2. Efficient (Green) Buildings: Though buildings use over 40 % of total energy the world over and we have required Building Code (developed by us for the Ministry first in 1987) for compliance, no one checks the building design before approval, resulting in enormous energy wastage.
Hopefully, the new judicial complex in Quetta does meet the Code requirements! Properly-designed buildings can be a source of electrical energy through the concept of Distributed Generation and not only meet their requirements but supply to other buildings in mini and micro-grids as being developed in many countries who care for low-cost power as well as environment and climate control.
Distributed generation was encouraged by earlier governments (unfortunately, not in last ten years) and our precious natural gas was then sanctioned only for either very high-efficiency cogeneration power plants or combined cycle power plants, again designed for high-efficiency. Acceptance of this energy conservation policy and ensuring domestic natural gas exploration and field development, especially in the north and extreme south must now be ensured on "war-footing". In the meantime, each thermal power plant set-up in last ten years must go through detailed audit, both in terms of cost and operating efficiency. Correction, then, must follow. Improvement in power plant design, where applicable, must result in reduced power tariff.
Talking of efficient green buildings must also cover indoor air quality which is presently ignored to the point of criminality. With our addiction to air-conditioning, we are encouraging buildings with Sick Building Syndrome as there is no check on even minimum healthy conditions meeting the Building Code requirements. Many years back, we were called to check indoor air quality at the President House in Islamabad and found the IAQ atrocious! Time to ensure better environment as well as energy efficiency, now that we have the Government of Change?
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