+
Energy efficiency is the need of the hour
Real Estate

Energy efficiency is the need of the hour

Shrinivas Chebbi, Vice President - India & SAARC - Buildings Business, Schneider Electric

While on one hand the demand for energy intensifies, on the other, the rising decibel to bring down carbon emission poses a complex situation today. In this exclusive conversation, Shrinivas Chebbi, Vice President - India & SAARC - Buildings Business, Schneider Electric, shares his perspectives on a range of topics including the Indian energy saving scenario and the transition towards smart buildings with MANAS R BASTIA. Excerpts:

Please share key milestones in your journey since you moved to the Asia Pacific.
As part of Schneider Electric India, my first milestone would be when we set up a complete delivery platform and go-to market strategy for our energy-efficient solutions for several user segments. Second, as part of our strategic plan for the IT business, we participated in major acquisitions of Schneider Electric in India, including APW President Systems, a leader in rack and containment systems. The third milestone is putting in place a strong programme to develop products and specifically adapt them to Indian conditions.

Address the evolution of the Indian energy saving segment in recent years.
Earlier, energy efficiency or LEED-certified buildings or green buildings were good to have as a marketing tool. But today, energy saving has become critical and this is for two reasons. First is the growing cost of energy and the resulting rocketing operating costs of buildings owing to inefficient energy consumption and the second reason is the advent of stringent regulatory norms.

Comment on the energy savings market in India, especially the building segment.
India is a large and important market where energy saving is a greater challenge for pre-existing buildings than new ones. Practically every building that is, say, about six years old has the potential to deploy some energy-saving measures.

The energy consumption by buildings is very high and nearly 30 per cent of the total energy consumed in the country goes into buildings. In such a scenario, adoption of energy efficient measures is crucial. Every building has the potential to save anywhere between a minimum of 10 per cent to 30-35 per cent of what we are consuming today.

Please share your innovative solutions to save energy in buildings.
Buildings form a key segment for Schneider Electric India and we offer a wide range of innovative and technologically advanced solutions designed for various applications and all types of buildings. We can divide our building solutions into two categories: for greenfield projects, and for brownfield projects. Our solutions for green field projects include turnkey, integrated, segment-specific solutions involving all critical assets of the building such as power infrastructure, building management, security infrastructure, IT infrastructure etc. Solutions for brownfield or existing buildings include installed base services that help clients keep their installations productive and available. Our solutions under advanced services include a combination of audit/advisory services, retrofit and upgrade services, and extension services. These are specially targeted at older buildings or those where there is scope to enhance building quality without significant capex on the structure itself.

What are your plans for the near future?
In the next two years, the goal is to establish Schneider Electric firmly in the marketplace to deliver our exceptional solutions and services to all segments, geography and customers by joining our forces with our partner network.

What are the major opportunities and challenges in developing smart buildings and smart cities in India?
Smart buildings and smart cities promise great opportunities given India's rising demand for energy owing to urbanisation, digitisation and industrialisation. Also, we have a huge inventory of old buildings. Smart buildings consume lesser power and energy and are the answer to the need of urbanisation in the country. At the same time, it is a challenge to work together to deploy different technologies because there is no single company that can do everything required to build smart cities. For example, we bring on board proven capability in energy management and energy-efficient technologies for buildings and infrastructure. As part of this community, we will contribute to build smart buildings and cities with different technologies we have within Schneider Electric as well as by collaborating with different players.

To share your views on this interview, write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com

Your next big infra connection is waiting at RAHSTA 2025 – Asia’s Biggest Roads & Highways Expo, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Don’t miss out!

Shrinivas Chebbi, Vice President - India & SAARC - Buildings Business, Schneider Electric While on one hand the demand for energy intensifies, on the other, the rising decibel to bring down carbon emission poses a complex situation today. In this exclusive conversation, Shrinivas Chebbi, Vice President - India & SAARC - Buildings Business, Schneider Electric, shares his perspectives on a range of topics including the Indian energy saving scenario and the transition towards smart buildings with MANAS R BASTIA. Excerpts: Please share key milestones in your journey since you moved to the Asia Pacific. As part of Schneider Electric India, my first milestone would be when we set up a complete delivery platform and go-to market strategy for our energy-efficient solutions for several user segments. Second, as part of our strategic plan for the IT business, we participated in major acquisitions of Schneider Electric in India, including APW President Systems, a leader in rack and containment systems. The third milestone is putting in place a strong programme to develop products and specifically adapt them to Indian conditions. Address the evolution of the Indian energy saving segment in recent years. Earlier, energy efficiency or LEED-certified buildings or green buildings were good to have as a marketing tool. But today, energy saving has become critical and this is for two reasons. First is the growing cost of energy and the resulting rocketing operating costs of buildings owing to inefficient energy consumption and the second reason is the advent of stringent regulatory norms. Comment on the energy savings market in India, especially the building segment. India is a large and important market where energy saving is a greater challenge for pre-existing buildings than new ones. Practically every building that is, say, about six years old has the potential to deploy some energy-saving measures. The energy consumption by buildings is very high and nearly 30 per cent of the total energy consumed in the country goes into buildings. In such a scenario, adoption of energy efficient measures is crucial. Every building has the potential to save anywhere between a minimum of 10 per cent to 30-35 per cent of what we are consuming today. Please share your innovative solutions to save energy in buildings. Buildings form a key segment for Schneider Electric India and we offer a wide range of innovative and technologically advanced solutions designed for various applications and all types of buildings. We can divide our building solutions into two categories: for greenfield projects, and for brownfield projects. Our solutions for green field projects include turnkey, integrated, segment-specific solutions involving all critical assets of the building such as power infrastructure, building management, security infrastructure, IT infrastructure etc. Solutions for brownfield or existing buildings include installed base services that help clients keep their installations productive and available. Our solutions under advanced services include a combination of audit/advisory services, retrofit and upgrade services, and extension services. These are specially targeted at older buildings or those where there is scope to enhance building quality without significant capex on the structure itself. What are your plans for the near future? In the next two years, the goal is to establish Schneider Electric firmly in the marketplace to deliver our exceptional solutions and services to all segments, geography and customers by joining our forces with our partner network. What are the major opportunities and challenges in developing smart buildings and smart cities in India? Smart buildings and smart cities promise great opportunities given India's rising demand for energy owing to urbanisation, digitisation and industrialisation. Also, we have a huge inventory of old buildings. Smart buildings consume lesser power and energy and are the answer to the need of urbanisation in the country. At the same time, it is a challenge to work together to deploy different technologies because there is no single company that can do everything required to build smart cities. For example, we bring on board proven capability in energy management and energy-efficient technologies for buildings and infrastructure. As part of this community, we will contribute to build smart buildings and cities with different technologies we have within Schneider Electric as well as by collaborating with different players. To share your views on this interview, write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Delivering metals in 24 hours with AI

India’s metal supply chain has long struggled with delays, fragmentation and lack of transparency, forcing purchase teams to chase vendors and juggle uncertain stock. Enlight Metals is tackling these inefficiencies with an AI-powered aggregation platform, multilingual voice-enabled procurement and strategically located dark stores that enable 24-hour delivery – transforming how OEMs, EPCs and infrastructure players source their metals. In a conversation with CW, Dhananjay Goel, Director, and Vedant Goel, Director, shares how the company is reshaping procurement. What problem..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Silvin's CPVC Additive Gets NSF® Certification for Safety

Silvin Additives, a prominent manufacturer of PVC and CPVC additives, has secured the NSF® Guideline 533 certification for its CPVC Super1Pack formulation. This certification affirms the additive’s compliance with stringent international health and safety standards for products intended for drinking water applications.Awarded by NSF, a globally respected public health and safety authority based in Michigan, United States, the certification is granted only after rigorous product testing and inspection. NSF® Guideline 533 specifically assesses the safety of chemical ingredients used in produ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Mitsubishi Halts Offshore Wind Projects in Japan

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has announced its decision to withdraw from three major offshore wind projects off the coast of Japan due to a significant shift in global business conditions. The projects were being developed through a consortium led by its subsidiary, Mitsubishi Corporation Offshore Wind Ltd., and were located off the shores of Noshiro City, Mitane Town, and Oga City in Akita Prefecture; Yurihonjo City in Akita Prefecture; and Choshi City in Chiba Prefecture.The company stated that following a review initiated in February 2025, it concluded the projects were no longer viable. The..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?