Why Smart Homes Are No Longer Optional

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Green Shifts offers a wide range of services including architectural design, structural engineering, construction management, and project consulting.

The cost of our services varies depending on the project. Contact us for a free consultation and quote.

Sustainable building is not necessarily more costly, but it is designed differently. In many cases, the upfront construction cost may be slightly higher due to better planning, improved materials, and engineering-led design decisions. However, these costs are often offset over time through significantly lower electricity bills, reduced water consumption, and improved durability. At Green Shifts we also adopt zero wastage regime during construction and suggest our client to avoid over-designing to keep the cost dow

Read Green Shifts Zero Wastage Regime Policy.

No. Sustainable homes are designed to improve comfort, not reduce it. Better ventilation, insulation, and layout planning often result in more stable indoor temperatures and improved living quality.

Savings are achieved through early-stage design decisions, efficient systems, smart material choices, and disciplined construction practices—rather than costly technologies added later.

Yes. Sustainable design is especially suited to Pakistan’s climate, where heat, energy costs, and water scarcity make efficiency and smart planning increasingly important.

Yes. Green Shifts follows recognized green building and engineering standards, including EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) principles, sound civil engineering practices, and performance-based design approaches. These standards help ensure that energy, water, and carbon targets are measurable, realistic, and technically sound.

The 40-40-40 design approach is Green Shifts’ performance-based framework for residential buildings. It targets up to 40% reduction in energy consumption, 40% reduction in water use, and 40% lower embodied carbon compared to a conventional base-case home.

This approach is informed by and aligned with the IFC EDGE framework and international green building best practices. The targets are achieved through early-stage design, engineering optimization, and responsible material selection-not through expensive add-ons.

Actual outcomes depend on site conditions, client priorities, and agreed design scope. Green Shifts discusses these factors openly with clients and applies the 40-40-40 principles to a level that is practical, measurable, and financially sensible for each project.

Read full text of Green Shifts 40-40-40 Policy

Embodied carbon refers to the carbon emissions associated with a building before it is even used. It includes emissions from the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and installation of construction materials such as cement, steel, bricks, and glass. Design choices related to structure, material type, and quantities play a major role in determining embodied carbon.

At Green Shifts, embodied carbon is reduced by avoiding overdesign, optimizing structural systems, and selecting materials more responsibly-without compromising safety or performance.

Operational carbon refers to the emissions generated during the use of a building. It mainly comes from electricity, heating, cooling, lighting, and water pumping over the building’s lifetime. Operational carbon can be reduced over time through efficient design, systems, and user behavior.

Green Shifts addresses both, embodied and operational carbon, by reducing material-related emissions at the design stage and lowering energy and water demand during operation, ensuring long-term environmental and cost benefits.

The 1.5°C pathway refers to the global goal of limiting the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to reduce severe climate impacts. For buildings, this means lowering energy demand, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and avoiding unnecessary use of carbon-intensive materials through better design and construction practices.

Yes. Green Shifts supports projects aligned with EDGE standards and works with EDGE-certified experts to guide design decisions that meet energy, water, and material efficiency requirements.

No. Most green features reduce maintenance by using simpler systems, efficient layouts, and durable materials. The focus is on reliability and long-term performance rather than complex technology.

As early as possible. The greatest benefits of energy efficiency, water savings, and low-carbon design are achieved before construction begins, when design decisions are still flexible.

Yes, where feasible. Green Shifts can review existing designs or ongoing construction and recommend practical improvements, although options are more limited once major work has started.

No. Green Shifts applies the same engineering discipline and sustainability principles to homes of different sizes and budgets, focusing on value and performance rather than scale. As a matter of fact, we encourage our clients to build small, energy efficient house.