The project ?Solar Energy for Heating to Conserve Band-e-Amir National Park (BANP), Bamyan? implemented by Abqul Community Development Council (CDC) with the technical support of Wildlife Conservation Society. It is one of the nine projects awarded to Band-e-Amir National Park (BANP) Community Development Councils.

Due to unavailability of any other alternatives, brushwood was massively used by communities in BANP for heating and cooking. The collection of brushwood combined with overgrazing from the mountain slopes caused huge environmental problem in BANP. There were issues of snow runoff water which could reduce the absorption, sustaining mountain streams, and in the long-term this could harm flow of the Band-e-Amir lakes and rivers.

Below are the projects results achieved:

1. Total of around 25 passive solar houses (PSH) constructed and this reduced the use of brushwood collection by the communities by 50%.
2. About 28 household?s awareness and education raised on climate change and using solar as source for heating.
3. PSH being used for by women to give bath to their small kids. It is a convenient place for children to play and study.
4. PSH promoted rugs knitting, carpets weaving and thus helped in improving livelihoods.
5. The space is also used for drying clothes, etc. in cold weather.