Faurecia inaugurates R&D Centre in Bangalore for Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies

Faurecia, a global leader in providing engineering solutions and automotive components, today inaugurated in Bangalore  its state-of-the-art TechCenter dedicated to Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies and key to the enhanced performance and competitiveness of tomorrow’s passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles as we deliver Cummins. The inauguration took place in the presence of Christophe Schmitt, Executive Vice President, Luc Herbin Vice President in charge of R&D and Mahmood Ashraf, General Manager, Bangalore TechCenter, according to a company statement.

The TechCenter is designed to accommodate some 200 of India’s brightest automotive engineers. It is a fully-owned subsidiary of Faurecia and an R&D center dedicated to Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies for global projects. The center supports the global engineering teams in the design and validation of the entire product range. The technical team that consists of program development leads, specialists in durability, thermo fluids, acoustics simulation, product Design and engineering systems will enable the design and validation of Emissions Control Systems for programs in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. The new state-of-the-art TechCenter is spread over 30,000 Sq Ft (or 2,800 m²) and has a capacity to accommodate up to 360 engineers.
Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies currently operates three manufacturing plants in India: Pune, Chennai and Bangalore. These sites produce hot end, cold end, manifold, welded & lock-seam muffler boxes, spun mufflers, bent pipes for Ford, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, Tata and Cummins.
Boasting 30 R&D centers and 5,500 engineers and technicians located throughout the world’s major regions for automobile production, Faurecia offers innovative product and process solutions that are instrumental in ensuring the safety, reliability, comfort, appeal and respect for the environment that characterize our customers’ vehicles. Globally in 2012, Faurecia has registered 460 patents filed by over 300 experts in 67 different expertise fields. Speaking on the occasion, Christophe Schmitt, Executive Vice President, Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies said, “Faurecia is the largest emissions control technologies supplier in the world. India has emerged as a very important market for Faurecia and we are investing in India rapidly so as to introduce the latest emissions control technologies over the next five years in the view of adapting our products to the evolving Indian legislations (Bharat-IV & Bharat-V).”
Luc Herbin, Vice President, R&D, Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies said, “The Bangalore TechCenter is a fully-owned subsidiary of Faurecia and an R&D centre for Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies. The center reports into the Global R&D management team in the headquarters and hence is an instrumental part of our global R&D and engineering footprint.”
Mahmood Ashraf, R&D Head, Bangalore TechCentre said: “The Bangalore TechCenter has seen accelerated growth over the years and is positioned as a strategic asset supporting our global emissions control engineering operations. The Bangalore TechCenter supports engineering, global sourcing, engineering systems and IT activities”.
Faurecia in India
Faurecia entered India in 1995, with its Emissions Control business in Nasik. Currently, Faurecia is headquartered in Pune and has two R&D centers in the country, in Pune (Interior, Seating & Exterior) and in Bangalore (Emissions Control Technologies). Faurecia also has eight production facilities covering the main Indian automotive production base in Pune, Manesar (Delhi), Chennai, Bangalore and Sanand (Gujarat) with a total employee strength in India of over 2000 people (18% of the Group’s total Asian staff). In India, Faurecia serves leading automobile companies like Ford, Hyundai, Mahindra, Maruti- Suzuki, Tata, Toyota and Volkswagen. Faurecia also serves commercial vehicles such as heavy load trucks, together with its global partner Cummins with an objective to capture a major share of the Indian truck emissions control market.
Research & Development
Faurecia’s Research & Development teams deliver solutions to tackle the automotive challenges in today’s and tomorrow’s world. Two closely related areas are kept firmly under the spotlight in all R&D activities: creating value for the end consumer and contributing towards environmental performance. Innovation drives each of Faurecia’s core businesses, supported by 94,000 employees at 320 sites and 30 R&D centers in 34 countries. In 2012, the Group invested around 5.4% of its revenues into R&D, with EUR 110 million for innovation alone. With 5,500 dedicated engineers and technicians, Faurecia offers the best support for its customers in the key automotive regions of the world.
Faurecia is the world’s sixth-largest automotive equipment supplier with four key Business Groups: Automotive Seating, Emissions Control Technologies, Interior Systems and Automotive Exteriors. In 2012, the Group posted total sales of €17.4 billion ($22.5 billion). At December 31, 2012, Faurecia employed 94,000 people in 34 countries at 320 sites, including 30 R&D centers and 5,500 engineers. Visit us at: http://www.faurecia.com

Automotive Testing Expo India 2014 at Chennai Trade Centre from March 19-21

Automotive Testing Expo India 2014, the country’s dediccated automotive testing, evaluation and quality engineering trade fair will be held in Chennai fom March 19-21, 2014. On the inaugural day, from 10.30 AM to 11.30 AM, ETS – Lingren Engineering India Private Limited will give a technology deomnstration, where Sergio A Pignari, Professor at Politecnico di Milano, Milan in Italy and Garth D’Abreu, Director of RF Engineering, Testing Solutions Group, ETS-Lindgren Cedar Park, Texas, US will talk enlighten the participants on the topic: Effective automotive electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing – from components and electronic systems to whole vehicles in a real world environment.

The second session starts at 12.00 PM till 1.00 PM, where Agilent Technologies India Private Limited will present a technology demonstration on characterising CANbus arbitration using an oscilloscope. Johnnie Hancock, Product Manager of Agilent Technologies Oscilloscope Products Division of the US will talk. From 2.00 PM to 3.00 PM LDRA Technology’s Technical Consultant, Shrikant Satyanarayan, will speak about achieving ISO 26262 compliance with LDRA Tool Suite, while Ravi Sankar, Senior Technology Specialist, ANSYS India will throw light on Virtual Testing for Design Validation from 3.30 to 4.00 PM. On the second day, the session starts at 10.30 AM till 11.30 AM, Mike McCormack, Director of Development MIL/SIL/HIL will talk about testing with Mx-Suite.
From 12.00 PM to 1.00 PM, AVL List GmbH’s Nituj Bhatnagar, Affliate Business Manager and Karl Kock, Group Product Manger will speak on efficient fuel consumption optimisation.
KJ Ramesh, Product Manager – Engines, Kistler Instruments India will talk about engine combustion analysis system from 2.00 PM to 3.00 PM. Suresh Augustine, Deputy General Manager, Engineering Solutions and Dipl Inf Lars Schaefer, Manager Sales – Technical Sales and Support, ETAS will talk about topics such as Solutions for Embedded Testing – Reducing Efforts and Increasing Quality and Testing Embedded Software – A complex and resource intensive task. On March 21, 2014 the first session will commence at 10.30 AM, where Brian Duffy, Global Applications Engineering Manager, Honeywell Sensing and Control will talk about understanding and using load cells with today’s data acquisition systems. From 12.00 PM to 1.00 PM, Steve Sattler, Senior Applications Engineer, MTS Systems Corp will speak about Global tyre trends and testing solutions.
The third Automotive Testing Expo India 2014 will see in excess of 120 exhibitors displaying their technology covering test simulation, NVH analysis, engine/emissions testing, vehicle dynamics testing, materials testing and ever conveivable aspect of automotive testing and evaluation. Firms including MTS Systems, Horiba, National Instruments, Automotive Test Systems, AVL and more, Automotive Testing expo India 2014 is a must attend event for any automotive test engineer.
Products
Products thare will be on display include test simulation, engine emission analysis, vibration testing, acoustic testing, environmental testing, mechanical testing, data acquisition, materials testing, non destructive testing, track simulation and laboratory testing, FMC analysis, structural and fatigue testing, suspension kinematics and complaince; simulation software, sensors and transducers, on-board diagnostics, wind tunnel technology, aerodynamic testing, NVH and quality testing/inspection.
Ali Masoomi, Head of Design and Manufacturing, Irankhodro Powertrain Co, while reacting to the previous edition of the event said: “We found the show interesting and held fruitful initial talks with some Indian companies at the show, including SAZ Test Plant Private Lted and have sourced a dynamometer from them. What is more, we are seriously considering exhibiting at the show this time”.
The event will be held at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam while the Automotive Regulatory Authority of India is the knowledge partner of the show.

LG India project a turnover of Rs 2,500 crore with 28% market share in AC segment in 2014

LG Electronics (LG India), leading consumer durable brand, yesteday launched its latest range of air conditionners, with a stylish design line and supreme package of air conditioning solution for 2014.

According to a company statement, the new range of ACs has been developed based on LG’s unique Indian Insights Programme, introducing first of its kind features including Himalaya Cooling, Monsoon Comfort and a technology that keeps mosquitos at bay. With its new technologies a five star rated air conditioner will have energy savings up to 53 percent, noted the statement.

While speaking at the launch, Saurabh Baisakhia, Business Head (Air Conditioners), LG India said: With this new and improved range, we are fulfilling our promise to bring forward our India Insight range for the upcoming summer season which will improve the functionality of the air conditioner around the year. Addressing the growing demand for energy efficiency, LG has stepped up, by introducing air conditioners with higher energy efficiency levels as compared to other air conditioners of similar star rating. With a strong product portfolio and a recognised after-sales service network, we aim to continue with our product and technology leadership in the AC segment. We project a turnover of Rs 2500 crore with 28 percent of the market share, by the end of this year”.

Himalaya Cool Technology

The Himalaya cool technology provides instant cooling to user by focusing on cooling the living space through smart airflow and two times faster vertical air swing. It can be activated by a one touch key on the remote controller. Using this technology the room is cooled up to 28 percent faster and saves energy up to 28 percent.
Mosquito repellent technology

The AC range has one of the most unique features that allow users to repel the mosquitoes away, without use of any chemical. Ultrasonic waves are utilised to repel the mosquitoes away. These ultrasonic waves are beyond the audible range of humans and only impact the sensing of mosquitoes. Mosquito away technology can be activated using a one touch key on the remote controller.
Monsoon comfort Technology
The Monsoon Comfort technology provides the right cooling during high humidity and monsoon season. As compared to the normal dehumidification mode in other air conditioners, the monsoon comfort technology prevents overcooling and saves energy up to 36.4 percent. The same is achieved through right balance between room temperature, body temperature, air movement and air flow. Monsoon comfort can be activated using single key on the remote controller. All the three technologies are tested and certified by reputed institutes.

4-D Cooling
4-D cooling helps to cool every corner of the room by circulating the cool air in all 4 directions (Up-Down, Left-Right)

Deep Sleep Mode
The AC automatically adjusts the room temperature during the night for maximum user comfort and energy savings. The indoor unit fan and compressor operates automatically to maintain optimum room temperature and provide comfortable sleep.

Air purification
LG’s unique Plasmaster Ioniser sterilizes the air up to 99.9 percent from bacteria and other harmful substances. The comprehensive auto cleaning function prevents formation of bacteria and moulding on the heat exchanger, providing a fresh, pleasant and comfortable environment. In addition, these air conditioners also come with very good quality dual protection filter and 3M micro protection filter which is able to block dust particles as small as 0.3µm.

Inverter V range
The Inverter V new ranges is equipped with the unique BLDC compressor technology and skew fan design which gives it the world’s lowest noise level of 19db. The LG Inverter V compressor is faster and more powerful than a conventional AC. The compressor speed adjusts automatically to provide variable tonnage and controls temperature in the room, thus maintaining desired temperature levels at all times.
The advanced LG Inverter V technology is highly energy efficient and saves up to 66% energy. For LG, customer delight and satisfaction are crucial factors in determining its growth trajectory and competitive edge. Such insights have prompted the company to streamline its customer service too. LG has the largest service network in the country with 950+ SVC Centres, 7000+ Engineers covering 300+ towns to ensure speedy response time and installation by professionally trained service engineers. LG has also launched the AC Solution Plazas, one-stop shops for all domestic and commercial air-conditioning needs. With a current set-up of 55 such Plazas, LG Plans to have 20 more such one-stop shops across India by the end of this year.
The new range of LG Air conditioner has 90 new RAC models. LG AC’s uses a very powerful rotary compressor which can run even when the temp goes up to 54 degree and does not trip, best suited for the Indian consumers. The new range is designed to be installation friendly. Inverter V ACs is available in Hot n Cold and Cooling only series in 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ton in the price range of Rs 43,000 to Rs 75,000. Split ACs is available in L-Terminator, L Energia, L-Vogue plus, L- Stella Plus, L Maxima plus, L-Aura plus and L-Nova Plus series in the capacities of 0.75 to two tonnes in the price range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000
Window ACs are available in L-Crescent plus, L-Gratis plus and L-Bliss plus series in the capacities of 0.75 to 2 ton. Keeping in view the customer trend new look and five star-models have been introduced. These ACs are available in the price range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000. Hot n Cold Split AC’s is available in capacity of 1.0-2.0 tonnes in the price range of Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000.
* “Tested in a controlled laboratory setting; results may vary in actual use. Long term effect not tested and mosquitoes may become resistant. This product is one of the ways to manage mosquitoes and not intended to replace other protective device against mosquitoes. Refer to lg.com/in for test conditions.”
LG Electronics India Private Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in in the country. LG India is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.
Manufacturing plants
LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon near Pune has the capacity to manufacture GSM Phones, Colour Televisions, Air Conditioners, LCD / LED TVs, washing machine, refrigerators and Optical Disc Drives.

Goa attracts 31.21 lakh tourists registering an increased growth of 12 percent

Goa has started off the year 2014 on a positive note. According to statistical data maintained Tourism Department, the State has witnessed a considerable increase in number of tourists by 12 percent in 2013 in comparison with the year ago period.

The figures indicate that domestic tourist arrivals have climbed up by 12.47 percent in 2013 and international tourist arrivals have gone up by 9.27 percent.

The overall tourist growth has been pegged at around 12 percent, which is a record high for the state. This increase in tourist inflow is in sync with the expectations of Goa Tourism as the state is all geared up to build world-class tourist infrastructure and also begin operations in the new airport terminal this year, all of which they hope will only further fuel this growth.

A stringent beach cleaning programme will be implemented over the next six months and the Tourism Department is hopeful that the shores of Goa will soon be listed as one of the cleanest beaches in South East Asia.

Goa Tourism has carried out aggressive marketing and PR campaigns supported by regular participation in domestic and international road shows to increase trade outreach is one of the key factors that has lead to this rise in the number of tourists visiting Goa. The promotion of safety and cleanliness in the state, attractive offers during monsoon and spreading the word about Goa as a destination with multiple holiday options has also worked in the state’s favour.

Dilip Parulekar, Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa, said: “This is a great way to begin the New Year for us. We are more than thrilled to announce these figures and this only proves that Goa continues to be the destination of choice for people from all across the world. At the same time, these numbers also serve as a reminder for us to constantly strive and keep the infrastructure and other developments in the state on par with international standards so that Goa can turn into the number one destination of choice for travelers. Goa Tourism has planned several campaigns and programmes to ensure safety of tourists, a clean state, introduce women taxi drivers that are in tune with our vision. We will also focus on improving the quality and profile of visitors visiting the state.  Apart from these we also aim to celebrate various festivals and events in a manner that reflects the true spirit of Goa. One of these is the upcoming Carnival 2014 in March”.

Nilesh Cabral Goa Tourism Development Corporation added: “These numbers also indicated the tremendous potential for growth that Goa has as a tourist destination. While we are happy to note the increase in tourist arrivals in our state, we are also aware of the fact that this means that we have set high standards that we should strive to better every time. Goa Tourism has listed 34 infrastructural projects to be completed over the span of the next two to three years. We are also exploring the possibility of tie-ups with private hotel chains to take GTDC properties to world class standards”.

8th Yale-Great Lakes International Research Conference at Great Lakes Institute of Management

Great Lakes Institute of Management, a premier B-School in the country, today held its 8thYale – Great Lakes International Research Conference at its LEED certified campus, according to an official statement. The event was graced by Prof. Serge Evraert, Dean, IAE Bordeaux and Dr. Jyoti Bachani, St. Mary’s College of California.

The annual Yale-Great Lakes conference by Yale-Great Lakes Center for Management Research aims to promote, facilitate and advance India-centric management related research which contributes to the development of basic and applied knowledge in the field of management. The center acts as a bridge that links scholars around the globe with India as a common interest. This 8thinternational conference had various research papers presented on all area of business and management.
Around 26 excellent full research papers were presented and 17 research proposals were displayed in the conference. Professors and Doctoral students from renowned Institutions in the country such as IIMs, IITs, IBS, Symbiosis, to name a few, presented the papers under wide range of topics such as Rural Woman Entrepreneurship, Motivation in teaching business, perspective of money laundering in real estate, Hybrid ERP, Green Marketing in India. Apart from student’s proposals, the conference also witnessed proposal being presented by participants from one of world’s leading technology consulting outsourcing company Capegemini, Mumbai.

The conference was inaugurated and opened with a welcome note by Dr Bala V Balachandran, Founder and Dean, Great Lakes Institute of Management who addressed and welcomed delegates, professors and the students.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Bala said: “Great Lakes is a perfect combination of academic elegance blending with business excellence and in this direction the institute contribute towards knowledge creation by supporting research. With his vast knowledge in finance and accounting Prof. Serge Evraert, Dean, IAE Bordeaux shared his perspectives on the outlook for the European economy and the growth drivers which can give thrust to the current financial condition. He also shared his views on international financial and banking scenario among European nations”.
Dr Jyoti Bachani, St. Mary’s College of California, during her presentation on the topic ‘JUGAAD: An Indo American perspective on India ingenuity’ said: “Indian Jugaad is capturing global attention as an ingenuity platform where Indians manage to innovate given time and resource constraints. She said that in the western context therefore it is very confusing since it is not structured. Jugaad, according to her, cannot be explained but only be experienced”.
Great Lakes Institute of Management is a leading B-school in India founded in 2004 by Prof Bala V Balachandran JL Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Accounting and Information Management Northwestern University, the US. The campus has been built on sprawling 27.5 acres and is LEED Platinum rated .The institute has academic alliances with Stuart Graduate School of Business USA, Yale University USA and Nanyang Technical University, Singapore to name a few. In a short span of 9 years since inception, it is ranked in the Top 10 B Schools of India in 2012 (Outlook and Careers 360)
The institute offers a flagship one year Post Graduate Programme in Management besides a Two year regular Post Graduate Diploma in Management. In addition, for Executives there are two part time programmes to choose besides a Global Executive MBA in Energy Management in association with Bauer college, Houston Texas. Great Lakes Institute of Management is guided by a Business Advisory Council chaired by Ratan Tata, and  comprises of corporate stalwarts like Mr. Jamshyd Godrej, S Ramadorai, Kumaramangalam Birla, Narayana Murthy to name a few. The Academic Advisory Council chaired by Dr Bala V Balachandran includes world renowned management gurus including Dr Philip Kotler, Dr Seenu Srinivasan and Dr Aswath Damodaran amongst others. Faculty from leading business schools such as Harvard, Stanford, Stuart, Kellogg and Florida teach at the institute. Chinese is a mandatory course for the students at Great Lakes. Eminent personalities like Dr Ratan Tata, Dr Deepak Chopra, (Late) Dr CK Prahalad, Dr YV Reddy, Dr Philip Kotler, Dr Finn E Kydland,  Vivek Paul, and Rahul Bajaj have visited the institute and have addressed the students.

Nidhivan Hotel Vrindavan & Mathura Announces New Year Packages

Bonfire, Light music, Gazal Programme, Fashion Show, Antakshari, Gifts and chocolates Buffet lunches, Shuttle service for temple visit, Gala Dinner and much more are part of Nidhivan Hotel at Vrindavan’s New Year plans welcoming 2014 for the pious with Lord Krishna and Radha in their minds, according to a statement issued by the hotel.

Accommodating all requirements the  Largest Hotel in Vrindavan and Mathura offers packages which include a one night / one day Residential Package at Rs 5499 per couple or (Rs 6499 for two adults + two kids below ten years). For only December 31, 2013 the hotel also has something for those looking  for only one evening at Rs 1500 per couple. Nidhivan Hotel at Vrindavan and Mathura recently became the first hotel in India to be awarded with a Green Key Rating by the Green Key Eco- Rating Programme for using high end equipment to recycle and reuse organic waste.
Radiance Residency & Resorts Pvt Ltd was conceptualised with the aims at uniting major pilgrim destinations in India under a single banner. Promising comfort and safety, Nidhivan Hotels and resorts, is the company’s first attempt at creating its mark in the niche religious tourism sector. At all the destinations their moto will be to bring comfortable and affordable stay for all. For further details please visit nidhivan.com.

Aqua Designs unveil BIOLAN, eco-friendly Composter

Aqua Designs- The Total Water Management Engineering Company today launched ‘BIOLAN’ – An Eco-friendly food composter from Finland, according to a company statement. The Biolan food composter, built with Finnish technology is suitable for small kitchen, hotels and industrial canteens, farm houses and hill stations for composting the food waste into organic manure.

S Suthakar, Managing Director Aqua Designs said: “Aqua Designs’ commitment to the environment, keeps it in the forefront of product innovations, purification and recycling technologies. Biolan is one more step in the same. Biolan is a boon for industrial canteens, eateries hotels, restaurants, resorts and hill stations, where normal composting takes time and mixing of food waste affects eco balance and causes diseases due to spurt in tourist population”.
BIOLAN has two models to choose from (220 L and 550 L). One can convert 6-8 kilograms of food waste per day in 220 litres and 10-12 kilograms in 550 litres respectively. The BIOLAN composter is easy and odourless for composting food waste into organic manure.  Its patented design makes it rodent- free and Operates without electricity. Efficient thermal insulation ensures effective composting in all seasonal conditions. It also has Adjustable ventilation for quicker composting. The Biolan is priced at Rs 75,000 onwards.
ADIPL is a total Water and Waste – Water Management Company with the distinction of being one of the first companies  to  implement  IMS  (Integrated  Management  System),  Integration  of  ISO  9001:2008,  ISO14001:2009, OHSAS 18001:2007 for all the activities from Design, Engineering, Procurement, Laboratory Services,  Erection and Commissioning  and  Operation and  Maintenance  to  undertake  and  execute  turnkey solution. For more details, visit the company website: aquadesigns.in.

4th SIAM Diesel Conference, ‘Diesel for Future’ held in Mumbai on November 28

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has held the 4th conference on ‘Diesel for Future’ on November 28, 2013 at Hotel Taj Lands End in Mumbai.

The one day seminar started off at 9.30 AM and concluded at 2.00 PM. Praful Pate, Minsiter for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India inaugurated the event. Other senior industry representatives and bureaucrafts included RK Malhotra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; RK Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; Saumitra Chaudhuri, Member – Planning Commission; Anant J Talaulicar, Mahesh Kodumudi, President & MD, Volkswagen India; Dr RK Malhotra, Director, Indian Oil Corporation Limited; SR Marathe, Director, Automotive Research Association of India; Vishnu Mathur, Director General of SIAM; Dr Tim Leverton, Head (advanced and Product Engineering), Tata Motors; Paul Sowerby, Chief Technical Officer, Cummins India; Ambuj Sharma, Additional Secretry to the Minsitry of Heavy Industry and Sirish Chandran, Editor of EVO Magazine.
The speakers emphasised the need to recognise diesel as a viable fuel for transportation, right from energy security to environmental perspective and urged the Union Government to give thrust on bringing out a blueprint on implementing cleaner emission norms, besides introducing sustainable pricing model for diesel fuel and last, but not the least, enforcing a concrete policy for fleet modernisation.
The Chief Guest, Patel session on Auto Fuel Policy. Others also spoke. Later, Patel unveiled a booklet prepared by SIAM, titled ‘Diesel Goes Green’. “Diesel has become synonymous with the dynamic nature of our economy. What is more, diesel has been acting as a catalyst of industrial, as well as agricultural development in the country. Worldover, diesel has undergone much refinement and advancement in diesel engine technology. Improvement in the quality of diesel fuel are consistent with the policy of climate change, energy and environment and can meet the specified norms positively”.
Bringing out the importance of diesel and how it is wrongly perceived to be a polluting and harmful to the environment,  Talaulicar pointed out: “The Emissions from today’s diesel vehicles have considerably reduced, thanks to the introduction of more efficient engines and much more effective emissions control technology. Diesel’s unique property including its unmatched power density, energy efficiency and widespread availability makes it an ideal fuel for the industrial and automotive sector”. The one day conference was sponsored firms including Volkswagen, Nissan, Tata Motors, Cummins, Eicher and Bosch.

EAI opens India’s first sustainability museum in Chennai

Energy Alternatives India (EAI), India’s leading renewable energy research, consulting, and business support firm, yesterday announced the launch of its first Sustainability Museum in Chennai. The objective of this Suseum is to create awareness amongst the masses on adoption of green products and practices by society.

Today humanity has been conditioned into living in a way that ignores the subtle aspect of the environment around us. EAI makes it easier to understand sustainability by providing practical awareness and educating society on the entire gamut of sustainability.

Narasimhan Santhanam, Co-founder and Director, Energy Alternatives India said: “Our vision is to promote widespread and increased adoption of renewable energy and cleantech in India. With this new initiative, we are proud to explain sustainability in new, interesting and practical ways. Visitors not only get to learn about sustainability but also get a hands-on-approach in practicing sustainable, eco-friendly activities”.

The Suseum (the word stands for Sustainability Museum) includes a rich array of eco-friendly products and processes that consumers can utilise today, from compostable plastic cups to a vertical garden, as well as advanced clean technologies of tomorrow, such as flywheel energy storage and vertical-axis wind turbines.
Visitors at the Suseum can see, touch, and feel these products and technologies through various displays and exhibits, shop for eco-friendly products at the Suseum store, discover a wide range of providers for sustainable solutions, and learn about the most exciting sustainability hotspots in Chennai. For more information, please visit suseum.com EAI is India’s leading research and consulting firm for the renewable energy and clean technology industries. Founded by IIT and IIM alumni, we work with businesses, industry stakeholders, and government bodies to accelerate India’s clean technology adoption. Some of our distinguished consulting clients include the World Bank, Reliance, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, State Government of Tamil Nadu, and the Vedanta Group. Our research has been sought by Fortune 100 companies such as Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total, Mitsubishi, IITs, NREL, and more.

Third Edition of Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award announced at the Volvo Nobel Memorial Seminar 2013 in Bangalore

Winners of the third Edition of Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award were announced at the Volvo Nobel Memorial Seminar 2013 in Bangalore yesterday. ArriveSAFE and Mumbai Environmental Social Network shared the top honours. ECOCABS was declared runner up for a unique initiative that combined sustainable mobility and social empowerment. The Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) and EMBARQ India were given Special Recognitions for their work in the area of sustainable mobility, according to a company statement.

The Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award was instituted in 2011 by Volvo Buses in India with the aim to recognise outstanding efforts in the broad area of sustainable mobility. The entries for the 3rd Edition of the award attracted entries from a cross section of stakeholders comprising citizen groups, consultancies, institutions and student groups. Importantly, the entries addressed multitude of problems in the area of sustainable mobility and presented solutions that were aimed improving the quality of life for people.

Winners
The winning entries for this year were To Reduce the Number of Road Crashes Due to Drunken Driving taken by ArriveSAFE and Making Bus Stops in Mumbai Intelligent and Informative for Passengers by Mumbai Environmental Social Network.
ArriveSAFE’s entry is aimed at reducing the number of road crashes due to drunken driving in the North Indian States of Punjab and Haryana. These states earn a handsome revenue through the sale of liquor. ArriveSAFE will be partnering with government bodies to make a road map for effective enforcement to check drunken driving, develop content for educational awareness purpose and guide the enforcement agencies on how to conduct awareness campaigns for the public.
Making Bus Stops in Mumbai Intelligent and Informative for Passenger is an initiative by the Mumbai Environmental Social Network (MESN) to improve the bus system and increase its ridership. They have successfully installed route maps for the Kalanagar Junction in Mumbai, which the passengers found extremely informative and useful. MESN also plans to install similar bus route maps at railway stations, so that passengers can know of the destinations served by buses from that particular railway station. Apart from these, MESN is examining if it is possible to go beyond and see how real time arrival of information on the next bus can be provided at the bus stop and in the users’ mobile phone.

ECOCABS, the runner up of VSMA 2013, is an endeavour to promote cycle rickshaws as an affordable means of sustainable urban transport especially for shorter distances. It also focuses on strengthening the existing unorganized network of cycle rickshaws. The organization has implemented a couple of successful projects over the past couple of years. The team is now working on a project that will be a feeder system for the Gurgaon Rapid Metro, under which cycle rickshaws will be facilitated with a ‘dial-a-rickshaw’ facility at each of the six metro stations proposed at Gurgaon followed by its linkage with Resident Welfare Association to provide door-to-door service. Along with this, research and development activities are in the pipeline to develop low cost GPS devices for rickshaws that costs less than 1000/- in order to provide real time tracking of cycle rickshaw in the future.

Real-time Bus Arrival Information System & Delhi Transit Bus Info Application by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) Ltd received Special Recognition for their aim to provide users with relevant information through the latest web and mobile based technologies on bus operations & schedules and to give people the opportunity to plan their journey. The application has been launched on web as well as on Android platform. Going further the application will be extended to other platforms like iOS, Blackberry, Symbian, making the information retrieval system and the entire experience of a bus journey easier and faster. DIMTS plans to give the commuters an option to add a future desired trip and a mobile application that will alert them whenever a bus is approaching their bus stop. Also planned is a feature to provide the current occupancy levels of a bus.

Towards a Walkable and Sustainable Bengaluru a Safe Access Project for Indiranagar Metro Station by EMBARQ India also received special recognition. The Indiranagar metro station area is a predominantly residential neighbourhood with a high concentration of commercial activities along the main Roads. This project aims to develop safe access, by walk and cycle, to metro stations from a distance of 500 metres and ensure safe and easy integration to metro passengers with other public transport and intermediate public transport modes. The team will provide assistance & technical support to DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) to complete SAPs (Safe Access Projects) which includes review of consultants and quality control during project execution.

Akash Passey, Senior Vice President – Business Region International, Volvo Bus Corporation and Chairman of the Board of Volvo Buses in India, said, “It’s truly heartening to see the number of individuals and groups that are making an effort to make our cities a better place to live in. These are people often working in the background, making special efforts and we are glad to be able to recognize them through the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award. Sustainable Mobility is intrinsic to the concepts and solutions that Volvo Buses offers and we know that this vision can best be fulfilled through collaboration. I am glad we can participate with people with passion, faith and belief in the future. My congratulations to the winnners and thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s edition of the Awards”.

Manish Sahi, Managing Director of Volvo Buses in India said, “It is heartening to note that the efforts in the area of sustainable mobility are not just limited to the bigger cities. This year we received entries like BRTS, pedestrian safety, cycling, urban planning, etc. from stakeholders working in tier 2 cities. Volvo Buses is committed to promoting sustainable mobility across India and this award will help in nurturing more & more ideas from various stakeholders.”

The entries were assessed by a jury consisting of subject matter experts from diverse areas. The jury for the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award 2013 were Prof. Geetam Tiwari, MoUD Chair and Professor for Transport Planning Department of Civil Engineering, IIT-Delhi; Vinay Rao, Independent Advisor on Climate Change and Sustainability; Madhav Pai, Director of EMBARQ India & Prof. Edward Jobson, Environment Director, Volvo Bus Corporation. Shri. MK Shankaralinge Gowda, Principal Secretary, Horticulture Department, Government of Karnataka was the Chairman of the Jury. The Volvo Sustainable Mobility Award carries a reward money of INR 7, 00, 000 for the Winner and INR 3, 00,000 for the Runner Up. The winners of this year’s award shared the prize money. The third Edition of the award witnessed greater participation and record number of projects were submitted to the jury for evaluation.

Volvo Buses has been in India since 2001 and has built a leading experience when it comes to high-performing bus applications. Volvo Buses has been driving the change in the industry introducing various firsts in India – including the true bus chassis concept, the low floor city bus concept, the multi-axle coaches, among a host of other technologies & concepts. This, coupled with its state-of-the-art factory and overall profile of being a complete transport solutions provider, Volvo Buses is closely entwined with the progress in the Bus Industry. Volvo coaches today connect major cities across India, besides in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Volvo city buses operate in 13 cities in the country and have played a key role in Driving Quality of Life for millions of people. Volvo Buses in India has the widest range of high-performing buses. Globally, Volvo Bus is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of large buses and coaches. It is the first company in the world to commercially introduce hybrid buses and has sold over 1,000 buses with this technology in 21 countries, backed by its core values of safety, quality and care for the environment.