The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) held the ninth session of the Green Zameen Fellowship Program in Peshawar, bringing together parliamentarians, energy experts and civil society to examine how Pakistan’s built environment can influence the country’s energy transition. Speakers outlined technical and policy measures to curb rising power demand and urged stronger local leadership to enforce building standards and finance sustainable construction.
Power system expert Umer Farooq of the LUMS Energy Institute explained how inefficient building designs are driving up electricity demand and intensifying peak loads. He stressed that demand-side management and smarter energy planning are essential to ease pressure on the grid and avoid prolonged economic strain caused by unchecked consumption.
Sustainable building architect Hafiz Talha Saeed, also from the LUMS Energy Institute, turned attention to the housing sector, calling for wider adoption of net-zero homes, sustainable construction materials and compliance with building codes set by the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA). He highlighted how affordable retrofitting can help households reduce costs and energy waste without large upfront investments.
A recurring theme in the session was the central role of provincial and municipal authorities in implementing change. Speakers urged local governments to enforce building codes, create financing mechanisms for green construction and integrate climate-smart principles into urban planning to ensure long-term resilience.
The session saw active engagement from elected officials, including 12 members from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly and four from the Punjab Assembly, who pledged to raise energy and climate issues within their legislatures and advocate for stronger policy enforcement.
The Green Zameen Fellowship Program continues to provide leaders across Pakistan with the information and networks needed to advance a just, climate-resilient energy transition.
