Bridging Climate Awareness and Architecture: The Impact of Climate Change Perceptions on KPK's Architectural Practices
Abstract
Climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity and a case in point is Pakistan which is very affected by that aspect as is ranked 5th in the most vulnerable country list where it is experiencing severe problems like habitat loss, food insecurity, flooding and irregular weather patterns. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province in North Western Pakistan has, in particular, suffered from some of these effects such as heat waves and floods, shelter & energy crisis and water stress to the region where there has already been plenty allied issues. The main objective of the study was to understand the views of the architecture professionals in KPK regarding climate change as well as targeting the means addressing the changes in their practice. The study conducted primary data collection through face-to-face interviews held in the cities of Abbottabad, Peshawar and Haripur and an online questionnaire collection, which included questions on demographics, attitudes towards climate changes and architectural measures taken. The results showed that 98 percent of the respondents had heard of climate change while 95 denounced it as a problem for the environment. Many respondents pointed out the burning of fossil fuels and non-renewable sources of energy as major causes. While recognizing the importance of the construction industry, it is discouraging that the construction industry is increasingly reluctant to adopt green building solutions including energy efficient strategies, even use of local materials and active and passive solar technologies.
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