Built environment is a major source of CO2 (Greenhouse gas) emissions, energy and water consumption, conventional air and water pollution and solid waste stream. Landscape believes that a building that approaches sustainability and green materials from its design phase has a very strong potential to perform in an environmentally friendly manner. Based on this, Landscape believes including “green” standards during the design phase, is a proactive way to reach great performances.
There are four main benefits of green buildings:
- First, green buildings help in reducing the overall carbon emissions from the building. Use of sustainable material consumption further ensures sustainable design, hence reducing the overall footprint of the building.
- Second, they allow quantifying potential savings from green building initiatives such as water, electricity consumption, etc.
- Third, green building incorporates environmental design which helps in encouraging implementation of new technology and innovative measures.
- Fourth, green building measures enhance a building’s value and aesthetics – environmental design helps to increase the land value and best practice measures enhance the life span of the building.
At present there are about 18 to 20 buildings in Pakistan which are LEED Certified and registered with the US Green Building Council. These include British Council Library in Lahore, NCC Karachi, Mega Corporate Office – Karachi, Karachi Citiplan, World Bank Country Office – Islamabad, etc.
Pakistan Green Building Council (PGBC) is responsible for developing design guidelines for green buildings in Pakistan. The environmental team at Landscape looks forward to contributing to the PGBC’s local standard development for green buildings in Pakistan.
