Environmental Impacts of KPT Commercial Office Building, Karachi

Abstract

Urban Development especially the construction of high-rise buildings in Pakistan is encouraged by investors; therefore the need of the hour is Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development. This chapter outlines the environmental impacts of Karachi port trust’s commercial office building during construction and operational phases. The analysis is based on screening, scoping, prediction and evaluation. The purpose of this research paper was to test the hypothesis that high-rise buildings have negative environmental impacts during construction and operation. For this purpose, the KPT tower complex, proposed high-rise building of Pakistan which has 78 stories, was selected. This was achieved by critical study of site, literature review, secondary data from different sources and with special contribution of Pakistan upper and atmospheric research commission regarding the data about ambient air quality monitoring, and shadow analysis of the building. The adverse impacts which have been identified while analyzing the proposed KPT tower complex are construction waste water, construction waste, health and safety of the workers, marine and ecological impacts (Mangroves), waste water discharge, solid waste generation and disposal, energy consumption and traffic flow and the positive impacts are identified as generation of employment. The research concludes that the proposed building may pose negative as well as positive impacts. Further study regarding the evaluation of EIA system in Pakistan and the review of status of implementation of EMP in EIA reports of buildings has been suggested.