UNOPS and BUET rise hold lecture on eco-innovation in construction

UNOPS and RISE at BUET hosted a university lecture titled "Eco-Innovation for Sustainable Materials in the Built Environment" on September 7, 2025.

This initiative forms part of the BMZ-funded project "Transforming the Built Environment through Sustainable Materials," which UNOPS and UNEP are jointly implementing alongside the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, HBRI, and RAJUK. The event brought together global experts from Bioregional, RMIT University (Australia), and University College London (UCL), allowing students to connect with real-world innovation challenges and international case studies.

Eighty-six students and 23 faculty members from nine leading institutions—including BUET, NSU, IUB, BRACU, UAP, Eden Mohila College, Dhaka College, MIST, AUST, and IUT—joined, representing 13 disciplines from civil engineering, architecture, and materials science to economics and environmental studies.

Opening the session, Dr Mohammed Shariful Islam, Director of RISE and Professor at BUET, noted:
Bangladesh's construction sector is at a crossroads. By equipping our students and faculty with the tools of eco-innovation, we can transform our cities into models of sustainability and resilience."

Sudhir Muralidharan, Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh and Bhutan, added:
"By uniting universities, disciplines, and young minds, we are laying the foundation for a greener, more resilient construction sector. Today's lecture is about empowering youth to lead Bangladesh's transition to a low-carbon future."

The programme explored three main themes: innovating in cement, concrete, and bricks; promoting circularity and bio-based alternatives, including the reuse of demolition waste; and developing business models that help SMEs adopt sustainable practices.

UNOPS and its partners also announced plans for a forthcoming National Hackathon on Circularity in Construction Materials, where students will collaborate with global experts and national agencies to design scalable, environmentally friendly building solutions.

This engagement serves as a springboard for greater collaboration among academia, industry, and government. By directly involving students and faculty in real-world innovation and problem-solving, the lecture aims to accelerate Bangladesh's progress toward building a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.