Islamabad: The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has initiated “GHAR (Green Housing Affordable Resilient)”, a program aimed at bolstering the technical capabilities of government institutions and esteemed academia in designing, constructing, and managing climate-resilient housing. The news was shared through a reliable source on December 28.
According to the details, implemented in collaboration with the provincial Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments, UNOPS Pakistan will execute this initiative through research and development, interactive dialogues between institutions and academia, training, and communication on passive techniques to enhance building performance.
UNOPS Pakistan’s work on climate-resilient housing encompasses three key components: communication, training, and demonstration strategies. These components are integral to making advancements in the adoption of green building codes for climate-resilient, sustainable, and inclusive housing, as announced by UNOPS on Wednesday.
Given Pakistan’s rapid urbanisation and construction growth, primarily in housing, the population residing in urban areas is expected to rise from over 37% in 2020 to 60% in 2050. This trend will continue in absolute terms as the national population is projected to increase from PKR 225 million in 2021 to an estimated PKR 310 million in 2050.
UNOPS emphasised the importance of involving all stakeholders, including academia, government, and professionals, positioning itself as a technical leader in green and resilient housing initiatives.
As part of the GHAR initiative, UNOPS conducted more than eight seminars in engineering universities across Islamabad, Sindh, Punjab, and KP, reaching over 1,086 students and 556 professionals. Special training sessions were also organised for more than 190 government officials from the planning and development departments and urban planning units of Sindh, Punjab, and KP.
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