On October 2, 2006, Pakistan’s Aga Khan Planning and Building Service (AKPBS) received the 2006 World Habitat Award during the global celebration of World Habitat Day in Naples, Italy. Princess Zahra Aga Khan accepted the award on behalf of AKPBS in recognition of its Building and Construction Improvement Programme (BACIP), which focused on improving housing conditions in Pakistan.

BACIP was developed to help communities, particularly in northern and remote parts of Pakistan, improve the safety, health and energy efficiency of their homes. The programme developed affordable housing and home improvement solutions suited to local conditions and household needs. These included fuel efficient stoves, improved ventilation systems, water heating facilities, insulation and other low cost technologies designed to improve living conditions.

By 2006, BACIP had developed more than 60 low cost housing products and construction solutions, including seismic resistant and energy and resource efficient methods. More than 15,000 fuel efficient products had been installed in around 7,000 households, benefiting more than 50,000 people, according to contemporary reporting.

The programme represented a broader approach to housing development in Pakistan. Rather than focusing only on new construction, it addressed the quality and safety of existing homes and promoted practical improvements that could be adopted by low income communities. Its work also covered areas such as housing design and construction, village planning, natural hazard mitigation, water supply and sanitation, and improved indoor living conditions.

The World Habitat Awards recognise practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to housing challenges, with an emphasis on approaches that can be adapted or replicated in different environments. In 2006, BACIP was one of two award winners, alongside the Johannesburg Housing Company of South Africa. The awards were presented during the World Habitat Day global celebration in Naples on October 2.

The recognition was also significant in Pakistan’s housing history. The country had previously received the World Habitat Award through the Orangi Pilot Project in 2001. BACIP therefore became the second Pakistani organisation to receive the award.

Real Estate History Angle:

The October 2, 2006 event reflected an important phase in Pakistan’s housing development, when the concept of better housing was increasingly linked with safe construction, energy efficiency, local building technologies, environmental considerations and improved living conditions for lower income communities.

Source(s) :

UN HABITAT, Aga Khan Development Network