This paper presents results from the first year of monitoring the performance of a laboratory building in the new 14.000m² Torrent Research Centre in Ahmedabad, India. The capital and running costs of air conditioning of non-domestic buildings in northern India are very substantial. while building costs (compared with northern Europe) are low. A cooling technique which maximises reliance on the building fabric and minimises reliance on mechanical equipment is therefore likely to be cost effective. Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) represents such a technique.

A reduction in the emissions arising from urban activities can be achieved by a combination of energy efficiency measures and a move away from fossil fuels. Progress may be enabled by the deployment of new materials and critical control within buildings and the adop1ion of building- integrated renewable energy conversion technologies. This paper describes the integration of cooperating passive and active renewable technologies within a major building refurbishment in Glasgow It also describes a method for the assessment of replication potential.