Growing electricity demand, the emergence of multiple peaks, distributed power, electric vehicles, infrastructure constraints, and an increasing share of renewables in the network are a challenge for the utilities in India and South Asia. As the electricity grid becomes increasingly complex, flexibility in demand plays a vital role in ensuring its efficiency and stability.

The 4th ZerO-In Dialogue brings a global perspective on cutting-edge strategies, utility program approaches, and opportunities in the fast-developing building-grid integration space.

Smita Gupta and Alexi Miller from USA’s New Buildings Institute delve into the details of GridOptimal Buildings and discuss behind-the-meter distributed energy resources, utility program best practices, design, and operational building strategies, and key barriers to expanding demand flexibility and time-of-use targeted energy efficiency in buildings across India and beyond.

Agenda

• Introduction to ZerO-In Dialogues 04
  Apurva Chaturvedi (Senior Clean Energy Specialist, USAID India)
• Enabling Policies for Grid-Interactive Net Zero Energy Buildings
  Nidhi Gupta (Associate Director, EDS [MAITREE])
• GridOptimal Buildings – Utility Programs, Design Strategies, and What’s Next for DERs and Building-Grid Integration
  Smita Gupta (Director, Building Innovation, New Buildings Institute)
  Alexi Miller (Associate Technical Director, New Buildings Institute)
• Q&A
  Tanmay Tathagat (Director, EDS [MAITREE])
• Vote Of Thanks
  Atul Bali (Chief General Manager, National Smart Grid Mission)

1.Atul K Bali(Chief General Manager, National Smart Grid Mission)

Atul Bali is an Electrical Engineer who has over 28 years of rich experience in the power sector. His experience spans design, engineering, monitoring and successful implementation of SCADA/EMS/DMS projects. He has worked in NHPC, POWERGRID, and PFC, the Navratna Public Sector Undertakings of Ministry of Power, Government of India. He has been associated from concept to commissioning of the Unified Load Despatch & Communication Scheme and has also supervised the implementation of IT-based distribution reform projects under the prestigious Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP).

2.Smita Gupta (Director for Building Innovation, New  Buildings Institute )

Smita has been involved in building energy policy, programs, technology, and research for over 18 years. She has a broad range of expertise and brings a unique perspective with experience in policy and technologies around energy efficiency, distributed energy resources (DER), and grid integration of buildings. She manages NBI’s initiatives on building electrification, advanced water heating, and grid interaction of buildings.

Previously she worked at the California Energy Commission in Title 24 Building Standards and the statewide solar incentive program. She has also worked in the private industry at Itron in energy consulting, strategic planning, and product management for the DER controls platform. Smita is a LEED AP with degrees in Architecture and Building Science.

3.Alexi Miller (Associate Technical Director, New Buildings Institute )

Alexi Miller is the Associate Technical Director at NBI and is NBI’s lead engineer. He brings insight and analysis about cutting-edge technologies and strategies to diverse stakeholders as part of a wide-ranging effort to improve the energy performance of the built environment. Alexi leads several programs and initiatives at NBI including the GridOptimal Initiative, the Public Buildings Portfolio Management Initiative, the Getting to Zero Buildings Database, and FirstView.

Alexi has expertise in a range of topics including zero-energy and zero-carbon buildings, code and policy, building controls, deep energy savings retrofits, and emerging technologies. Prior to joining NBI in 2013, he spent six years at The Cadmus Group. Alexi is a registered Professional Engineer in Mechanical Engineering in Oregon and is a LEED accredited professional.

4.Tanmay Tathagat (Director, EDS [MAITREE])

Tanmay leads the Environmental Design Solutions [EDS] team of consultants working on climate change policies, energy-efficient building design, building code development, energy efficiency policy development, energy simulation, and green building certification process. Tanmay has extensive experience in green building design, energy simulation, architectural and mechanical design, and green building certification process. Since 2002 EDS has worked on over 200 green building and energy efficiency projects worldwide. Tanmay hails from New Delhi. He completed his M.S in Building Design from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA in 1996.

5.Nidhi Gupta (Associate Director, EDS [MAITREE])

Nidhi is passionate about projects and programs that inspire behavioral change toward creating a harmonious life on our planet. Her professional experience includes corporate sustainability portfolio advisory, green building rating development, performance evaluation & benchmarking, green dashboard development, program design and implementation for scaling up of affordable, energy-efficient, and healthy strategies, etc. She has worked with several architects, developers, and corporations on the implementation of sustainability initiatives in the domain of built environment. Currently, she is working towards integrating environmental thinking, approach, and processes into government programs and policies.

New Buildings Institute’s presentation on GridOptimal Buildings – presented by Smita Gupta and Alexi Miller

White Paper on GridOptimal Buildings

New Buildings Institute’s Blog on GridOptimal Buildings

GridOptimal Design Guidance Factsheet