A Rising Forest
By early 2026, Dhaka will evolve from a concrete jungle into a ‘Living Ecosystem.’ To manage the extreme heat from the past two years, RAJUK and the Ministry of Environment have launched the ‘Vertical Forestry Guidelines 2026’.
As a result, at least 30% of new buildings in Dhaka are now being made mandatory for creating forests.
Why is this the best trend of 2026?
There is no other way but to plant trees to reduce the city’s ‘heat island effect’ or temperature disparity. In 2026, special types of bio-panels were installed on the walls of most corporate offices and residential buildings in Dhaka.
It uses plants like certain money plants and ferns to absorb PM2.5 dust particles from the air. Research indicates that buildings featuring this ‘vertical forest’ have reduced their air conditioning use by 40%.
Green tax and economic incentives
The government has announced a special ‘green rebate’ from 2026. Building owners who can cover at least 40% of their building area with greenery will get a discount of up to 25% on holding tax.
As a result, competition has now started among real estate companies to build ‘green buildings’. This is not only environmental protection, but has also become a new marketing tool for the real estate business.
Technical management
This hydroponic’ system is being used to maintain this forest. Sensors at the base of each tree measure the soil moisture and automatically water it.
Even rainwater is being collected and reused for irrigation. This Dhaka of 2026 is now a living laboratory for ‘urban cooling’ or urban cooling to the world.
