With the coming of internet age, things including buildings and appliances and accessories have become connected. Architecture therefore looks not only at design of spaces but integrating systems into the spatial design. Buildings with integrated systems and connected to global systems are called Smart. This is because much of the building systems through remote and automatic controls to set standards. Smart building designs are becoming popular given the challenges of energy efficiency, waste and pollution controls, security and safety. Smart buildings are user friendly for the emerging generations of connected users. In Pakistan, Smart Architecture is difficult given the unreliability of power supply, internet connectivity and generally dilapidated infrastructure conditions. There are also reasons related to cultural lag, illiteracy and corrupt practices that cause planned projects to fail.

Through undergraduate studies and faculty research, Architecture and Environmental Design (AED) department has launched a Smart Designing program to create awareness of and to engage and bring together expertise, investors, regulators and other concerned stakeholders for launching a movement for integrated and interdisciplinary building and urban design (II-BUD). The focus of the II-BUD is to retrofit existing buildings and their systems and explore system integration in new building complex designs. The applied research program brings together Architecture and Civil Engineering with Electrical, Electronics, Telecommunication, Mechanical and Environmental Engineering and Building Services like plumbing, wiring, decorative and functional fixtures and appliances. The program has started with looking at opportunities to integrate Electronics, Electrical and Architecture for creating safety and security in buildings. In the next stage this is to be connected with Telecommunication and Mechanical to bring connectivity among the systems and circulation pattern.

BUILD ASIA FORUM 2019 is a step in creating awareness and bringing together stakeholders to discuss and plan out a Smart Building complex plan for Health facility. The program would include a presentation on Smart health Facility and presentation of Student Children Cancer Hospital Design. The discussion would look at other existing health facilities in Pakistan and dissect the spatial and structural planning and critically review their system integration and connectivity.