25%
Kurdistan Region imposes green space quota in construction projects
NEWSROOM – In an effort to promote urban greening, officials have mandated that all residential, commercial, and industrial projects lacking adequate green space meet the required standards by creating green areas elsewhere.
Dilshad Hirani, director of Erbil’s Environmental Directorate, emphasized the new enforcement in a statement to 964media. “Any project that is built without the required green space quota or falls below our standard must create green space in another location we designate,” Hirani said.
According to the Environmental Protection and Improvement Board’s guidelines, 25% of the footprint of any development project must consist of green space, which should include a variety of trees.
“If a project has only 15% green space, for instance, the developers are required to establish the remaining 10% elsewhere,” Hirani explained.
Hirani noted that between 100 and 150 projects have already been compelled to comply with these directives. Additionally, official notifications have been sent to the ministries of Endowment, Health, and Education. These notifications mandate that any mosque, hospital, or school currently without green spaces must also comply by planting trees in designated areas.
The guidelines specify that the chosen trees must remain green year-round, require minimal water, and be well-suited to the local climate. Recommended species for the region include pine, acacia, and olive.