By Muhammad Luqman

Lahore’s rapidly expanding housing sector continues to rely on conventional construction practices that offer little protection against rising temperatures, resulting in hotter indoor environments and increasing electricity consumption.

Architects say most residential buildings are constructed using brick masonry and reinforced concrete roofs without adequate thermal insulation. As a result, heat easily penetrates the building envelope during the day and remains trapped inside for long periods.

With urban temperatures continuing to rise, buildings absorb and store large amounts of heat in their walls and roofs. Even after outdoor temperatures drop at night, the accumulated heat continues to radiate indoors, making living spaces uncomfortable and increasing dependence on air-conditioning systems.

“The majority of houses being constructed today are highly energy-intensive because they are designed with little consideration for thermal performance,” said Talha Saeed, a Lahore-based expert in sustainable architecture.

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, he said most buildings provide minimal resistance to heat transfer. As outdoor temperatures rise, indoor temperatures increase because walls and rooftops lack proper insulation. Construction materials such as brick masonry and reinforced concrete also possess high thermal mass, allowing them to absorb and retain heat throughout the day.

“During summer, walls and roofs continue to release stored heat even after sunset. Consequently, houses remain hot at night despite lower outdoor temperatures, forcing residents to rely heavily on air-conditioning to maintain comfortable indoor conditions,” he said.

According to Saeed, this dependence on mechanical cooling is neither economically nor environmentally sustainable. Small bedrooms often require 1.5-ton air conditioners to achieve thermal comfort, resulting in higher electricity bills and greater pressure on the national power system during peak summer months.

He said sustainable architecture and energy-efficient building practices could significantly reduce cooling demand. Proper insulation can lower space cooling and heating energy consumption by 40% to 50%. Installing a three-inch layer of EPS or XPS insulation in roofs and walls can substantially reduce cooling loads, cut electricity costs and ease pressure on the national grid.

Energy experts believe current housing practices are contributing significantly to Pakistan’s rising peak electricity demand, particularly during summer.

“The national grid, burdened by a massive spike in cooling demand, struggles to meet consumers’ needs,” said Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director of the LUMS Energy Institute.

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, he said Pakistan’s expenditure of nearly $100 billion on power-generation infrastructure — much of it built to meet seasonal cooling demand — is unsustainable.

“By adopting energy-efficient practices, particularly through sustainable architecture, we can reduce cooling loads by at least 50%, saving billions of dollars,” he said.

According to Dr. Chaudhry, seasonal fluctuations in electricity consumption, driven largely by cooling demand during hot summer months, require an additional 18,000 megawatts of generation capacity.

“This extra capacity, which remains largely underutilised during the rest of the year, imposes a staggering cost of nearly $100 billion on the national economy,” he said.

He added that the resulting operational inefficiencies have led to capacity payment obligations exceeding Rs2 trillion, placing a heavy burden on a power sector that contributes relatively little to overall economic growth.

“The adoption of energy-efficient practices in residential construction can drastically reduce these loads,” Dr. Chaudhry said.

He stressed that building insulation is one of the most effective ways to keep electricity consumption at manageable levels during summer. Energy-efficient fans can reduce electricity demand by up to 60%, while efficient household appliances can lower energy consumption by around 27%, he noted.

“The integration of air-conditioning systems with geothermal solutions can provide a further 19% reduction in energy demand,” he explained.

Dr. Chaudhry also highlighted the benefits of installing solar panels, particularly in energy-efficient homes where the required system size and installation costs are significantly lower than those required for conventional houses.

“I have constructed my own house in accordance with the principles of sustainable architecture, making it a true green building,” he said.

Experts believe that the wider adoption of energy-efficient construction standards could help reduce household electricity bills, ease pressure on the national grid and lower the long-term economic costs associated with Pakistan’s growing cooling demand.

Credit: INP-WealthPk