Research and Report Writing

Submitted to:
Ma’am Quratulain Asghar
Ma’am Izza Danish
Submitted by:
Azka Ihsan (2018-ARCH-32)
Zunaira Arif (2018-ARCH-39)
Coping Climate Change Through Adaptive Facades in Lahore; A Comparative Case Study
The digital revolution age, along with increased environmental consciousness, has moved
architecture to new heights via the application of contemporary technologies and sustainability
principles. Pakistan immensely experiences a severe climate change issue. The paper is mainly
concerned with the entire fusion of new design methods and the connection between digital
technology and the sustainability approach to cope with climate changes. Facades have a
critical role in a building's comfort and energy consumption. The major drivers of façade
technical advances include human-centered design and smart building operating systems. Low-
energy buildings can be designed by incorporating technology into the design. Pakistan's large
desert and semi-arid areas, reliance on monsoon rainfall, and frequent vulnerability to natural
calamities make it vulnerable to climate change. Under future climate change scenarios,
Pakistan is predicted to face higher climatic volatility, which would require the use of flexible
facades. The research aims to investigate the changing climatic conditions on current
architectural styles in Pakistan for sustainable façades. The creation of innovative ideas is seen
as a critical problem for attaining sustainability in the building's exterior shell. Previous
literature reviews have not thoroughly analyzed the adaptable façade technology aiding in
future developments in Pakistan. So, this study offers a unique conceptual framework and
technology classifications for adaptable facades in the future to overcome these climatic issues.
The paper further highlights the future adaptive methods along with future adaptable façade
structural trends. Different futuristic technologies can effectively address the overheating
concerns posed by climate change, as well as the decrease of energy demand for cooling in new
and existing buildings. The research emphasizes the significance of material-efficient design is
digitally manufactured architecture for achieving serious ecological advantages. The paper
proposes intelligent building facades and internal thermal comfort strategies in Pakistan,
focusing on thermal comfort and low energy buildings.
Key words: Climate Change, Sustainable Facade, Vulnerability, Digital Technology, Adaptable
Facade, Energy Consumption.
Introduction:

The climate is a complicated system that is in continual flux. Data gathered over the last few
decades reveal that it is now altering at an incredibly rapid rate in historical context. Human
activities are one of the most probable causes. Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere trap more thermal energy, causing the global average temperature to rise (global
warming), which significantly impacts the atmospheric climate. Global warming will have severe
ramifications for the built environment, created with the concept of constant environmental
conditions. It has diverse effects in different parts of the world. Drought and overheating are
the most concerning issues for the built environment in hot regions. The worldwide climate
issue requires a major technological thrust in the building sector, primarily targeted at lowering
energy consumption and using sustainable energy resources. Several challenging aspects
impact the future of building sustainability. A higher level of user well-being and indoor
environmental quality is required from a societal standpoint. Simultaneously, there is a need to
limit heating and cooling loads and minimize environmental effects generated by inefficient
techniques in buildings.