Visit to TERI Gram by Garima

During this 12-day long fun-filled experience, we got a chance to visit Teri Gram.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is a research institute based in New Delhi that conducts research work in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. It was an amazing experience to visit this solar powered place. In the beginning, we got to watch a short documentary about the origins and the functioningof TERI.
Then, we went on a campus tour of the place where we got to know about a number of innovations of TERI. We were explained the sustainable methods of design and use of such techniques.
1. Micro propagation technology park – We learnt how microbe free plants are developed and sent to industries and farmers.

2. Biomass gasifier based power generation site – We learnt how food and other organic waste is used to gas by the process of decomposition.

3. Teri retreat main building – We saw the rooms and working of passive cooling system that TERI has installed in the building. This included the staggered placement of each floor, a south facing orientation of rooms, use of cooling tunnels, etc.

4. Cooling tunnel – We saw the functioning of cooling tunnels which works on the concept of passive cooling. Air is drawn in an underground tunnel cooling it to comfortable temperatures. The air is then thrown to the rooms where the hot air from the room escapes through the solar chimney due to stack effect.

5.The centre also runs a vermicomposting pit which serves the dual purpose of decomposing natural waste while creating organic fertilisers for the plants.