Pakistan and France need to indulge in new overtures to provide grounds to architects to play a key role in limiting the impact of climate change by sharing the best practices in their respective countries.
These views were expressed by speakers on Thursday at the first edition of the Forum on Sustainable Architecture and Cities, organised by the French Embassy with the support of the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) in partnership with IAP Karachi and Comsats Institute of information Technology Islamabad.
It was stated that building sectors consume more energy than any other sector, and is also the biggest greenhouse gas contributor.
The speakers said that architects have to lead the way to lessen the effects of climate change by designing environment-friendly buildings and changing building codes. They further stressed that green roofs --- covered by vegetation to reduce climate impact --- should be mandatory and plans on how to use less energy should also be drafted.
They also spoke about the possibility of building structures that achieve optimum conditions for their inhabitants while minimising demands for fossil fuel-based energy.
CIIT Centre for Climate Research and Development Islamabad Director Shahid Kamal said the forum was a good start for Pakistan and France to discuss urban adaptation and mitigation strategies and how cities can be at the forefront of planning climate resilience and reducing climate change impacts.
He noted that French architects have had many accomplishments in the field of architecture such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Chartes Cathedral and the Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte.
He stressed that urbanisation and climate change were two trends that would shape global development, as 80 per cent of the economic growth occurs in urban centers and economic hubs. Kamal added that according to the UN human settlements programme, prosperity of nations is linked to prosperity of cities. “Urbanisation will bring enormous opportunities for developing countries to promote economic development and reduce poverty”.
He said demands would increase for water, food, energy and other resources in urban areas, but climate change could exacerbate conditions and undermine the economic benefits of urbanisation.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2014.
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