Environmental laws need modification for green urban development: Shah.

ISLAMABAD -- Director General, Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Farzana Altaf Shah on Friday said the existing environmental laws needed serious effort to modify the legislation in reference to green building for environment-friendly urban development.

The cornerstone of green buildings or eco-friendly was the development of structures and infrastructure using sustainable materials and technology. "A green or sustainable building is one that may preserve or raise the standard of living in the area in which it is situated."

These were the key takeaways at the Institute of Urbanism (IoU) hosted webinar to increase awareness of the significance of green buildings in sustainable urban development. The panel included Director General, Pak-EPA, Farzana Altaf Shah, and Zofeen Ebrahim, a distinguished environmental journalist based in Karachi, a news release said.

Speaking on the occasion, Shah said with regard to Islamabad's building bylaws and green infrastructure components, a serious effort was required to comprehend the concept of green buildings. "We must determine whether buildings should be built in a certain location before discussing construction codes. We also need to determine if a horizontal or vertical expansion should be pursued as a significant amount of productive land has turned into housing societies," she added.

She underlined that green construction was not only about adding solar panels to the roof; it began with the building's base and continued throughout its whole life.

According to the DG EPA, present environmental rules include project-level developments like roads, high rises, and plazas. Moreover, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) were being conducted by the Pak-EPA to address this issue.

She suggested the establishment of an urban planning unit, adding, "Planning for any type of development should fall under that unit. Our environmental regulations do not specifically address housing development. The materials and wiring of dwellings are not well-explained by our building rules. Everybody is handling it within their means. It eventually...