State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that environment-friendly, energy efficient green buildings are the need of the hour.

“Along with saving energy in all areas, initiatives to make buildings energy efficient should also be continued,” he said.

He was addressing the open architectural design competition for Design of the NESCO Main Control Center (MCC) in Rajshahi at the Institute of Architects, Bangladesh building on Thursday.

Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) PLC has taken initiative to construct the Main Control Center for monitoring and controlling all NESCO substations in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.

NESCO organised the open architectural design competition in collaboration with the IAB to make the proposed building attractive and iconic.

A team of 12 students, led by Mohammad Naimul Ahsan Khan, stood first in the competition.

Nasrul Hamid said that in the 1960s, architects designed buildings keeping climate change in mind.

Buildings in the power sector will be constructed keeping the country in mind, in sync with local culture, he added.

He noted that as green building construction activities increase, a healthier environment will be developed faster, creating a positive outlook towards an eco-friendly future.

With IAB President Professor Dr. Khandkar Sabbir Ahmed in the chair, the function was also addressed by Senior Secretary of Power Division Md. Habibur Rahman, Chairman of Power Development Board Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NESCO and Additional Secretary of Power Division Dr. Masum Ahmed Chowdhury and Managing Director of NESCO Zakiul Islam.