Staff Correspondent:

Adviser to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Sunday emphasised the importance of constructing environment-friendly “green buildings.”

She said, “A building cannot be considered ‘green’ merely by colour or certification. Environmental concepts and technologies must be applied at every stage planning, design, construction, management, and maintenance.”

She made the remarks on Sunday morning at a workshop on green buildings organised by the Department of Environment in Agargaon.

The adviser said, “To build sustainable and liveable cities, it is essential to make green buildings mandatory in government projects. Once standards are ensured in public buildings, the private sector will follow.”

She said sustainable construction is essential to protect Dhaka’s canals and rivers, reduce waste and noise pollution, control temperature, and improve the urban environment.

Rizwana urged policymakers to include rooftop solar systems, rainwater harvesting, and natural light and ventilation in building design guidelines.

She also proposed forming a “Green Building Council” comprising representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the Department of Environment, the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI), the Local Government Division, and other relevant organisations.

The council would play a role in setting standards for green buildings, updating related laws, and monitoring implementation.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, RAJUK Chairman Engineer Md Riazul Islam, Public Works Department’s Chief Engineer Md Khalekuzzaman Chowdhury, DoE Additional Director General Md Ziaul Haque, Director AKM Rafiqul Islam, World Bank’s Environmental Specialist Bushra Nishat, HBRI Principal Research Officer Md Nafizur Rahman and Architect Rafiq Azam, along with engineers, architects, researchers and policy experts were present.