Comparative Analysis of Environmental Concerns Between Public and Private Housing Industry

Abstract

Housing is the basic need of human being. In Pakistan rapid unplanned urbanization has left a huge environmental foot prints. Housing industry is consuming 50% of world energy resources and producing 50% of waste out of which 30% is solid waste only. The research study considers comparative analysis of environmental concerns during construction of their projects between Public and Private Housing Industry. For this purpose, four housing schemes were selected in Islamabad and out of these two from each group i.e. public and private schemes. In order to proceed further two types of questionnaires were developed, one for residents and one for builders. The data was obtained from a total no. of sample 204 and analyzed through Multiple Regression, ANOVA and Coefficient of Variance. It is found out that as per the opinion of residents, the public housing schemes have incorporated the environmental concerns more than the private housing schemes however the environmental management is negligible in both the sectors studied. EIA has been conducted in Public Housing Schemes but the Environmental Management Plan has not been implemented. Private housing sector is violating the law by not conducting the EIA/IEE however, their builders have incorporated the environmental concerns better than the builders of Public sector. The only environmental parameter with 100% satisfaction result by residents is Quality of life in Private housing scheme but at the cost of high price. The cost of construction per square feet is almost double in Private housing schemes. The improvement in housing industry can be achieved through introducing the concept of Green Building in Pakistan and by following the legislation, conducting the EIA/IEE and international standards like LEEDS for green building.