Ensure Government Building Designs Adhere to Environmental Sustainability, ZIA Urges Government

GOVERNMENT should ensure that new town planning and designing of buildings including renovations should strictly adhere to environmental sustainability by incorporating active green building designs, the Zambia Institute of Architects (ZIA) has said.

ZIA president Bwalya Masabo has advised that government should incorporate active green building design principles and technologies because climate change and environment sustainability had become a challenge in creating a sustainable safe environment.

Mr Masabo was speaking during the tree planting exercise that took place in commemoration of the World Architecture Day.

He said not only would incorporating green building designs that would ensure a cleaner environment, but would also position development that needed financing to access green bonds, grants and loans that were mostly of low interest rates as compared to conventional financing.

Mr Masabo urged architects and built environment practitioners to share best practices and brainstorm policies that would contribute to environmental wellbeing by achieving harmony between the built, natural, and social environments.

He said there was need to establish technical innovations which could improve thermal comfort, circulation and ventilation to subtler factors such as inclusivity in design and accessibility.

The programme, he said was aligned with the new dawn government’s position to promote green initiatives with emphasis to innovate and deliver projects to the right quality, cost and on time. Mr Masabo said architecture was a vital tool that transcended aesthetics and mere provision of shelter because it affected the wellbeing of the environment and living quality of users.

He said there was also need for investment, innovation and improvement in the provision of services that border on human health and a sustainable environment.

Mr Masabo said said there was need for a deliberate drive towards good systems for quality health provision, waste management, reduction in pollution and promotion of recycling of products and waste. And Lusaka District Forest Officer Yobe Nyirenda commended ZIA for embarking on a tree planting exercise as way of commemorating the World Architects Day.