Net Zero Potential at Neighborhood Level: A Case Study of Town Planning Scheme-45, Surat

Abstract

As the global energy demand observes a steady rise and the availability of natural resources becomes scarce, the need to find alternate ways to meet our requirements is paramount. India has recently committed to becoming net zero by 2070. Several studies have looked into the net zero energy concepts and retrofitting existing structures as potential answers to future energy challenges. This study emphasizes the importance of adopting the net zero policy at the urban planning level, using town planning schemes as a tool. The energy and water demand of town planning scheme number 45-Jahangirpura-Pisad, Surat, Gujarat, were examined and forecasted through this study from 2011 to 2051. As a hypothetical projection-based case study, population predictions based on the average of arithmetic, geometric, and incremental increase methods, and water demand forecasts based on the national standard of 135 lpcd for urban areas were used to understand the magnitude of savings at the neighborhood level. The town planning scheme, with a spatial area of 1.1 km², and a population of 4057 as of Census 2011 indicated a decadal growth rate of 16.45% in connected energy load demand from 2009 to 2019, with a forecasted 166% rise from 2011 to 2051. The energy intensity for water demand was reported to have an average decadal growth rate of 250–300%, with a 286% estimated to increase by 2051. This study indicated that implementing net zero criteria for retrofitting existing structures and future development may save 2.26 GWh/year by 2051.