In order to encourage research on environmental pollution and develop projects and strategies to combat the threat of global warming, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, has set up a Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering in its campus. The Centre will be formally inaugurated by Infosys mentor N R Narayanamurthy and and former Union Minister Arun Shourie on January 8.

The building, spread over 1.75 hectares, has been funded by Shourie, a Rajya Sabha member, through his MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) and happens to be the second green building in the campus after the department of Biological Sciences and Bio-engineering, set up three years ago, also funded by Shourie.

“The Centre has been set up to encourage research to devise solutions to environmental pollution by pooling in resources of expertise in different disciplines. It is also one of the greenest buildings in the country,” said Shourie.

Sanjay Dhande, Director, IIT Kanpur, said the building is in line with Shourie’s idea of being a resource of education in itself.

“While we will have about 16 laboratories where our reserach faculty will be working on technologies to address water and air pollution, we have also ensured that the entire structure is eco-friendly and energy efficient. We are looking forward to getting the five-star credit from TERI as well,” said Dhande.

According to Delhi-based architect Tanuja Kanvinde, who has designed the building, the basic design of the structure is such that it can save about 41 per cent of its energy requirement as per TERI standards. “We have managed this by using solar panels for outdoor lighting, intelligent fixtures like sensors to conserve electricity and by cutting down on air conditioning by digging an underground tunnel to control the temperature inside the building,” she said.

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