Yasmeen Lari is the Co-Founder and CEO, Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, a cultural and social entrepreneur organization co-founded with her husband and noted historian Suhail Zaheer Lari. She is Pakistan’s first woman architect and a world-renowned architecture professional. She was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2006) and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2014) for her services in architectural profession, heritage conservation and humanitarian assistance. She is also a recipient of Japan’s Fukuoka Prize for Arts and Culture (2016) and has received the highly acclaimed Jane Drew Prize for raising the profile of women in architecture. She is also the Founder Chair for International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism (INTBAU), Pakistan. Ar. Lari graduated from Oxford School of Architecture (now Oxford Brookes University), subsequently getting elected to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1969. She was elected President of the Institute of Architects Pakistan in 1978; she was also the first chairperson of Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (1983). Among her architectural work in Pakistan include landmarks such as FTC, PSO House and ABN-Amro Bank, Karachi. Her works have been exhibited at RIBA, London, Chicago Triennale, Oslo, and Vienna Biennale, and she has been published among 60 women who have contributed the most to UNESCO’s objectives.

Since retiring from practice in 2000, Ar. Lari has been working in heritage conservation and low-cost, sustainable housing, besides writing several books that have received critical acclaim at home and abroad. BR Research recently interviewed Ar. Lari to better understand her approach to incorporate sustainability into building low-cost houses, an approach that provides food for thought to policymakers and the private sector on reducing the ecological footprint of the burgeoning construction industry. Edited excerpts are produced below:

BR Research: Please tell us a little bit about your journey and your organization.

Yasmeen Lari: I had done a mix of architectural projects for nearly four decades until 2000, but it was mostly in the corporate sector and some social housing. The last building that I designed was for ABM AMRO Bank in 2000 and then I decided to say goodbye to my profession. This coincided with publication of Karachi’s Heritage Guide based on my 1996 book “The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj.” Karachi’s Heritage Guide sparked people’s interest in heritage of Karachi, and we created KaravanKarachi, a voluntary effort where many eminent Karachiites joined hands to celebrate the city and its cultural heritage. Then somehow UNESCO got hold of me and invited me to take conservation of the Shish Mahal as their national advisor. I was in Shahi Qila at the time that the 2005 earthquake happened in the north. So, I decided to move to the earthquake area and that’s where I learnt a lot of what I am doing today.

From 2005 onwards, I was there for several years, and as we know, there was one natural disaster after another. And everywhere I worked on designing structures for disaster risk resilience – and I didn’t agree with what the likes of World Bank and Asian Development Bank were doing in that regard, who insisted on adopting alien models of construction using cement and steel. So, I worked hard to create my own sustainable models. I started using bamboo as a structural material in 2009 in an IDP camp in Mardan during the Swat army action. I had established a base camp in Hazara where we were able to test different construction techniques and materials, and this is where we also tested bamboo structures for withstanding disasters. Along came the great floods in 2010, and we helped out communities in Swat using bamboo cross-braced structures on a large scale for the first time. Then in 2011, IOM contacted me, during a time of donor fatigue, when international models had become very expensive to built, to provide them designs for inexpensive houses using earth, lime, and bamboo. As technical partner of IOM, it provided the opportunity to fine tune a lot of things in implementation on a large scale.

The point of the story is that well-designed sustainable construction works when money is in short supply. And that’s probably the only way we need to go forward. If there is too much money, no one really cares about sustainability and they will find the most expensive solution. If you have limited resources, you have to work hard and find innovative ways to meet your objective. Innovative sustainable construction with limited funds can serve the poor and heal the planet.

With that in mind, at Heritage Foundation we are always experimenting, testing new ways of using renewable materials, working with communities, empowering the women through local crafts, and making everything work for them economically. My advice to them is to not care about selling their products to the rich – the rich can take care for themselves. The communities we work with make products for themselves, and for the other poor, not for the rich. In my barefoot model, affordable products are made by the poor to fulfill unmet needs of the other poor.

BRR: There is a lot of literature and practice available in the West on how to build sustainable structures. In Pakistan’s context, what does it mean to incorporate “sustainability” into building design and structure?

YL: At a basic level, sustainability means that you have to use resources judicially so that you do not deprive the next generation from whatever the earth has to offer. So, when you are building, it is the same thing. But today’s construction industry mostly uses cement, concrete and steel and many other industrialized materials that use a huge amount of energy. In the light of climate change, we need to be conscious of the materials we use so that we don’t deplete the planet’s resources.

Studies by organizations such as UNEP have shown that a huge amount of energy is being utilized in the construction industry, about 40 percent. Apart from that, there is waste stream, there is also a lot of usage of water, and so on. Those things weren’t being paid attention to earlier on, but in the last two decades when there have been more disasters, some of us have been working in this particular area quite conscious of those facts.

Forty years ago, I freely used all kinds of industrialized materials, using a lot of concrete and steel in my buildings such as the Finance & Trade Center or the PSO House in Karachi, which both cover an enormous area. Since 2005, I have been working in disaster-prone areas and confronting disasters almost every year in communities that are mostly poor, I am deeply conscious of what I had done in the past, and in a way I am atoning for it since the past decade and a half.

We cannot carry on the way we have done before. And this is true for all lifestyles, especially in the wake of Covid-19 when it no longer matters how much wealth you have. I think this sort of humanism has to be brought into the construction industry as well. I am keenly focused on bringing social justice through ecological justice. And that means when you are building, not only do you make sure that people are getting their rights, but also that you do not destroy things that others might benefit from in future generations.

You are probably aware that I have founded BASA (Barefoot Sustainable Architecture) which has several tenets with focus on sustainable materials, pride in tradition and empowerment of communities within the barefoot ecosystem, which has enabled a large number of the marginalized to rise above adversity themselves. On the one hand, BASA seeks to provide rights-based development for the poor. On the other hand, it develops expertise through BISGES (Barefoot Incubator for Social Good and Environmental Sustainability) for even beggar communities to earn through green skills and crafts products which focus on the unmet needs of the other poor. This effort is leading to better construction techniques and fostering the use of sustainable construction in surrounding areas. A woman barefoot entrepreneur, by providing guidance to build 30,000 Pakistan Chulahs (cooking stove) by poor rural housewives, has been able to earn Rs6 million over four years. Instances such as this show us the limitless opportunities that exist in the barefoot ecosystem.

BRR: Pakistan has a largely warm climate through most part of the year. How do we incorporate sustainability in building structures that can resist heat?

YL: There is no doubt that thermal mass can be used gainfully to achieve insulated structures. This is why I keep on talking about going back to traditions and learning from the past. I work in heritage, so for me it is particularly important to see what kind of methodologies that have been used in the past can be put to use more fruitfully in the future.

This process starts with analyzing building materials. For instance, burnt brick is a highly environmentally damaging material even if it is to be utilized for improved thermal conductivity. Rather, use the sun-dried brick, which is not burnt in the kiln, to get far better results. Here in Karachi, mostly concrete blocks are used. Although “hollow blocks” are a better option for improved insulation, but we should also know that it is best to discard cement altogether and instead make blocks using lime.

More important question is, how do we lower the carbon footprint of construction? I understand that not everyone can attain a zero-carbon footprint, so let’s just lower the footprint as much as we can, from 40 percent energy use to, say, 20 percent. Unfortunately, we are not looking at things from that perspective. Planting trees is fine, but I think we need to be a more focused about it, such as bring forests of trees to the cities to reduce urban heat. Then there are methodologies to create comfortable micro-climate within buildings by combining thermal mass with natural means of ventilation, air movement and water-cooling devices such as the windcatchers of Thatta or water fountains in courtyards.

Also, you cannot look at a building in isolation – you have to consider how the clustering is done around the building. For instance, when a multi-storey building is exposed from all sides, it will capture more heat and consume more energy to provide indoor air conditioning. Therefore, I believe in having medium-density, low-rise buildings that are clustered together, just as it used to be in our historic towns. This is why my preference is to learn from heritage and traditional urbanism in order to provide our present cities with eco-urbanism, a movement that we should adopt in order to humanize our cities.

BRR: While the building codes in Pakistan’s major cities prioritize structural stability and safety, there is nearly not enough focus on using sustainable materials. Without any mandates or guidelines, except for NEECA’s Energy Provisions which also don’t practically apply to residential houses, how can the homeowners, architects, builders, and material suppliers be sensitized on sustainable construction?

YL: It is actually not difficult to find materials that are both eco-friendly and low-cost. In fact, in my work I find convergence in affordable construction and sustainable carbon-neutral materials which can provide a really inexpensive habitat. I only use three materials in my projects: lime, mud, and bamboo. Instead of using cement, everybody can also easily begin using lime, which is a material that surpasses cement in many ways. Lime is a material that has been used for centuries and we use it a lot in heritage conservation. Until early 19th century, there was no existence of cement and everybody used lime from Roman aqueducts to Mughal-era Forts. In fact, you don’t have to use cement at all – use lime and discard the cement. While lime buildings can last for several centuries, we will be lucky if cement concrete buildings last for 100 years, before spalling action begins.

Lime has other qualities as well – it is good for human health; it can be used as buffering element; and it also absorbs carbon from the air. People don’t use lime often because they have limited experience using it. Lime production uses some energy, but it is neutralized as it constantly absorbs carbon from the air. This is an example where you can make a huge amount of difference without changing much. Instead of making cement blocks, make blocks by using lime in the aggregate; and instead of burnt brick, begin using lime/earth bricks.

The government should popularize lime usage as an alternative to cement, so that it can bring energy consumption down. But I know that the government will not take this up because it goes against their objective to help the cement industry and the industrialists. But lime can be popularized among the general public, for example 60,000 rural housewives who have made the World Habitat award-winning earthen Pakistan Chulah have learnt to use lime to their great advantage.

Another of our country’s problems is that “earth” as a material has been denigrated by associating it with poverty. The material has no fault. Plasters using lime and earth can last for many years. I now have a body of work showing that it can be done. People can use these materials with confidence.

Similarly, there are a lot of benefits associated with using unburnt brick. A recent study in Sindh has demonstrated that using unburnt bricks in single-room 100,000 houses had the same effect as renewing 50,600 acres of land without any new trees or forests for 10 years. In addition, traditional brick kilns have ills associated with it like child labor and bonded labor. So, we don’t need traditional red clay burnt bricks. Just mix mud with lime and get the same quality brick without the environmental and social hazards. And it’s not even an innovation – it is something that is already there.

Bamboo is used for all my structures and I have used it to put up enormous number of one-room houses. We have built a zero-carbon center that is entirely made from bamboo. It is 27-feet high, 57-feet wide and 80-feet long, with huge bamboo trusses which has weathered extreme weather conditions. Such bamboo-made structures have withstood storms, heavy rains, and floods. Bamboo is also very resilient. When I started using it, people were skeptical, but my research showed that bamboo had been in use in Pakistan in different regions for over 25 years and I found bamboo lattice in 400-years old town of Kumamoto (Japan) where the inner core of walls was exposed after 2015 earthquake.

BRR: What is the supply chain of those materials like?

YL: Lime is available just about everywhere. Same goes for earth. Bamboo is present in abundance and is really inexpensive. We should promote bamboo plantations in order to use it, in addition to structures, in windows, doors and other things. It is a great alternative to wood. I believe that if the hesitancy in using these low-cost sustainable and renewable materials could be overcome, this is the only way to achieve housing for the bottom of the pyramid. Our governments would be well-advised to take up climate-responsive methodologies for construction just as Rwanda is doing and is now in the forefront of taking up construction according to green building codes.

BRR: Can you please contextualize those materials in terms of usage in a structure?

YL: When you build a house, first comes the basic structure and then the finishing. If you use lime, either lime brick or lime block, you are already lowering the carbon footprint. Other than that, you can also use shells of lime bricks to make curved forms, and even roofs. And if you require a flat roof, you can use bamboo, which I have used to make more than 40,000 roofs that are still surviving. The bamboo prefabricated structures that I have designed for flood and seismic resistance have also become popular due to speed of construction and can be taken up by both the affluent and the poor. Bamboo flooring and wall finishing are also becoming popular in many countries. When it comes to finishing, why do we have to use concrete pavers and tiles? You can easily make tiles made from clay, which can be glazed and turned into a low-cost, eco-friendly building material. For plastering, use of lime instead of cement provides a healthy interior.

BRR: What are some of the practices and techniques that can make buildings sustainable?

YL: Architects are all trained in techniques to adopt orientation of buildings to minimize heat gain or bring sunlight in where needed. Which side is facing the sun, where are the windows placed, which way does the breeze come in a city like Karachi, how is the courtyard planned in a city like Lahore – these are not extraordinary techniques and people are aware but I am not sure if everyone is even following these basic methods. These techniques will make a difference, to the extent that your AC bill would be lowered to a great degree.

But my point is that even if you practice those techniques 100 percent right, you are still not envisioning sustainable construction from the beginning. Let’s go towards the beginning. The amount of thermal mass that you can get from an unburnt brick is unmatchable. This is what makes a difference.

BRR: The government is trying to bridge the gap for low-cost housing by prioritizing the construction sector. How can these things be of benefit?

YL: While it is a commendable effort to provide low-cost housing, I am disappointed that there are no guidelines on sustainable construction while launching this huge housing program. What is the carbon footprint of each house that they are building? This was the opportunity to bring about a lot of innovation. If the government promoted sustainable low-cost methodologies, it would have put money into people’s pockets, especially the poor who can easily make these products using natural, renewable materials. Why is it that we are looking after the industry that is a cause of environmental pollution and which is probably not even employing so many people and where the money is just going into the hands of rich industrialists? Why aren’t they finding solutions that will lower the carbon footprint in construction and also help the poor?

We were told that the government will build 50 lac homes at low cost to help poor people. But is it really happening? At Rs3.5 million each, those houses are meant for people like you and me. Where is the low-cost housing for informal urban settlements? Meanwhile, I am told that developers have been given contracts to build half a million houses each, without regard for carbon footprint. Are we not concerned about how it will impact our own environment? What are the TORs? Just build the houses?

BRR: Heritage Foundation of Pakistan has demonstrated how community involvement can lead to sustainable, low-cost housing for the poor. How can the Naya Pakistan Housing Program benefit from this kind of community-based approach and expertise?

LR: I believe in co-building and co-creation where the household is a partner and a participant in the process. I believe in rights-based model where every family has a right to shelter (safe one-room house), sanitation (a shared toilet), shared water supply (hand-pumps on earthen platforms) and clean food (earthen Pakistan Chulah). A partnership means that comparatively little funding is required. For example, a one room house, a shared toilet, a shared water pump and a Pakistan Chulah in each house can be achieved at Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 per unit. For us to achieve it, it has meant working with communities, especially with women. In our projects, we like to identify women in lead roles, and that is the reason of the success of our ventures.

I am not sure whether Naya Pakistan Housing Program even has the vast number of the poor on their radar. Some estimates show that close to 100 million people in this country are likely to go below the poverty line (in the wake of Covid-19). Their affordability levels are very low. But any funds that are allocated for co-building will result in enormous numbers of units and that may be the only way to meet the target that Naya Pakistan has set out for itself.

BRR: The federal government is also promoting development of the tourism industry. But building concrete structures in natural landscapes will eventually destroy those very landscapes. What kind of a construction approach do you think best suits tourism development in Pakistan?

LR: You are absolutely correct in the damaging affect of materials such as concrete and steel on the natural beauty that Pakistan possesses. In the case of reconstruction after Earthquake 2005, international funding agencies’ insistence on using alien models, cement blocks, R.C.C. beams, steel girders and G.I. sheets have destroyed the original scenic beauty in the mountainous terrain of Hazara and Azad Kashmir. In the pursuit of “state of the art” construction and buildings, we lost a great opportunity to learn to build with nature using sustainable materials and traditional construction methodologies.

We know that all tourists hanker for natural environment and buildings that are in conformity with natural terrains. The environment-friendly techniques and improved traditional construction that is disaster-risk resilient needs to be taken up by the tourism industry to provide natural havens for tourists to get away from concrete jungles of our cities.

My own objective is to develop village hospitality programs, where villagers can provide earth/lime/bamboo residential accommodation, local cuisine and agricultural rituals that are prevalent in these areas. Also, wherever there are heritage sites, such accommodation along with related crafts and other local products could be developed to offer a unique experience to visitors, which at the same time fosters pride in our cultural heritage. Although the earth/lime/bamboo accommodation I have built at the footsteps of Makli is for over 30 conference delegates and village trainees, it provides a pointer towards eco-tourism sustainable facilities.

BRR: Are you working with like-minded professionals and organizations to make sustainability a part of mainstream discourse?

YL: There are multiple issues that hinder a movement towards sustainability. One is that architects are usually trained to become prima donnas and all of us are swayed by what we have seen in the West. As a result, we haven’t really been exploring our own pathways and traditional techniques. Second, construction is driven by developers and not by architects in Pakistan. And third, while I have developed greater sensitivity to this area because I was lucky to work in heritage and research and also in disaster areas, many others have not had these opportunities.

But I have been working for many years to make architects understand that we absolutely have to do this work. Why are we only working for the 1 percent? For as long as you are working for the 1 percent, you do not worry about sustainability, because unlimited funds are placed at your disposal. Or the 1 percent has to move towards sustainability, which is a difficult proposition as most wish to build to express their importance and not worry about how much damage they are causing to the planet. The only way to achieve this would be if the state lays down green principles for construction. The key is to focus on materials that can lower carbon footprint.

BRR: Are there any third-party platforms to evaluate alternative, sustainable building materials to instill confidence in people that they can use such materials without risking building stability and safety?

YL: Unfortunately, no such independent testing or certification mechanism exists to date. This is an area where the state has to step in. Unless they do that, private companies and professional bodies do not have the capacity to do this. But if the state is not even aware of this need, how will things move forward. As for the people, they need to be better educated on this issue. I am trying to play my part by making video tutorials, step by step, on how to build a house yourself by using the materials I earlier talked about. I have been getting queries from all across Pakistan and elsewhere in the world.

My actual work is solely for the rural poor, and urban building has not been my priority for the last 15 years. But if well-to-do people in cities want to move into sustainability, I am prepared to provide guidance on the materials that I am using which could lead to good results. Because of great need of the urban poor living in informal settlements, I have designed a 2-room unit using bamboo structural members. And if I get permission to build it in Karachi, we will have a sustainable low-cost model for the urban poor. I hope people can then start a movement within their regions and their communities.