The Hindu 23.10.2013
BDA gets nod for amendments to building norms
The State government has approved the amendments made to the existing building norms of Bhubaneswar Development Authority laying emphasis on harvesting solar power.
The BDA (Planning and Building Standards) Amendment Regulations, 2013, say all buildings may provide solar water heating system and solar roof top system.
As per the amendments, standards of solar water heating capacity have been prescribed for different types of buildings in Bhubaneswar. While hospitals have been suggested to do solar water heating 10 litre per bed, big hotels have been asked create solar water heating capacity of 15 litre per room. Similarly, different water heating capacities using solar energy have been prescribed for barracks of army and police, canteens, hostels of schools and colleges and individual houses.
The new building norms also encourage installations of solar roof top system. Individual houses with plinth area of more than 300 sq metre or above should go for generation for minimum 500 watt of solar energy. Generation of 5 kw of solar power has been suggested for big hotels of five star category. Besides, as per the amended regulations, in case of buildings with more than 30 metres height, the structural plan and the structural design would have to be vetted by any State Resource Centres identified by Odisha State Disaster Management Authority or any Indian Institute of Technology or National Institute of Technology or Government Engineering College or any reputed technical institution identified by the authority.
Vetting of plans
According to BDA sources, vetting of structural plans has been necessitated in view of construction of high rises in densely-populated areas in the capital city.
