The impacts of climate change on traditional brick masonry construction: A case study of The Sheesh Mahal Complex, Lahore Fort, Pakistan

Pakistan is among the 10 countries that will be most affected by climate change. While the country contributes less than 1 percent of the world's greenhouse gases responsible for causing global warming, its 200 million people are among the world's most vulnerable victims of the growing consequences of climate change. The nation is facing ever-rising temperatures, drought, and flooding that present serious threats to the country’s rich built heritage. This research explores the traditional passive climate-control strategies that have been used in Pakistan’s traditional brick masonry buildings to mitigate its hot arid climate and considers how these design solutions can be preserved and adapted in the rehabilitation of these historic masonry structures. The research further investigates the capacity and resiliency of these age-old strategies to perform under changing climate conditions and recommends methods to improve their performance. The Sheesh Mahal Complex in Lahore Fort provides an excellent case study to analyze this traditional regional form of passive cooling and the impacts of climate change on its performance efficacy. The Complex was built as a royal residence during the Mughal Period in the 16th century and incorporates hydraulic engineering, architectural design, and urban planning all together as an integrated whole. The research further examines how its current restoration can incorporate the existing passive environmental systems as part of a more sustainable conservation and management plan.