The Pioneer               05.07.2013

UT proposes five-star rated green building

The UT Urban Planning department has submitted the plan and drawings of the new UT Secretariat building for approval. The new building is conceived as city’s first five-star rated green building and a number of features have been incorporated in design and construction of the new building to reduce carbon footprint.

As per UT’s plan, the Energy Conservation Building Code norms are being proposed for energy efficient design and construction of the building. This state-of-the-art new Secretariat building would have several green building features like earth air tunnel forced ventilation system, evaporating cooling system, naturally lit and ventilation for comfortable ambience, central landscaped and courtyard planning to encourage the solar passive measures and maximizing ventilation. Other features include rooftop garden, installation of water harvesting system and solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plant.

Also, an open station concept has been proposed for UT staff offices in the new building. The offices of Adviser to UT Administrator, office of six UT Secretaries, staff of the senior officials, meeting rooms, auditorium, dispensary among others have been planned in the new building.

The new UT Secretariat building would be a six-storey building while the existing Secretariat is a five-storey building. The new building will be constructed between the existing Additional Deluxe building and Chandigarh Housing Board building in Sector 9.

With the construction of this new building, various UT departments will be accommodated under one roof, ensuring smooth functioning of Administration. The office of Adviser to UT Administrator and UT Secretaries would be shifted to be proposed new building. And, the proposed new building is likely accommodate UT departments including Excise and Taxation. Social Welfare Department, Controller Legal Metrology, Health Department, State Agricultural Marketing Board, Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Fisheries Department, among others. An amount of Rs 50 crore has been proposed by the UT Administration for the construction of this new building under the 12th five year plan (2012-17).

When contacted, UT chief architect Sumit Kaur said, “The UT Urban Planning Department has submitted the drawings of new UT Secretariat building. And, the same is likely to be approved soon.”She said, “The new UT Secretariat would be a six-floor building and is conceived as a five-star rated green building.

Provisions of auditorium, dispensary, canteen among others have been made in the new building.” At present, due to space constraints in the exiting UT Secretariat building, staff of several UT Departments are working from outside the UT Secretariat. Also, the UT is yet to allocate space for the offices of two new secretary level officers, the posts which were approved by the Centre last year.

Lalil Sharma, the then Adviser to UT Administrator had laid the foundation stone of the new UT Secretariat building on September 26, 2007 but the project is yet to kick off. In the year 2007, the first phase of the building was estimated at around Rs 10 crore while now the cost has almost doubled. The project was also targeted to be completed in 18 months.