Episode II: Designing settlements with nature: policy pathways for green buildings

Registration

About the webinar

As climate change and rapid development transform landscapes, mountain settlements face increasing challenges due to their ecological fragility and exposure to natural hazards. In these contexts, nature-based solutions offer a pathway to more sustainable and resilient development. By integrating traditional knowledge and working with natural systems, these approaches can strengthen the adaptive capacity of both urban and remote communities while preserving the integrity of mountain ecosystems.

However, strong policy support is needed to promote and scale these practices. Clear regulations, local incentives, and planning tools can help integrate nature into the design of homes, neighbourhoods, and settlements.

The second webinar of this series will explore how policies can guide and support the use of nature-based solutions in both urban and mountain settings. Experts will share practical examples, policy experiences, and ideas for building greener, safer, and more liveable communities through nature-based design.

Agenda

Speakers

Sonali Gupta is the Director & Founder of the Himalayan Institute of Cultural and Heritage Studies, Shimla, India, and the President & Co-Founder of the Himalayan Conservation & Preservation Society, USA. She is an interdisciplinary anthropological archaeologist, cultural conservationist, and former criminal lawyer whose career uniquely bridges heritage activism, education, and community engagement. Her research encompasses fieldwork ranging from the Greco-Roman city of Karanis in Egypt to the wooden temples of the Western Himalayas. She has mentored research students, taught various Himalayan-centric courses, conducted heritage walks, and focused on initiatives relating to both tangible and intangible cultural heritage and environment protection.

Siddharth Pandey is a writer, cultural historian, photographer, curator, and musician from the Shimla Himalayas. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Cambridge and has held research fellowships at Yale, London, and Munich. His book Fossil (2021) was shortlisted for the 2022 Banff Mountain Literature Awards. He currently teaches an interdisciplinary course on the Western Himalayas at the Himalayan Institute of Cultural and Heritage Studies.

Tashi Penjor is the Director of the Department of Human Settlement at Bhutan’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. He has led major national initiatives including the Comprehensive National Development Plan 2030, Thimphu-Paro Regional Strategy, and Thimphu Structure Plan, along with priority projects such as the Low Emission Transport Master Plan and Regenerative Bhutan. He also serves as Managing Director and Lead for Infrastructure and City Development for Gelephu Mindfulness City, overseeing key infrastructure projects. An architect by training, he holds a master’s in Urban Design and Development from the University of New South Wales, Australia. He is also a board member of Thimphu TechPark and Executive Director of Tarayana Foundation.