Progress Reports

In year 2, we focused on energy saving strategies in residential buildings and single family detached homes in Pakistan. We surveyed a number of various types of homes in Lahore and gathered data of monthly and annual electricity consumption. In addition, we also interviewed architects, builders, and home owners to discuss various energy saving strategies which are already in place. This work helped us to benchmark the energy efficiency of existing homes in Pakistan. We used this data to prepare base models of various home sizes (815 ft2 to 5100 ft2) and run energy simulations to determine the impact of various energy saving measures (or strategies) on total energy consumption of the home. We found the following measures have a significant impact on the total energy consumption: (1) Replacement of CFL bulbs with the LED bulbs; (2) White paint on roof; (3) Roof insulation up to 1.5 inch thick; and (4) Exterior wall insulation. On average, up to 26% energy savings can be achieved with these measures in place. The other energy saving strategies such as window size reduction, use of double glazed glass, use of single glazed bronze tinted glass, and window overhangs, do not provide significant energy savings due to mostly hot climate in Pakistan.

After running energy simulations, the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) was carried out to determine the breakeven time period for energy investments. The LCCA results indicated that the combined initial investment for all energy efficiency measures can be recovered in a time period of 7-10 years depending on the home size. After this period, the home owners can expect significant monetary savings for a total time span of 30 years or higher. The energy simulation and LCCA results will help the local architects and builders to convince their clients about initial investment in energy saving measures which could have a long term impact. Before our work, this type of data was not available in Pakistan and designers used to struggle to convince their clients about energy saving investments. We also prepared a database of energy efficient and green products available in the local market. In the next year, we plan to release this database to design and construction community in Pakistan.

The USA project team conducted two workshops on “High Performance Energy Efficient Building Design and Construction” in Pakistan. The first workshop was held at the UET Lahore campus on March 8-9, 2017. The workshop was attended by 219 participants. Nearly 67% participants were females. The second workshop on the same topic was held at the Lahore College for Women University, Lahore on March 10. The workshop was attended by 280 participants out of which 252 attendees were females. The feedback survey results indicated that the participants were very satisfied from the outcome and they indicated a strong need to hold similar workshops in other cities of Pakistan. The US team developed a new graduate course “High Performance Green Buildings”. All course material is handed over to the Pakistani research team in March 2017. The Pakistani team will use these modules to teach a new graduate course at the UET, Lahore. The course approval process is in progress.

Based on the project work, the project team prepared and presented five papers at the international conferences held in Dubai, UAE; Seattle, USA; and Accra, Ghana. Four more papers are in preparation and will be submitted by late Fall 2017. In year 3, our remaining work will be focused on low and medium rise commercial and public buildings in Pakistan. We also plan to host a series of workshops and an international conference on Energy Efficient Buildings and Homes in Lahore, Pakistan from February 20-22, 2018.

2018: The aim of this project is to facilitate the design and construction of high-performance, energy-efficient buildings and homes in Pakistan through capacity building of academia and industry in related research, education, and practice. Work on this project commenced in September 2015. In year 1, the project team critically analyzed the current building energy codes of Pakistan, and residential bylaw of several government and private housing schemes with a focus on identifying shortcomings that could be addressed through this research project. In addition, we shortlisted “Best of the New and Best of the Old” design and construction practices that could be customized to the local conditions and environment in Pakistan. In year 2, we focused on energy saving strategies in residential buildings and single family detached homes in Pakistan. Based on the results of energy simulation studies, we developed 4 energy efficient designs for typical houses in Pakistan ranging from 815 ft2 to 5100 ft2. We found the following energy efficiency measures have a significant impact on the total energy consumption: (1) Replacement of CFL bulbs with the LED bulbs; (2) White paint on roof; (3) Roof insulation up to 1.5 inch thick; and (4) Exterior wall insulation. On average, up to 26% energy savings can be achieved with these measures in place. After running energy simulations, the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) was carried out to determine the breakeven time period for energy investments. The LCCA results indicated that the combined initial investment for all energy efficiency measures can be recovered in a time period of 7-10 years depending on the house size.

In year 3, we focused on energy saving strategies for low to medium rise commercial and public buildings in Pakistan. Energy modeling and simulations were conducted for three test buildings ranging from 3 floors to 13 floors height. Results showed that the commercial and public buildings can save from 5% to 12% of electricity by using wall insulation, LED lighting, and double glazed windows. The results of Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) indicated that the initial cost of the energy efficient measures can be recovered in 4 to 9.5 years with average payback period being 7.5 years. We also tested several low-cost technologies such as Burnt clay pots, Wood shavings, and Hollow core roof tiles to achieve energy efficiency in buildings and homes located in the sub-urban and rural areas. The experimental results indicated that these sustainable technologies can reduce heating and cooling loads from 10%-42%.

The project team organized a one-day seminar on “Energy Efficient Buildings and Need for Sustainability” at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Campus on March 14th, 2018. One hundred and ten (110) participants from 9 cities of Pakistan attended this seminar. To showcase the project results, the project team organized an international conference. The First International Conference on High Performance Energy Efficient Buildings and Homes (HPEEBH 2018) was held in Lahore, Pakistan from August 1-2, 2018. The purpose of this organizing this conference was twofold; (1) to share research conducted under this project with the participants; and (2) to provide an opportunity to local researchers to interact with the international participants and form future research collaborations. One hundred and twenty six (126) participants attended the conference including participants from the USA, UK, South Korea, and Kazakhstan. In total, 54 papers were presented. With the support of participating universities, it is decided to hold this conference on an annual basis in Pakistan. Planning for the 2nd HPEEBH conference is just started. It will be held in Lahore in October 2019.

The project team developed guidelines and strategies for owners, architects, contractors, and engineers for designing and constructing energy efficient houses and buildings in all of Pakistan. These guidelines are available free of cost to all professional, government, and academic organizations in Pakistan. To ensure the continuity of this work, we plan to establish a Center for High-Performance Energy Efficient Buildings and Houses in Lahore, Pakistan. The center will research on suitable products, materials, and renewable energy technologies for energy-efficient buildings and houses and teams-up with domestic companies to evaluate their feasibility for the local market. The center will be self-sustainable and will produce revenue from research, training, and consultancy services to the local industry and the government.