Championing Green Real Estate in Bangladesh

Urban areas around the world continue to suffer from various forms of pollution and abnormal rise in temperature. Natural disasters only add to our woes. You don't have to look far to find such a place, as our very own Dhaka has the notorious reputation of being the city with the worst air quality in the world.

Yes, our capital city has become the proverbial concrete jungle in front of our own eyes, with more than its share of drab structures, lacking the solutions to offset the heat and humidity. Sadly, other cities in Bangladesh are following in Dhaka's footsteps. It's only natural that with high temperatures being recorded in Bangladesh, we worry about where we live. What can we do to get it right?

If ever there is a place and a time for sustainable practices in our cities, it is here, and it is now. Of the few developers who take it seriously and are doing something about this, Bay Developments is one. Since 1995, they have steadily brought meaningful improvements to urban housing, albeit at the high end of the market. It is commendable that their focus has been on sustainable practices and projects, struggling to retain whatever green they can.

Gulfeshan is one such project. Dating back to the late1990s, it's a good example of a climate-friendly collaboration between the landowner and developer that resulted in the preservation of trees and a sizeable lawn for children. In buildings that followed, Bay cleverly combined hanging gardens with rooftop lawns to create a more amenable micro-climate, where birds too find a sanctuary from the urban chaos. Intriguingly, such lawns can help in rainwater harvesting and reducing street flooding as well.

Some of us might think that "going green" means adorning a building with landscaping and lush greenery – which many do as an afterthought. Green, in this context, actually means being sustainable, both environmentally and socially. One certain way to lower the impact of siloed carbon is to build more durably so that our buildings survive decades upon decades, and function well to meet society's needs. 

Another green and sustainable practice is to use smart technology, as and when they appear, to achieve increasing levels of energy efficiency, especially in commercial projects that consume lots of power. Here, again, Bay has led the way with innovative planning, double glazing, and closely monitored air-conditioning systems in office buildings such as Edgewater.

The Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty to think about.  Professionals need to be more thoughtful when planning for us; the citizens crave pleasant and inspiring places both inside and outdoors. Judicious use of space will not only save on materials but also on that most costly commodity – land.  Yes, the wealthy can afford features and amenities to tailor their sprawling homes and meet their every whim. However, more modest apartments too can be re-imagined. Here, too, Bay appears to have doubled down on the wellbeing of individuals by totally re-visiting apartments living in Dhaka, as well at our workplace. A seamless and interactive design process that allows architects, environmental, and mechanical engineers to work with interior designers is essential to actualising the full potential of a project.

Bay's in-house design team, Inter Studio, is driven by sustainability. We practice what we preach. Over the last three decades, we have developed an analytical framework for arriving at harmonious solutions for residences and office environments. This covers ten themes – wellbeing, community impact, carbon and energy, mobility and connectivity, resources, water, land and ecology, social equity, planning for change, and feedback.

This year's theme for Earth Day is "Invest in Our Planet". Sustainable real estate development can go a long way in addressing climate change. So, let us get serious about our city and our environment. Let us invest more time and effort in our community and do our part to save the planet.