The Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) in collaboration with its stakeholders, has marked this year’s World Architect Day with a call on all to be up-to-date with environmental challenges and design strategies to mitigate climate change.

Mr Joseph Hayford, President of GIA, at a forum to mark the day, said human activities such as poor sanitation and indiscriminate discharge of waste into the drains had negatively affected the environment and posed health risk to the citizenry.

This year’s celebration is on the theme “Climate Change Action”.

Mr Hayford said the Institute had realised that the country’s energy cost was due to climate change, making homes uncomfortable, and there was the need to put in place action plans to mitigate the menace.

He explained that failure to put in mitigation would deplete the country’s resources in the environment since the current energy being used could not replenish itself.

Mr Hayford urged architects to design buildings that would use less energy and more green sensitive approaches to resource management for efficient use on the environment.

The President urged civil society, policymakers and all stakeholders to support Architects to create buildings and products that were inherently accessible to all regardless of age, ability and status in life.

He urged Architect to make their designs inclusive to address challenges of urbanization and that of the various sections of society, since they play an essential role in planning for the future, sustaining population growth and tackling a number of social problems.

He charged the public and civil society to engage only registered architects on their projects.

Mr Fifii Sam-Awortwi, Council Member of GIA said the threat of climate change was real, and that rapid urbanization and building developments were increasing the fuel energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Sam-Awortwi called on all architects and architecture organizations to mobilize efforts to respond to the negative threats, which impact on environment and humanity.

The International Union of Architect in 2005 set aside October 2, as World Architect Day to celebrate the achievements and visions of architecture that is responsible, innovative and enriching communities.