Natural disaster risk is increasing due to climate change, growing pressure on natural resources, and energy and water scarcity. We are working to expand green building solutions to enhance resilience in human settlements.

We are committed to becoming carbon neutral across all operations by 2025.

Buildings are responsible for 38 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the buildings which will exist in 2050 in the developing world have not yet been built.

Construction is the single biggest source of greenhouse emissions for AKAH, responsible for 67 percent of emissions for 2020. The Nationally Determined Contributions* for several of our countries of operations specifically target reductions in emissions from new and existing buildings as a key priority for climate change mitigation.

We are helping communities combat climate change by rethinking the ways buildings are designed, constructed and operated. We are putting green building principles at the heart of development and promoting low-carbon construction principles.

We are developing capabilities in energy and water efficiency, green energy and sustainable materials. To strengthen this agenda, we have developed a set of Green Building Guidelines for new and existing AKDN buildings. As part of this, all new buildings need to meet the equivalent of IFC EDGE Advanced certification, reducing operational energy by 40 percent. Going further, all new large developments will be zero carbon during operation.

*Nationally Determined Contributions are national targets and plans set by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Our approach prioritises avoiding new construction and maximising the value we get from our existing building stock by extending the life of existing structures. When we do build, we focus on efficient use of local, low-carbon materials and technologies to promote water and energy efficiency throughout the life of the building.

We promote passive design measures which use ambient sources of energy to maintain a comfortable environment indoors. These measures include insulation, shading, window size and orientation, and natural ventilation to regulate temperature and lighting levels in buildings.

Passive design is complemented by energy-efficient lighting and mechanical systems, as well as renewable energy solutions. We are also promoting low-carbon building materials and approaches, such as sustainable timber, rock, compressed earth, recycled steel or lower-carbon alternatives to cement.

The AKDN Green Building Guidelines are supporting governance structures and regulators in some of our core geographies. Pakistan is in the process of developing the country's green building code, which will be substantially based on the AKDN guidelines.

We are also working with the Afghanistan authorities to develop the country’s enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution. This is the country’s main climate change document, outlining adaptation and mitigation ambitions over the next five years. Measures on green buildings have a substantial presence.

Our design incorporates additional green and resource-efficient features such as an innovative GreenPro certified cool roof technology, using a highly reflective coating that deflects heat and reduces cooling requirements. The building also uses solar power, natural lighting and ventilation to further reduce emissions from operations and integrates rainwater harvesting and low-flow plumbing fixtures for water conservation.

Approaching Net Zero with Energy-Efficient Design

Following a devastating flood in 2017 in Dasht-e-Dehkhaw village in Afghan Badakhshan, we are working with the local community on a participatory planning process to relocate to a safer place nearby. Hazard assessments we carried out after the floods indicated that the original site of the village is too exposed to natural hazards.

Using data from assessments of hazard exposure, soil quality, water sources, meteorological data, socio-economic needs, etc. as well as community consultations and local cultural and vernacular building styles, we have developed locally appropriate, carbon-neutral home designs.

Green building principles are central to these designs. They are entirely powered by clean energy through a solar and microhydro hybrid system, and do not have any direct GHG emissions. The home and neighbourhood plans use passive design features to maximise solar energy and minimise the impact of wind in the cold season for better thermal comfort. These are combined with insulation and energy-efficient windows and maximum use of local materials to achieve a carbon neutral design.

We are applying similar design principles to the regional headquarters of the First Microfinance Bank in Gilgit, Pakistan. The passive design features and energy-efficient measures used for this building will reduce its GHG emissions by 13 tonnes of CO2 per year. Find out more

Innovative Low-Carbon and Energy-Efficient Building Materials

We are piloting and promoting building materials and solutions that are low in carbon, adapting natural materials such as stone, timber and earth.

In Syria, as part of our humanitarian assistance programming, we are working with local communities and universities to revive earth architecture. We are providing training for architects and engineers on the use of compressed stabilised earth blocks to help people rebuild their homes. We tested local soils and different designs to develop the most suitable solutions for the local context and are integrating these blocks in home designs adapted to local needs and climate. Solutions like these save energy and reduce emissions not only in the production and transport of the construction materials but also the running costs of heating and cooling homes.

In India we are combining the GreenPro certified cool roof coating with vertical gardening and rooftop or terrace gardening to address urban heat island effects. We have demonstrated the cool roof technology in large urban housing complexes in Gujarat and Telangana to promote awareness and adoption of simple and effective energy-efficient measures.