Bangladesh Launches National Implementation Guidelines on Sustainable Building

Milestone momentum toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient construction sector accelerated in Bangladesh following the official launch of the HBRI-DESH (Design for Environment and Sustainable Habitats) Implementation Guidelines at a national gathering hosted at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka. 

Hosted by the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI) under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works (MoHPW), the event was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This effort highlights significant momentum under the project Transforming the Built Environment through Sustainable Materials in Bangladesh, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

This milestone represents the completion of a two-phase technical assistance initiative under the project Transforming the Built Environment through Sustainable Materials in Bangladesh, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In the foundational 

first phase, UNOPS worked alongside the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI) and UNEP to develop the HBRI-DESH Framework—Bangladesh’s nationally relevant system for assessing and labelling sustainable, affordable, and climate-resilient buildings—as well as its accompanying digital tool, DESHboard.

Building directly upon this, the second phase focused on operationalization, culminating in the Implementation Guidelines prepared and launched by UN-Habitat. These guidelines establish the institutional, administrative, technical, and operational roadmap required to fully institutionalize the HBRI-DESH framework within Bangladesh's regulatory landscape, formally transitioning the framework into a government-led instrument.

The national launch event convened key stakeholders to outline the progression from development to nation-wide adoption. The event commenced with opening statements from Dr. Jing Yu, Senior Human Settlements Officer at UN-Habitat, a recorded video message from UNEP Programme Management Officer Celia Martinez Juez, and remarks by Ms. Namira Bosnjak, Country Manager (In Charge) for UNOPS Bangladesh.

A central feature of the gathering was a technical session that illustrated the progression of HBRI-DESH from conceptual design to practical application. Dr. Md. Giasuddin Haider, Director General of HBRI, outlined the framework’s core vision and pivotal role in fostering sustainable, resilient housing across the country. Representing UNOPS, Prof. Dr. Md. Ashikur Rahman Joardar presented the HBRI-DESH Framework alongside DESHboard, emphasizing its capabilities as a digital monitoring and decision-support tool. Prof. Dr. Sheikh Serajul Hakim of UN-Habitat subsequently introduced the newly developed Implementation Guidelines and roadmap, detailing strategies for institutional integration and nationwide rollout, while Md. Abdul Awal, Deputy Secretary at MoHPW, articulated the Government's commitment to embedding HBRI-DESH into public housing and infrastructure projects.

The proceedings included the official launch and formal handover of the Implementation Guidelines to the Government of Bangladesh, marked by remarks from Mr. Md. Abdul Matin, Additional Secretary at MoHPW. Following a moderated panel discussion, the event concluded with closing addresses from Md. Obaidur Rahman, Secretary of MoHPW.

As one of the world's most rapidly urbanizing nations, Bangladesh has seen its urban population nearly double over the past twenty years. With projections from UN-Habitat and UNEP indicating that 50% of the population will live in cities by 2030, housing needs are set to hit 10.5 million units by the same year. In this context, the Implementation Guidelines and the digital platform represent indispensable tools for expanding eco-friendly practices across the broader housing and infrastructure sectors.

"The launch and handover of the Implementation Guidelines signify HBRI-DESH's evolution into a government-driven mechanism. With an established institutional framework, our focus now transitions toward operationalizing the system on the ground," stated Mr. Md. Abdul Matin, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

The Guidelines outline structural governance frameworks, cross-agency coordination mechanisms, capacity-building requirements, financial considerations, and a phased rollout strategy that incorporates pilot projects and strategic partnerships to drive adoption. During a moderated discussion, attendees highlighted key priorities for the upcoming phase, including regulatory synchronization, fiscal incentives, and the strategic involvement of the financial sector to accelerate market integration.

By driving progress toward Sustainable Development Goals 11, 12, and 13, as well as reinforcing Bangladesh's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the framework serves as a critical catalyst for a resource-efficient, low-carbon, and climate-resilient construction sector.

Media Contact

Fariba Alam

National Programme Specialist – UN-Habitat Bangladesh 

fariba.alam@un.org

+880 1336 986468

UNOPS Bangladesh Country Office
Email: info.bangladesh@unops.org