Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has called for sustainable, inclusive and climate-responsive approaches to address Pakistan's growing housing challenges. Speaking during a roundtable dialogue on 'Housing Matters: Climate-Responsive Housing,' PIDE Registrar Dr. Nasir Iqbal said climate-responsive housing could not be achieved through policies alone and required collaboration among communities, experts, institutions and markets.

The dialogue was organised by PIDE in collaboration with Shehersaaz under the global Urban Thinkers Campus series and brought together architects, urban planners, policymakers, academics and local government representatives.

Experts said Pakistan's housing challenge was not merely about constructing more homes but ensuring that housing was affordable, environmentally responsible and capable of responding to changing climate conditions.

Discussions focused on the National Housing Policy, climate resilience, biophilic urbanism, urban infrastructure and the need to translate policy commitments into practical action.

Participants stressed that successful housing reforms required stronger local government capacity, clearly defined institutional responsibilities and proper evaluation of pilot projects before their expansion nationwide.

Ms. Almas Shakoor, Executive Director of Shehersaaz, highlighted the organisation's work with UN-Habitat and the Adaptation Fund on water facilities and progressive housing programmes in Rawalpindi and Nowshera.

Dr. Shafaat Nawaz, PhD Graduate in Urban Planning and Manager RASTA at PIDE, presented research on biophilic urbanism, highlighting natural ventilation, suitable building materials, shading techniques and green spaces as ways to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption.

Experts also emphasised the importance of reviving traditional Pakistani architectural features, including courtyards, shaded verandas, thick walls and locally available materials, which historically helped communities adapt to local climates.

Ms. Huma Baig of Earthwise highlighted passive solar design, permaculture and sustainable construction materials such as rammed earth, while participants also discussed straw-bale construction as a potentially affordable housing solution.

Addressing implementation challenges, Mr. Waseem Bajwa highlighted the Shehersaaz pilot project and called for faster progress in climate-responsive urban development, waste management, rainwater harvesting and rooftop gardening.

Dr. Inayat Ullah, Director of PIDE's Centre for Agriculture, Climate Change and Rural Economy (CACCRE), stressed that pilot projects should not be scaled up without proper impact assessment and evidence-based evaluation.

Experts further discussed infrastructure, energy efficiency, inclusive planning, drainage, waste management, gender-responsive housing policies and improved building energy performance.

Participants also highlighted the need to align construction with the Energy Conservation Building Code and ensure that future climate planning takes evolving climate patterns into account rather than relying solely on historical data.

The discussion noted that rising land and construction costs, taxation, land acquisition challenges and limited community participation remain major barriers to affordable housing.

The roundtable concluded with a consensus that Pakistan must move beyond policy discussions towards practical, evidence-based and scalable solutions to develop affordable, resilient and sustainable living environments.