PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD (Khyber Mail): The Buildings Energy Research Center (BERC) at the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, in collaboration with the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA), organized an awareness session on the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2023 at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) office in Islamabad recently.
The session was specifically designed for the senior management of the CDA. The ECBC-2023, developed by NEECA, applies to all new buildings and new sections of existing buildings across Pakistan.
This session was part of the project “Transformation of the Construction Sector to Promote Energy Efficiency in Buildings,” funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, and supported by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) with UET Peshawar’s BERC as the Technical Lead for the Project.
Dr. Naveed Ahmad, Director of BERC, stated that the aim of the session was to enhance the CDA staff’s understanding of building sustainability, energy codes, the rating system for buildings, and its effective implementation. He emphasized the global significance of energy efficiency and conservation in buildings. Dr. Ahmad presented on global trends and targets, policies, and tools to systematically reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, highlighting important tools devised as project deliverables so far.
Dr. Sardar Mohazzam, Managing Director of NEECA, provided an in-depth overview of the ECBC 2023 code, highlighting its requirements and the benefits of adherence for sustainable development. He emphasized the importance of understanding and implementing this code for building control authorities nationwide. Chairman CDA Mohammad Ali Randhawa appreciated NEECA’s initiative.
Other speakers emphasized the need to review and amend CDA by-laws to make future buildings environmentally sustainable. Ms. Sadia Haider from CDA stressed the need for building energy audits and prompt action in this regard. Engr. Muhammad Irshad Khan, Head of the project at GIZ, highlighted GIZ’s initiatives, including introducing the first project in Pakistan aimed at implementing sustainability in the building sector. He also elaborated on the key objectives of the project and its anticipated impact and forecasting.