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AKPBS, P Wins EU Energy Award

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Karachi: The project of Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), was recognised at the glamorous Energy Globe Award ceremony, attended by the politicians and top-environmental experts in Prague last evening. Reduction of domestic energy consumption by 40%, resulting in 60% 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 percent are some of the benefits of the Building and Construction Improvement Programme (BACIP) realised by over 150,000 people in Pakistan.

Energy Efficiency, a topic that moves the world, was uniquely demonstrated at the presentation of the national ENERGY GLOBE Awards, powered by E.ON in Prague's Veletržní Palác. On the evening before the huge ENERGY GLOBE Gala, where the world's best sustainability projects are honored, excellent projects and ideas regarding environmental protection and energy efficiency were celebrated. The rich variety of national costumes of the 60 national winners – from Ethiopia to Malta to USA to Pakistan – created a colorful picture as the project submitters were introduced. At the focus of attention, however, was the spectrum of projects that enthused an interested audience.

BACIP was also the recipient of the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air Global Leadership Award at the 4th Biennial Partnership for Clean Indoor Air Forum in Kampala, Uganda on March 28, 2009. Like the previous winners of the PCIA Award, BACIP was selected by a committee formed by the United States Environment Protection Agency, WinRock International and GTZ.

The Energy Globe Award attracted 769 entries from 111 countries, BACIP was the only project from Pakistan to receive the National Award. The award was presented by Mr. Jan Dusik, Czech Deputy Environment Minister, and Professor Edward Solomon Ayensu, President CSIR Ghana to Mr. Hafiz Sherali, Chairman Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, Pakistan, along with 71 other winners in the National Winner Category.

Mirek Topolánek, EU Council President, Martin Bursík, President of the Council of Environmental Ministers and Europe’s top environmental policy makers were among the guest at the award ceremony.

Each of us can make a contribution. This was demonstrated clearly by the projects and emphasized by the award presenters, including the first assistant environment minister of the Czech Republic, Jan Dusik, and Professor Edward Ayensu, a renowned scientist from Ghana. The head of the ENERGY GLOBE Jury, Maneka Gandhi, could not attend due to the elections in India; however, in her greetings to the winners, she expressed her gratitude for their engagement. In addition to their certificates, the winners took home an important message that each step counts to return our planet to a state of balance.
In his welcome address, Mr. Wolfgang Neumann, ENERGY GLOBE Initiator, said, “From all over the world, projects are showcased that conserve and protect resources or that employ renewable energy. The goal is to present successful sustainable projects to a broad audience, for many of the environmental problems already have good, feasible solutions. Each year some 800 projects and initiatives from all over the world are submitted to compete for the award in the categories Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Youth.”

Established in the year 1997 as a research and extension programme, BACIP has proved that products’ efficiently using wood can reduce the deforestation rate in the Northern Areas and Chitral by over 40%. Till date, 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.

On receiving the award, Mr. Hafiz Sherali, Chairman Aga Khan Building Services, Pakistan said that the contribution of BACIP in uplifting the living conditions of the people in Northern Areas of Pakistan has been a source of tremendous satisfaction for AKPBS,P, but a lot more needs to be done. With UN HABITAT Award in 2006 and the Global Leadership Award in 2009, also received by BACIP, the Energy Globe Award brings yet another moment of honour and celebration for all Pakistanis across the globe.
Products of BACIP include floor insulation, wall insulation and roof treatment techniques for thermal efficiency, light-weight and low-cost galvanized iron wire reinforcements for walls to strengthen housing structures against earthquakes and encourage multi-storey construction, wooden bow-string composite beam for earthquake proof light roof construction reducing timber use in roof construction by 500 percent/ roof, solar cookers and solar water heaters for fuel conservation, bedding racks and shelving to protect items from dampness dust and dirt, Fanoos (candle wick lamp) for energy conservation in indoor lighting, household level Bio-gas plants for alternative energy source for cooking and water heating and locally adaptable Arch foundation construction techniques to address construction in high water table area.