ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) has approved the Green Building Code of Pakistan 2023 and the Rainwater Harvesting Provisions for the Building Code of Pakistan.
The committee met under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar. The codes were developed by the Pakistan Engineering Council and presented by Federal Secretary for Science and Technology Sajid Baloch.
Registrar Engr. Khadim Hussain Bhatti and senior PEC officials also attended the meeting.
The Green Building Code applies to buildings with four or more stories. It covers site sustainability, indoor air quality, energy and water conservation, emissions control, and biodiversity protection. The code does not apply to single-family or low-rise buildings, or to structures that do not use electricity, fossil fuels, or water.
It is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and serves as a benchmark under the IMF’s Climate Public Investment Management Assessment.
The Rainwater Harvesting Provisions apply to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. They make it mandatory to install systems for collecting, storing, filtering, and reusing rainwater for both potable and non-potable purposes.
These measures aim to reduce the country’s reliance on municipal water systems and address water scarcity.
To ensure enforcement, the CCLC approved amendments to the Conduct and Practice of Consulting Engineers Bye-Laws, 1986, and the Construction and Operation of Engineering Works Bye-Laws, 1987. These changes integrate the new codes into the PEC Act, 1976 under Section 25(1). Draft Statutory Regulatory Orders have been vetted by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Once the federal cabinet gives its approval, the codes will be implemented nationwide. Enforcement will be handled by provincial and federal agencies, engineering institutions, and development authorities. The codes were drafted after consultations with stakeholders from all provinces and regions, including Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and various federal ministries.
