Pakistani project wins EU green energy award

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: Building and Construction Improvement Programme (BACIP), a project of Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), was recognised at the Energy Globe Award ceremony in Prague on Tuesday.

Reduction of domestic energy consumption by 40 per cent, resulting in 60 per cent less emission of green house gases from homes and decreased morbidity of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), pneumonia and other health related disease in women and children by 50 per cent are some of the benefits of the BACIP realised by over 150,000 people in Pakistan.

Established in 1997 as a research and extension programme, the BACIP has proved that products efficiently using wood can reduce the deforestation rate in the Northern Areas and Chitral by over 40 per cent. Till date, the BACIP has introduced 70 energy efficient and living condition improvement products and technologies in local communities where approximately 15,000 of them have been installed in various households, contributing in environmental, social and economic sustainability leading to poverty reduction and improved health and well-being of communities.

Receiving the award, Hafiz Sherali, Aga Khan Building Services Pakistan Chairman, said the contribution of the BACIP in uplifting the living conditions of the people in Northern Areas of Pakistan has been a source of tremendous satisfaction for AKPBSP.

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