Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS), a Pakistani SGP partner, was awarded the Alcan prize for sustainability in the amount of one million USD on 7 December 2005. The organization received the prize for the project Building and Construction Improvement Programme (BACIP) which was funded with a 50,000 USD SGP grant.

Salim Rajan, Vice-Chairman of AKPBS, noted that the prize came at a critical time in the aftermath of the earth quakes which rocked the region in October of last year. "Receiving this Prize will help us refocus international attention on the urgent need in Pakistan to rebuild earthquake-devastated communities and develop more sustainable villages for the future".

Founded in 1980, AKPBS works to alleviate poverty in a sustainable manner, by enhancing the infrastructure of some of Pakistan's most disadvantaged communities. The BACIP has enabled the extremely remote communities in Northern Pakistan to make sustainable improvements in their living conditions.

The SGP grant was given to disseminate energy efficient technologies such as fuel efficient stoves and water-warming facilities and as such improve livelihoods while also fighting climate change. The project evaluation estimates that the fuel-efficient stoves with water warming facilities in 2,500 households will reduce fuel wood consumption by 10 tons per year and reduce carbon emissions by 30 tons over the six year product life. See the project case study for more information on the environmental impact and livelihood benefits generated by this project.

The project is now being up-scaled through a GEF medium-sized grant which will ensure further sustainable environmental development in the region.