extent
  • Fire resistant – less prone to burning, compared to wood or glass

Its disadvantages include:

  • Prone to rust – and consequently affects the structural integrity of the construction
  • Difficult to seal – inconvenient to design
  • Expensive – metal constructions are highly expensive. Also, they require high maintenance

Source

5. Cement

Cement is a binder and is perhaps the crux of all kinds of construction across India. It offers strong resilience to the construction and overall integrity of the building. The advantages include:

  • Massive and are better at accumulating heat – a longer warming/cooling cycle
  • Strong – can resist high compressive load
  • Easily manufactured

However, cement brings in several disadvantages when you look at the environment side of the issue. They have:

  • High carbon footprint
  • Are too hard and consequently very brittle – prone to cracking
  • Weather quickly – suck up dirt and dampness

Source

6. Bricks and Blocks

Made up of clay or mud, bricks come in several shapes and offer high strength to the construction. They have long been used to construct homes and offices across India. Its advantages include:

  • High thermal stability
  • Made from local materials
  • Cheap to manufacture and durable to use
  • Offers a range of insulation, moisture absorption and resonance properties

However, bricks are:

  • Environmentally damaging – soil excavation resulting in soil erosion
  • Requires high construction costs

7. Fly Ash Bricks

Fly Ash Bricks is a building material made using class C or class F fly ash and water. Fly ash is a byproduct from coal-fired power plants that are frequently used as an admixture in concrete to replace a portion of the Portland cement. Fly ash bricks are very commonly used in India mainly in the construction of low-rise buildings.

Few categories of fly ash bricks are also made from mineral residue, glass, water, and fly ash. They are energy efficient, water-resistant and provide natural thermal insulation for a low-cost house. But, they too come with certain disadvantages, these include:

  • Slow Strength Gain
  • Longer Setting Times
  • Poor Air Content Control

Read more at: Disadvantages Of Using Fly Ash Bricks In Your Project6. Concrete

Concrete, as in cement brings in the same set of advantages and disadvantages. They are long lasting building materials and have become the foundation for India’s bridges, highways, reservoirs, dams, parking structures, and everything big.

8. Concrete

Concrete, as in cement brings in the same set of advantages and disadvantages. They are long lasting building materials and have become the foundation for India’s bridges,

highways, reservoirs, dams, parking structures, and everything big

Source

9. Ferrocement Wall Panels

Ferrocement is made of cement mortar reinforced with small diameter closely spaced steel wire mesh to form a thin section conforming high performance of serviceability. It is a type of slim wall reinforced concrete panel where hydraulic cement is casted with closely spaced layers of continuous small diameter metal mesh. Ferrocement wall panels are used for walling and are particularly suitable where speedy construction is needed.

Salient features:

  • Energy efficient
  • Cost effective
  • Dimensional regularity in size and shape
  • Saves time in construction

10. Clay Bricks – The Most Superior Building Material

Clay bricks are, first of all, ideal for the tropical climate like India. Consequently, it has also been the oldest known building material for its utility and high sustainability. What’s more important is that clay brick is the healthiest and greenest of all the alternative solutions. Sourcing of clay is the least devastating on the environment and it can even be recycled into the process.

There are others too…

Apart from the ones listed above, plastic, ceramic and foam are other commonly used construction and building material in India.

– Foam– This one is mainly used for insulation purposes. Foam is known for its properties for maintaining temperatures, being light in weight and extremely flexible between building materials like cement and wood.

– Ceramic – a tile or fixture that is made up of clay that are fired up in kilns. These are mainly used in construction project for flooring, walls, counter tops and occasionally for ceilings in buildings.

– Bamboo – unquestionably, bamboo is one of the first construction and building materials known to man. While this material isn’t used extensively in urban construction, you may still see them in good use in rural areas. Bamboo is a perfect green building material that has been very popular in India due to its durability and low cost.

Conclusion

As the need for futuristic homes increases, we also need to be responsible for the environmental impact that our population leaves behind. Choosing green building materials like clay can help the cause of the environment and is perhaps the best solution at hand presently.

Source – www.gosmamrtbricks.com

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Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Water Efficiency

PM Modi calls for 100 day Campaign for water conservation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there was a need to start conserving water right away and that the Jal Shakti Ministry would be launching a 100-day “catch the rain” campaign soon right from 1st March 2021 onwards.

Mr. Modi was speaking during his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, when he said there was a need to have collective responsibility with regard to water conservation.

“In most parts of India, rainfall begins in May-June. Can we right away start a 100-day campaign for the sake of cleaning up water sources around us and conserving rainwater? With this very thought in mind, in a few days from now, Jal Shakti Abhiyan ‘catch the rain’ is being initiated by the Jal Shakti Ministry,” he said, according to the English translation of his address provided by the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said there was a need to start conserving water right away and that the Jal Shakti Ministry would be launching a 100-day “catch the rain” campaign soon.

In this regard, the Union Jal Shakti Ministry is also launching “Catch the rain” campaign and its main theme is “catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”, he said.

“This is the best time to think about water conservation in the summer months ahead,” Modi said.

Let’s work together in this regard and support in water conservation & harvesting and prepare ourselves for the Extreme summer and then harvest the water during the Monsoon season.

To know more about water efficiency products check here – https://econaur.com/product-category/water-efficiency/

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Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Energy Efficiency

Urban Heat Island Effect and how to mitigate their effects!

“Urban heat islands” occur when cities replace natural land cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. This effect increases energy costs (e.g., for air conditioning), air pollution levels, and heat-related illness and mortality.

Climate change will likely lead to more frequent, more severe, and longer heat waves during summer months.

  • The city of Chicago could see 30 more days per year rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) under “high” greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.
  • Under lower emissions, Chicago’s new summer heat index could increase to around 93 °F by the end of the century—similar to current summer conditions in Atlanta, Georgia.

City officials worry that intense summer heat could lead to uncomfortable conditions for residents, as well as reduced tourist attraction in summer months.

Extreme heat events often affect our most vulnerable populations first.

Trees, green roofs, and vegetation can help reduce urban heat island effects by shading building surfaces, deflecting radiation from the sun, and releasing moisture into the atmosphere.

Elevated temperatures from heat islands can affect a community’s environment and quality of life in multiple ways.

Increased Energy Consumption

Heat islands increase demand for air conditioning to cool buildings. In an assessment of case studies spanning locations in several countries, electricity demand for air conditioning increased approximately 1–9% for each 2°F increase in temperature. Countries where most buildings have air conditioning, such as the United States, had the highest increase in electricity demand.This increase demand contributes to higher electricity expenses.

Heat islands increase both overall electricity demand, as well as peak energy demand. Peak demand generally occurs on hot summer weekday afternoons, when offices and homes are running air-conditioning systems, lights, and appliances. During extreme heat events, which are exacerbated by heat islands, the increased demand for air conditioning can overload systems and require a utility to institute controlled, rolling brownouts or blackouts to avoid power outages.

Elevated Emissions of Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases

As described above, heat islands raise demand for electricity in summer. Companies that supply electricity typically rely on fossil fuel to meet much of this demand, which in turn leads to an increase in air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.

These pollutants are harmful to human health and also contribute to complex air quality problems such as the formation of ground-level  (smog), fine particulate matter, and  acid rain. Increased use of fossil-fuel-powered plants also increases emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to global climate change.

In addition to their impact on energy-related emissions, elevated temperatures can directly increase the rate of ground-level ozone formation. Ground-level ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in the presence of sunlight and hot weather. If all other variables are equal, such as the level of precursor emissions in the air and wind speed and direction, more ground-level ozone will form as the environment becomes sunnier and hotter.

Compromised Human Health and Comfort

Heat islands contribute to higher daytime temperatures, reduced nighttime cooling, and higher air pollution levels. These, in turn, contribute to heat-related deaths and heat-related illness such as general discomfort, respiratory difficulties, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and non-fatal heat stroke.

Heat islands can also exacerbate the impact of naturally occurring heat waves, which are periods of abnormally hot, and often humid, weather. Sensitive populations, such as children, older adults, and those with existing health conditions, are particularly at risk during these events.

Excessive heat events, or abrupt and dramatic temperature increases, are particularly dangerous and can result in above-average rates of mortality. From 2004 to 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 10,527 heat-related deaths in the United States, an average of 702 per year. These numbers include deaths where heat was the underlying cause and deaths where heat was a contributing cause.

Impaired Water Quality

High temperatures of pavement and rooftop surfaces can heat up stormwater runoff, which drains into storm sewers and raises water temperatures as it is released into streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Water temperature affects all aspects of aquatic life, especially the metabolism and reproduction of many aquatic species. Rapid temperature changes in aquatic ecosystems resulting from warm stormwater runoff can be particularly stressful, and even fatal, to aquatic life.

One study found that urban streams are hotter on average than streams in forested areas, and that temperatures in urban streams rose over 7°F during small storms due to heated runoff from urban materials.

Green infrastructure is one option to cool stormwater runoff and improve water quality. It can include the use of downspout disconnections, rain gardens, planter boxes, bioswales, permeable pavements, green streets and alleys, green parking, and green roofs; as well as land conservation efforts.

To reduce the urban heat island effect:

  • Build green infrastructure improvements into regular street upgrades and capital improvement projects to ensure continued investment in heat-reducing practices throughout your community.
  • Plant trees and other vegetation—Space in urban areas might be limited, but you can easily integrate small green infrastructure practices into grassy or barren areas, vacant lots, and street rights-of-way.
  • City officials in Louisville, Kentucky, recently awarded a $115,700 contract for a tree canopy assessment to help the city use trees to address urban heat, stormwater management, and other concerns. “Knowing where we lack canopy, down to the street and address level, will help our efforts exponentially,” remarked Mayor Greg Fischer.
    • Make traditional water quality practices serve double duty by adding trees in or around roadside planters and other green infiltration-based practices to boost roadside cooling and shading.
    • Transform your community one project at a time by planting native, drought-tolerant shade trees and smaller plants such as shrubs, grasses, and groundcover wherever possible.
  • Build green roofs—Green roofs are an ideal heat island reduction strategy, providing both direct and ambient cooling effects.  In addition, green roofs improve air quality by reducing the heat island effect and absorbing pollutants.

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Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Building Materials, Energy Efficiency

Green technology is essential for Future Construction

Builders all over the globe are gravitating towards greener technology methods that can make buildings energy-efficient and sustainable. Homeowners are also showing interest in projects that deploy raw material and construction techniques with a lower carbon footprint and that are not detrimental to the environment. These techniques are being extensively used in modern construction right from the inception phase and in every aspect of the project construction; design, selection of raw material, the systems that run the construction, and the operation.

Renewable power

Pic Credits: https://www.treehugger.com/

Renewable energy sources help in the creation of self-powered buildings. These structures generate their own power to support their energy requirement. In most cases, it is done through solar and wind power. The use of solar power isn’t a new technology. It has been around for long, but now it is widely used by builders as an effective and green alternative to traditional energy sources. 

Using the sun’s energy in active solar power generation involves using the solar panels to generate electricity. Passive solar power generation, on the other hand, uses the sun’s rays to heat the houses using the strategic placement of windows and heat-absorbing surfaces. Wind power is being used by skyscrapers that have wind turbines mounted on the rooftops. The strong air currents at high altitudes propel the turbine blades which results in the generation of power.

Green Insulation

Pic Credits: https://theconstructor.org/building/

Thermal insulation of a building plays a very important role in improving the quality of life of the people residing or working there. Using hollow clay bricks like the Porotherm Thermo bricks is one such greener technology innovations in the field of modern construction for green insulation. These bricks are eco-friendly, made from easily available raw material that is clay, and rank high on the sustainability meter. 

Sustainable raw material

Pic Credits: https://greenbuildingelements.com/

Using bio-degradable raw material is one of the ways of creating a sustainable structure. A lot of waste products and toxin materials are generated during the construction of a building. This waste piles up in landfills for centuries before degrading. We can avoid this by going in for bio-degradable raw materials like bamboo, recycled glass, and organic paints. A relatively newer but effective sustainable material that can be used is eco-concrete. It is practical, durable, strong, and acts as an air purifier with its smog-eating properties. These raw materials do not pose any threat to the environment and improve the productivity and health of people. 

Water-efficient systems

Pic Credits: https://www.homeonline.com/hol/home-tips

Using water-efficient technologies in the construction process is one of the green and sustainable ways of making the structure adhere to green standards and green technology. These technologies include re-use and application of efficient water supply systems and deploy methods like rainwater harvesting, dual plumbing, grey-water re-use, and water conservation fixtures. The use of these water-efficient technologies can lower water wastage by as much as 15%.

Cool roofs and smart glasses

Pic Credit: https://energyhawksusa.com/

Cool roofs reflect more of the sun’s rays than other roofs and prevent the warm or cool air inside from escaping through the top of a building. A cool roof keeps the temperature inside a building low (a cool roof can cut that down by more than 50 degrees) that reduces the strain on the air conditioning systems. This, in turn, reduces the emissions from the heating and cooling units. 

Smart glass is an electrochromic glass that uses a tiny burst of electricity to charge ions on a window layer. It controls the amount of light that the glass will reflect. It is different from the low emittance windows that block partial radiation of the sun as with smart glass, you can choose the amount of light you want to block. This technology is especially beneficial for skyscrapers that use a lot of glass in their façade. The smart glass windows tint automatically during peak sun hours and become transparent in the evenings, night. This glass is expected to reduce HVAC costs by almost 25 %.

A structure becomes great not only by its design but also by its impact on the environment. It is time for the buildings to enter into a symbiotic and healthy relationship with the environment by using green technology-based construction methods. 

Source – gosmartbricks.com

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Econaur published in Air Quality, Best Collections

Realty about the Pollutants in composting, Myths and Facts!

The commercial success in the era where we have to take serious steps towards safeguarding environment is taking wrong twist and turns. The recent awareness about composting the organic waste in decentralized manner has picked up the momentum. As a hungry commercial monster human being is also defying the process of natural composting by accelerating it. We want to have compost in 48 hours, 24 hours and I just now read in one of the brochure claiming 15 minutes.

We don’t think twice while wasting and throwing the valuable food along with food waste. But while taking efforts to bring it back in circular economy of sustainability we want to be God of Gods.

In the wake of government orders and notifications of managing wet wastes by commercial complexes and residential societies at local level in decentralized manner some of the commercially eccentric product manufacturers are spreading claims of creating compost in as low as 15 minutes time. Machines rating 1.8kW till 200kW to convert waste to compost in such a short time. And what they claim is following

  • The organic waste is segregated
  • Segregated waste is shredded to small size
  • The shredded pile is then forcibly dried using electrical or oil heaters.
  • The dried powder is said to be ready to use compost or some suggest then to keep it for curing for another 20 days with bacteria.

Now try to analyse above steps this way –

  • The organic waste is segregated

This is a right step and must be done manually at source itself by the user or the person who is dumping it in the garbage bin.

  • Segregated waste is shredded to small size

This is a step to accelerate the process of decomposition and can be used to help reduce overall size of waste also in terms of storage capacity.

  • The shredded pile is then forcibly dried using electrical or oil heaters.
  • The overall shredding process will make the waste a lot wet as the water in the matter is now out of the body so there will be leachate with highly acidic form and bad odor.
  • 70-80% of organic waste is water which has to be dried now.
  • Assume following –

Q – is the energy require to raise 1 Celsius of 1 kg o substance

c – is the specific heat o a substance

m – is the mass of the substance

θ – is the difference of temperature of a substance ( temperature of a substance after energy is absorb – temperature of a substance before energy is absorb)

We want to find Q so, the specific heat of water is 4.2 J/kgC-1 . I assume that the mass of the water is 1 kg coming out of the waste. The temperature difference in order to evaporate water is about 70°C (100°C – 30°C assume that room temperature is 30C) we substitute all in the equation –

Q = (4.2*103 J/kgC^-1) (1 kg) (70°C) = 294000 J

So 294000 joules of energy is require to evaporate 1 kg of water, which is about 0.09kWh energy per kg of water

The survey on net shows India produces over 60 million metric tons of waste a year out of which over 60% is organic waste. Currently only 9% of this waste is treated at source, the rest ends up choking landfills and our cities.

This means 32760000000kg of organic waste remains to be treated

Assume only 30% of this is treated for composting using such forced drying machines = 9828000000kg and this will require (9828000000kg*70%) of water*0.09kWh = 619164000kWh of electrical or fuel energy. Hopes this helps:) to know cost of energy and load of energy in converting wet waste to compost.

There is an alternative way of such decentralized composting

The other problem in the heating to dry the organic waste is even though the temperatures are lesser than burning temperatures the localized heat accumulation and low temperature exposure for extended time will tend to partially burn the organic matter.

Such reaction at lower temperatures have a very harmful ratios of CO-CO2 and Nox gases. (Reference: Pollutant Formation in Combustion Processes, Grzegorz Wielgosiński, Technical University of Lodz, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Poland)

While this partial drying / burning we are losing the nutrient value of the end compost.

The dried powder is said to be ready to use compost or some suggest then to keep it for curing for another 20 days with bacteria.

The dried powder is not a compost it is just forced stage of organic matter. Such dried powder is very hygroscopic. It will quickly absorb moisture from air and soil and again get into non-composted organic form.

Which will now rotten in the open soil. This is also a good food of flies and insects hence they breed in this form of powder when wet. This will start smelling foul as it becomes wet again.

It will take another 8-10 days minimum in open natural environment to get to a form where the plantation can absorb anything out of it.Improperly disposed organic waste is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, at almost 1500 Tg CO2 / year. Waste deposited, partially burnt emits methane which contributes 21 times the global warming impact of carbon dioxide according to the concept of Global Warming Potential adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The composting has to be self driven acted by assisted by the bacterial culture. The bacteria will chemically break down the waste in desired form by digesting some part as food for themselves. While such digestion the bacterias will generate a good temperature on their bodies which will dry out the waste naturally to the extent that some times you have to add some water to keep the bacteria’s active.

The process only demands small area in your garden or parking or terrace and a manpower for a size of 100 homes or equivalent waste processing setup.

Reference:

https://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-chemical-engineering/pollutants-formation-in-combustion-processes
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/science.cfm

Sustainable & Organic Solutions

  • AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD – AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD (BLACK / BLUE), This water saving shower head can mix air with water to spray water effectively to maintain equivalent water pressure compared to regular shower heads.
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  • Leave It Pot Small Composter:- Perfect for people who have space & do not like lifting weights! Also a companion pot for your Kambha in case you are generating more than 1 kg waste per day.

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Econaur published in Air Quality, Best Collections, Blog

Make this Diwali, Green-Wali by following eco friendly ways

The festival of light and delight is finally here and everyone is in high spirits to celebrate Diwali. Every year, this festival is celebrated with great zeal and excitement by one and all. However, many people think that it is perfectly alright to turn this celebration into the festivities of pollution and misuse of resources. 

Diwali is not about making the world a more polluted place, it is about celebrating the arrival of Lord Rama after his glorious victory against Lanka king Ravana.

  1. Instead of opting for electric lights this Diwali, you can go for handmade earthen diyas. It is not just a heartfelt gesture but also a great way to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly way.
  2. Use dried leaves and flower petals to make a rangoli. It is a biodegradable way to create a festive design and very cost-effective as well.
  3. Avoid using crackers altogether if you can. For a cleaner and greener future we need to stay away from crackers altogether, but if you still want to go ahead with it then you can opt for green crackers.
  4. Instead of plastic decorations, choose either paper decor or you can even opt for bamboo decor. 
  5. This festive season, you must opt for handmade paper wraps for your gifts instead of plastic wraps. It is one of the most eco-friendly ways to celebrate Diwali.
  6. Always make sure that you recycle the items that you can. If you have old candles lying around or old decorations in the house, then don’t shy away from using them.
  7. If you are hosting a Diwali bash this season, then instead of plastic plates and other cutlery, use biodegradable things instead. It will make a huge difference.
  8. Diwali means Diwali cleaning, so make sure you dispose of the waste in an eco-friendly way.
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Econaur published in Best Collections

Meet the Young innovators who created the briquetting machine to manage the agri waste

We are in the 21st Century today, where we utilize all the advanced technologies and yet, if you go out into rural India, you find a totally different scenario. Rural India has a lot of undiscovered wealth. If you look at the current scenario in the villages, you find that there are a lot of resources such as agri-waste generated in the farms, sawdust, waste paper, cow dung cakes etc., which is seen as just waste due to lack of proper knowledge about its potential.

Agri-waste management in rural farms

In contrast, waste management has always been a herculean task in urban cities, while in villages, it is totally neglected. Household garbage and agri-waste either ends up piled on the roads or burnt carelessly as there is no proper solid waste management system in place. This leads to a lot of pollution. Despite various schemes by the government to provide LPG connections at subsidized prices, rural women tend to use firewood for cooking, which has a lot of ill effects on their health and also the environment. On the other end, there is a lot of agro-waste being generated in farms. Can’t there be a solution that helps the rural communities to turn the waste into a resource?“Yes, it can be”, emphatically says Darshil Panchal, Managing Partner of S K Engineers. Darshil pursued Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from New York University, USA and returned to India to join his family-owned company, S K Engineers. Established in 2011 by a group of technocrats, it is a company based in Vapi Industrial Estate, Vapi, Gujarat.

During his company’s work with NM Sadguru Foundation, Darshil worked closely among rural communities and observed the lack of a reliable source of cooking fuel. In the search for a solution to this problem, Darshil came across boilers that used briquettes instead of coal. Agricultural waste is being generated in abundant quantities was procured from the rural communities by briquetting plant owners who in turn make briquettes out of it and supply it to boiler plants. On the other hand, rural farmers burn away the agricultural waste generated at their farms without realizing its potential.

Understanding this, Darshil ideated on manufacturing a manual version of a briquetting machine to manage agri waste, which could prove to be a boon to rural India, especially women. Since   S K Engineers work closely with various NGOs and voluntary organizations that work for the cause of rural upbringing, they came up with an appropriate solution for the effective management of various types of waste such as agro waste, fodder, kitchen waste, paper/plastic/cardboard waste, etc.

S K Engineers innovated three different models of the manual briquetting machine:

  • Briquetting Lever Press – ‘BLP’
  • Briquetting Jack – ‘B-JACK’
  • Briquetting Hydraulic Jack – ‘B-HACK’

Briquetting machine to manage agri waste

All kinds of household and agro-waste material such as kitchen waste, sawdust, fodder, cow dung, trash paper and others are first shredded into tiny pieces. This mixture is then blended together with little water and cow dung to create a slurry. Once the slurry is ready, it is poured into the cylindrical cavity of the BLP machine and the lever is pressed to start the compression process. Then the compressed slurry is removed and dried in the sun and the briquette is ready. These briquettes can be directly used at home as an alternative fuel for cooking or can also sold in the market at a price of INR7-10 per kg to earn extra income.

Product Company Named as S K Engineers.

The briquettes produced are pretty light in weight and can easily be stored or transported. Compared to uncompressed waste, briquettes burn comparatively for a longer duration. This lightweight machine can be easily installed by anyone at any place and also be dismantled for transportation. The ready waste available at farm location becomes the raw material and input to this machine and various briquettes are formed. So, BLP brings extra income to rural families and improves their economic condition.

Technical Specifications

Briquetting Lever PressBriquetting JackBriquetting Hydraulic Jack
Capacity / hr20-25 briquettes35-40 briquettes48-56 briquettes
Daily production40 Kg64 Kg90 Kg
Price (with GST)INR15,500INR21,000INR28,000

Quoted capacity is for 2 manual laborers working 8 hours per day

Working closely with rural communities helped S K Engineers to fabricate a few more innovative machines:

  1. Manual Dry Powder Blender (Required for mixing of dry powder)
  2. Manual Baler Machine
  3. Manual Nursery Seeder Workstation

They designed these handy equipments with the following properties:

  • Power: No electricity requirement
  • Mobility: Compact enough to easily store & transport
  • Lightweight: Can be lifted with ease even by women (BLP only)
  • Negligible after-sales service expenses on the customer side
  • Briquette size: Large enough to burn for comparatively long time
  • Design: The products are specially engineered to suit the purpose

Manual Baler Machine

Generally, plastic waste, multi-layered plastic packaging, paper waste, cardboard, farm waste etc., do not have much value since they are too bulky to transport easily. Understanding this problem, Darshil Panchal innovated a new type of manual baler machine that helps to effectively manage waste and transport them in an organized way. This product can be used by any waste recycler or rag picker communities to manage waste in an organized manner and sell it to companies to earn more income.

This Manual Baler Machine can be easily transported since it has the provision of wheels. It is easy to operate and highly economical as there is no maintenance required for it. Effective compression enables it to remove voids and compress the maximum amount of waste material which in turn helps in the reduction of empty space during transportation.

Tech Specs for Manual Baler Machine

  • Average size of waste that can be baled – 600 mm x 600 mm x 600 mm
  • Bale weight – upto 40 Kg
  • Time taken to produce one bale – 10 minutes
  • Daily production – 1,280 Kg
  • Price – INR30,000

These machines are unique since they need no electricity and very less manual power and are easily installable & operable. With the Briquetting machine, the agri waste is turned into resources and used as cooking fuel and also earn income by selling the excess briquettes produced. And the Baler machine is another income generator as the waste is managed and transported effectively. The only resource needed to put in is human energy. Not much financial capital is required for setting up the machines.

Already numerous NGOs and rural development organizations have bought these machines and utilized them for waste management and income generation.

Submit your query for briquetting machine here.

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Econaur published in Best Collections, Blog, Water Efficiency

Let us check some Water Harvesting Methods from our Ancient Times !

India is home to 18 percent of the total world’s population, but it has access to only 4 percent of the world’s freshwater resources. Reports by the think-tank of the Indian government i.e. NITI Aayog states – India is facing the vilest water crisis in its history. This 2018 report predicts, 21 Indian cities, including major metros like Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore will run out of groundwater by 2020. This situation is extremely alarming, as 2020 is just a few months away.

The drought situation in few parts of the county, in times when good monsoon showers are expected mirrors clearly that waning climate change is all set to cause mayhem. By now, most of the parts of the country should have been experiencing good amounts of rainfall but the reality is far more disturbing. Severe drought threatens the country, and poor infrastructure is making it worse. But there are potential solutions one of which is ‘Catching the Rains’ with different types of rainwater harvesting systems.

Rainwater Harvesting – What Is It?

Rainwater harvesting is a technology used to collect, convey, and store rainwater from relatively clean surfaces like the roof, rock catchment, or land surface – essentially for later use. This collected rainwater is either directed to recharge groundwater or stored in a rainwater tank.

Rainwater harvesting isn’t some modern technology, it has been practiced for over 4,000 years throughout the world. Traditionally in arid and semi-arid areas, rainwater harvesting systems have provided water for domestic use, drinking, livestock, and small irrigation purposes. Today, rainwater harvesting is gathering a lot of significance as a modern, water-saving and simple technology.

Why Rainwater Harvesting?

In many regions across the globe, clean drinking water is not easily and readily available. For potable water, huge investment costs and expenditure is needed. Rainwater is one free water source and comparatively clean; with proper treatment, it can be used for several non-potable uses. Rainwater harvesting relieves the pressure on sewers and the environment by mitigating floods, soil erosions and replenishing groundwater levels; also it helps in saving the high-quality drinking water sources by reducing the consumption of potable water.

There are so many reasons why we should start collecting rainwater. From doing our part for the environment and saving money on water bills to having constant access to water – collecting rainwater can be beneficial in so many ways.

Read: Rain Water Harvesting – Why, Benefits, Techniques & More

7 Different Types Of Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Below mentioned are the different types of rainwater harvesting systems:

1. Water Butt

One of the most basic types of rainwater harvesting systems; water Butt collects rainwater in a container from natural rainfall and/or drain pipes. The collected water is used mainly for watering the garden.

2. Direct-Pumped

Another very common and professional type of rainwater harvesting.

  • Submersible – Used particularly in domestic settings and is the easiest systems to install. The pump is placed within the underground tank and the harvested water is pumped directly to WCs or other appliances used daily for domestic purposes.
  • Suction – In this system, the pump is located within the control unit of the house (e.g. utility room). This unit also deals with backup from the mains water supply, hence there is no need to direct mains water down to the underground tank.

Most rainwater harvesting systems need pumps to transfer the collected rainwater from storage tanks to the point of use. Submersible pumps are generally more efficient than suction pumps and do not suffer from the same limitations.

3. Indirect Pumped

This type of rainwater harvesting system doesn’t rely on gravity to supply water to the outlets. Instead, it pumps the harvested water to a tank which can be at any level in the building. Furthermore, a booster pump is used to provide a pressurized water supply. One of the most significant benefits of this system is that it offers great flexibility to tailor the booster pumps to adjust the flow and pressure requirements of a building.

4. Indirect Gravity

This system ensures water is supplied to the outlets by gravity alone. For this, the harvested water is first pumped to the header tank, i.e. high-level tank and then allowed to free-flow. In Indirect gravity systems, the pump works only to fill the header tank.

5. Gravity Only

In few conditions, a system which functions purely through gravity may be needed. Such systems do not demand pumps hence involves no energy use. With such an arrangement, water can be collected only when collection tanks are located below the level of gutters, yet higher than the outlets which it will supply. Here the only power of gravity is needed to feed collected and harvested water to various parts of the household. Gravity only is one of the most energy-efficient rainwater harvesting systems.

6. Retention Ponds

Retention ponds are used to collect surface runoff water and improve the quality of water by natural processes like sedimentation, decomposition, solar disinfection, and soil filtration. This type of pond normally has a mud bottom, but in some cases, it may be lined with concrete. The most common use of water collected and harvested by pond harvesting is watering livestock, however, it can also be used for groundwater recharge, irrigation or any other purpose other than potable uses.

7. In-Ground Storage

Underground storage tanks are very popular in areas where the majority of rainfall occurs in one single season. These underground tanks are insulated and have a very low rate of evaporation. In addition, the water stored in these doesn’t freeze if it is buried below the frost line, this is a huge advantage that surface storage tanks do not offer. Underground tanks need to be connected to an electric pump to ensure supply of the stored water to the outlets.

Rainwater Harvesting Is Crucial For The Future

It is the human’s unfriendly attitude towards nature which has poisoned our water-bodies and turned them unfit for any use. We are stretching our local water resources to provide for the exponential population growth and economic development. Turning to new water supply strategies and paradigms are indispensable to meet this demand.

Today most of the parts of the world are facing scarcity of water, taking up rainwater harvesting is necessary for survival. Natural resources come in abundance but they cannot be produced – attempts need to be made to collect and harvest it at an individual level.

But, you can save water in another way. use Water Saving Products of Eco 365. Explore a wide range of water-saving products.

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  • AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD – AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD (BLACK / BLUE), This water saving shower head can mix air with water to spray water effectively to maintain equivalent water pressure compared to regular shower heads.
  • DualThreadAerator :- With 3 LPM straight shower flow aerator you save water and reduce water bill.
  • Zerodor:-Zerodor is a revolutionary waterless urinal technology which can save over 151000 liters of water per year per urinal. That is one whole year of 14 families getting access to water.
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