Washington, D.C. – On May 24, 2023, the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) released the Green Building Code of Pakistan-2023 based on the 2021 edition of the International Green Construction Code® (IgCC), which incorporates ANSI/ASHRAE/ICC/USGBC/IES. The Green Building Code is the second building code to be created by the PEC based on the International Codes® (I-Codes), following the publication of the 2021 Building Code of Pakistan, based on the 2021 International Building Code® (IBC).
“The Pakistan Engineering Council deserves recognition for being proactive in addressing the resilience and sustainability of the built environment in Pakistan,” said Mark Johnson, Executive Vice President of Content and Services for the International Code Council. “Their commitment to using modern building codes in the design of the buildings in Pakistan will benefit both the citizens of Pakistan and the environment.”
Through the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, the International Code Council was able to subsidize the publication license for the IgCC to the PEC, eliminating cost as a consideration for Pakistan to utilize a code that will facilitate the design and construction of green and energy-efficient buildings in Pakistan.
“Forging partnerships that help create greater certainty in trade for U.S. building industry exporters strengthens our economy, supports our workforce, and increases supply chain resiliency. The International Trade Administration is proud to partner with the International Code Council through our one-of-a-kind Market Development Cooperator Program,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis Grant Harris. “High-quality building codes, and the international standards that they reference, can help adopters construct buildings that are more resilient to hazards and with lower greenhouse gas emissions. I am hopeful the new code will help Pakistan obtain the building solutions it needs.”
Engineering Professor Dr. Sarosh H. Lodi, Convener, PEC Technical Committee, stated, “The Green Building Code will contribute significantly toward improving the green-construction economy of Pakistan while also helping to create a sustainable consumption and protection of natural resources associated with the construction industry.”
“ASHRAE commends the Pakistan Engineering Council for its continued commitment to improved energy efficiency, building performance and indoor air quality through the release of its Green Building Code,” said 2022-23 ASHRAE President Farooq Mehboob. “The implementation of this code will benefit future generations in Pakistan and serve as a model to other countries around the world.”
The International Code Council has had a longstanding relationship with the PEC, since the early 2000s when the seismic provisions from the Uniform Building Code were adopted. Cooperation in the development and implementation of modern building codes in Pakistan will continue to gain momentum with a recently signed agreement between the PEC, the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) in Pakistan, and the International Code Council to update Pakistan’s energy code based on the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC).
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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.
About the Pakistan Engineering Council
The Pakistan Engineering Council is a statutory body that sets and maintains realistic and internationally relevant standards of professional competence and ethics for engineers, and license engineers, and engineering institutions to competently and professionally promote and uphold the standards.
About the Market Development Cooperator Program
Through an annual competition, the International Trade Administration selects a limited number of U.S. non-profit organizations to receive Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awards. A recipient receives up to $300,000, matched one-to-one by its own resources, to pursue a 3-5-year project designed to remove trade barriers and help U.S. firms to export. On average, MDCP projects generate $286 in exports for every $1 awarded. In an average year, MDCP projects create or sustain 14,000 U.S. jobs annually.
