Daily Times

Graana.com, Pakistan’s #1 online real estate marketplace, has launched the novel initiative of TameerSeTaleem that aims to promote sustainable development goals in Pakistan’s construction sector. It aims to resolve three major urban issues in Pakistan’s construction sector: the rise of construction waste and, consequently, solid waste; lack of monitoring over construction waste disposal and landfills; and rise of urban decay and slum proliferation.

TameerSeTaleem has proposed a solution of reusing construction leftover materials for the rehabilitation of underprivileged areas and slums for building parks, repainting shelter homes, and donating construction materials. “Sustainability is not dependent on the size of an organisation,” said IMARAT Chairman Shafiq Akbar.

“It is about adopting responsible practices and bringing about a shift in the mindset and culture of the company. We aim to play an integral role in the growth of sustainability management, and the most effective way to promote it is to lead by example.”

In its first phase, Graana.com has planned to donate furniture fashioned out of excess wood at its construction sites to the Baithak School Network, run by the Society of Educational Welfare (SEW).

Over the past 24 years, Baithak School Network has set up over 143 schools across Pakistan, with a total of 18,000 students. It funds the higher education of out-performing students throughout their academic careers. The school also runs vocational centres for specialised education in stitching and small-industry vocations for girls from low-income families.

“The model of TameerSeTaleem is redefining the practices of urban inclusivity, urban renewal, and construction waste management,” stated Group Director Farhan Javed. “Today, if we facilitate the educational empowerment of these children, then tomorrow they will protect the future of our nation. This is how we eliminate the social and psychological gap of urban equity, right at the roots.”

Graana.com aims to set an example for the rest of the construction sector so they can donate unusable material to resuscitate a largely underdeveloped informal economy that reuses construction waste.