NEECA’s Energy Conservation Building Codes SRO grabs attention of lawmen

The energy conservation building codes are among the few reforms’ agendas initiated by the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif after taking oath for his first term in 2022. Unfortunately, the reforms agenda was manipulated for the sake of self-projection by the corporate departments of Power Division and Ministry of Science & Technology. The legal implication showed gross irregularities in issuance of the notification of buildingcodes, violation to the energy conservation act 2016. The notified building codes ignored the provincial autonomy committed in the energy conservation act 2016 and limited the role of Federal Government to exercise its powers. The matter has been brought to the eyes of concerned quarters as the sources have confirmed.
Noteworthy, energy conservation emerged as an important agenda of energy transition worldwide. The carbon footprints can be vanished out throughenergy efficiency initiatives. Importantly, global climate change commitments refer to the energy efficiency as a solution. Pakistan despite of its weak political system has succeeded to passed National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 under the leadership of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The Act provided new directions and reforms for the energy conservation measures in Pakistan.
Lately, Mian Shahbaz Sharif led PDM Government initiated the reform agenda. The energy conservation drive at national level was expected to be abailoutpackage for the crumbling energy sector. Mr. Prime Minister ordered for the revision of Pakistan Energy Conservation Building Codes to Ministry of Science and Technologies and its affiliated corporates at that time. The building codes remained in news for several months with expected benefits at national level to reshape the buildings designs with immense energy conservation.
The federal cabinet in the last meeting before the completion of the term of assembly approved the building codes in August 2023. Evolvingly, international organizations expressed their interests to implement the newly developed building codes. Scholarly articles were published in newspapers after its approval. Eventually, the codes were supposed to be implemented in caretaker setup, but no major steps were taken.
Back in March 2024, a Gazette Notification issued “The National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Board, in consultation with the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, exercised the powers conferred by section 21 read with subsection (3) of section 4 and subsection (u) of section 7 of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 notified the energy conservation building codes (for efficient use of energy), 2023 wide SRO No. 416 (I)/2024. A controversy over the notification was talk of town soon in various WhatsApp groups and declaring it the violation of the energy conservation act.
Compromising the national reforms agenda of the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for personal gains is a sad story of poor governance and incompetence
The inquiry of the matter is being carried out as confirmed by a senior official from Power Division over the charges of overstepping and violating the set norms of day-to-day correspondence of ministerial coordination with its corporate entities. Further, the questions were asked to Ministry Official concerned about the future of building codes 2023, legal vetting of the SRO from Law and Justice Division and the steps taken by the ministry to rectify this overstepping and the action against the culprits. The matter is being investigated at very senior level transparently and outcome will be shared with all the concerned stakeholders.
Pertinent questions were asked to Pakistan Engineering Council officials about the issuance of SRO especially the directions of the Prime Minister to work together as a committee with energy conservation authority, NEECA. The PEC official showed reluctance to respond the question but admitted ignorance over the issuance of SRO. PEC has clarified its position over the matter to its reporting ministry as told by the PEC official.
The writer is of the view that this SRO is overstepping, therefore, it would be illegal to force Development Authorities to amend their byelaws to incorporating ECBC provisions. The building code saga has been put in controversy before it sees the dawn. Corrective measures can help to set the direction for national cause. The responsible officials must be put to the consequences without any compromise.