Publications

Journal Papers

1. Khan, M., Irfan, M., Habib, M., Mahar, W.A.*, Batool, A. (2024). Barriers to Adopting Green Building Practices: A Case Study of Quetta, Pakistan. The Sciencetech, 5(3), 180–196. Retrieved from https://journals.qurtuba.edu.pk/ojs/index.php/tst/article/view/85929 

2. Aleha, A., Zahra, S. M., Memon, A. W., Mahar, W. A.* (2024). Measuring Community Disaster Resilience in Southern Punjab: A Study of 2022 Pakistan Floods. Natural and Applied Sciences International Journal (NASIJ), 5(1), 113-129. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.nasij/5.1.8  

3. Mousavi, S. M., Hosseininasab, S., Mahar, W. A.* (2024). Buffer Zone Policy and its Impact on the Land Value and the Quality of the Built Environment in World Heritage Sites: The Case of Kampung Jawa, Melaka, Malaysia. Architecture and Engineering, 9(10), 91-102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23968/2500-0055-2024-9-1-91-102 

4. Shah, S.J., Naeem, A.*, Hejazi, F., Mahar, W.A.*; Haseeb, A. (2024). Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Concrete Mix with Lightweight Expanded Polystyrene and Steel Fibers. CivilEng, 5(1), 209-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/civileng5010011 

5. Hakima, N., Matallah, M.E., Bouzaher, S., Mahar, W.A.*, Ahriz, A. (2024). Effect of Street Asymmetry, Albedo and Shading on Pedestrian Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Hot Desert Climates. Sustainability, 16(3 ),1291. (IF: 3.3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031291 

6. Ben Ratmia, F.Z., Ahriz, A., Santi, G., Bouzaher, S., Mahar, W.A., Ben Ratmia, M.A.E., Matallah, M.E. (2024). Street Design Strategies Based on Spatial Configurations and Building External Envelopes in Relation to Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Arid Climates. Sustainability, 16(1), 221. Special issue on "Adaptive Cities: Urban Planning and Design Contribution for Achieving Climate Resilient Cities". (IF: 3.3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010221

7. Khan, M.A., Anwar, N.U.R., Memon, A. W., Malghani, G. K., Memon, R. M., Mahar, W.A.* (2023). Assessment of Transit Congestion for Sustainable Urban Transport Management in Quetta, Pakistan. The Sciencetech, 4(3), 35–54. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/308369

8. Anwar, N.U.R., Mahar, W.A., Qureshi, S., Marri, S.A., Malghani, G.K., Khan, M.A. (2022). Urban Sprawl, Its Impact and Challenges: A Case Study of Quetta, Pakistan. Journal of Applied and Emerging Sciences (JAES), 12(2),  99–108. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/299731

9. Bughio, M., Bahale, S., Mahar, W.A., Schuetze, T. (2022). Parametric Performance Analysis of Cooling Potential of Earth-to-Air Heat Exchangers in the Hot and Humid Climates. Energies, 15(19), 7054. Special issue on "Building Performance Simulation, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Resources for Buildings 2022". (IF: 3.2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en15197054

10. Soomro, R., Memon, I.A., Pathan, A.F.H., Mahar, W.A., Sahito, N., Lashari, Z.A. (2022). Factors That Influence Travelers’ Willingness to Adopt Bus Rapid Transit (Green Line) Service in Karachi. Sustainability, 14(16), 10184. Special issue on "Challenges for Carbon Neutrality in the Energy Sector of Developing Countries". (IF: 3.9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610184

11. Labdaoui, K., Mahar, W.A.*, Qureshi, S., Marri, S.A. (2022). How Tmrt Affects PET Assessment in Outdoor Environments: A Comparative Study. Journal of Art, Architecture and Built Environment (JAABE), 5(1), 121-138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jaabe.51.06 

12. Marri, S.A., Mahar, W.A.*, Qureshi, S., Memon, R.M. (2022). Architecture For “Other”? Building A Critical Account On Architecture “Othering” From Colonial To Post-Colonial Time (19th Century - Present Time). Webology, 19(2), 7923–7935. Retrieved from https://www.webology.org/abstract.php?id=2480

13. Matallah, M.E., Arrar, H.F., Faci, M., Mahar, W.A., Ratmia, F.Z.B., Attia, S. (2022). Assessment of Human Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Palm Grove during the Date Palm Phenological Cycle. Atmosphere, 13(3), 379. Special issue on “Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Cities: Assessing and Developing Green, Blue and Grey Solutions for Healthy and Sustainable Urban Future”. (IF 2.9). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13030379

14. Matallah, M.E., Mahar, W.A., Bughio, M., Alkama, D., Ahriz, A., Bouzaher, S. (2021). Prediction of climate change effect on outdoor thermal comfort in arid region. Energies, 14(16), 4730. Special issue on “Resilience and Climate Adaptability of Buildings and Urban Areas”. (IF 3.252). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164730 

15. Bughio, M., Khan, M.S., Mahar, W.A., Schuetze, T. (2021). Impact of passive energy efficiency measures on cooling energy demand in an architectural campus building in Karachi, Pakistan. Sustainability, 13(13), 7251. (IF: 3.889). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137251 

16. Ibrahim, H.S.S., Khan, A.Z, Mahar, W.A., Attia, S., Serag, Y. (2021). Assessment of passive retrofitting scenarios in heritage residential buildings in hot, dry climates. Energies, 14(11), 3359. Special issue on “Experimental and Computational Assessment of Building Envelopes, Materials and Components”. (IF: 3.252). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113359  

17. Semahi, S., Benbouras, M. A, Mahar, W.A., Zemmouri, N., Attia, S. (2020). Development of spatial distribution maps for energy demand and thermal comfort estimation in Algeria. Sustainability, 12(15), 6066. Special issue on “Energy efficiency in building for sustainability”. (IF: 3.251). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156066

18. Bughio, M., Schuetze, T., Mahar, W.A. (2020). Comparative analysis of indoor environmental quality of architectural campus buildings’ lecture halls and its’ perception by building users, in Karachi, Pakistan. Sustainability, 12(7), 2995. Special issue on “Air circulation and indoor air quality”. (IF: 3.251). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072995

19. Mahar, W.A.*, Verbeeck, G. Reiter, S., Attia, S. (2020). Sensitivity analysis of passive design strategies for residential buildings in cold semi-arid climates. Sustainability, 12(3), 1091. Special issue on “New evidences of indoor thermal comfort in residential and tertiary buildings: Design and evaluation methods”. (IF: 3.251). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12031091

20. Mahar, W.A.*, Verbeeck, G., Singh, M.K., Attia, S. (2019). An investigation of thermal comfort of houses in dry and semi-arid climates of Quetta, Pakistan. Sustainability, 11(19), 5203. Special issue on “Green Building Technologies”. (IF: 2.576). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195203

* Corresponding Author 

Published Conference Proceedings

1. Matallah, M.E., Alkama, D., Mahar, W.A., Attia, S. (2021). The assessment of outdoor thermal comfort inside oasis settlements in North Africa - Algeria. CISBAT 2021, 8-10 September. Lausanne, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 2042, 012061, IOP Publishing Ltd. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2042/1/012061 

2. Amer, M., Mahar, W.A., Ruellan, G., Attia, S. (2019). Dynamics Sensitivity analysis of glazing parameters and operational schedules on energy consumption and life cycle cost. Proceedings of Building Simulation: Proceedings of the 16th IBPSA Conference, p. 5022-5028. Sept. 2-4, 2019. Rome, Italy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26868/25222708.2019.210672  

3. Mahar, W.A.*, Anwar, N.U.R., Attia, S. (2019). Building energy efficiency policies and practices in Pakistan: A literature review. 5th International Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD) 2018. 14-16 Nov 2018. Jamshoro, Pakistan: Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET). AIP Conference Proceedings 2119, 020005 (2019). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5115364

4. Anwar, N.U.R., Mahar, W.A.*, Khan, J.F. (2018). Renewable energy technologies in Balochistan: Practice, prospects and challenges. In the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD) 2018. 14-16 Nov 2018. Jamshoro, Pakistan: Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET).  Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/229334 

Conference Papers Presented

1. Mahar, W.A.* (2024). Building the Unbuilt and the Unbuildable: Challenges and Opportunities in the Housing Sector. Sindh Property, Building Materials and Home Decor Expo and Conference on Architecture in Sindh: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. 28-30 Nov 2024. Hyderabad, Pakistan: Association of Architects Sindh (AAS).

2. Dhramatanna, S.W., Mahar, W.A., Agustianti, S.W., Wijaya, E.S. (2024). Ventilation Beyond Tradition: A Systematic Review of Passive Cooling Techniques Used in the Mosques. 14th International Conference on Green Technology (ICGT). 1-2 Oct 2024. Malang, Indonesia: Atria Hotel. 

3. Mahar, W.A.* (2024). Materialization of Climate-Responsive Design Solutions for Residential Buildings. 1st International Conference on Blurring the Barriers: The Interdisciplinary Value of Architecture. 24-25 Jan 2024. Karachi, Pakistan: Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET). 

4. Mahar, W.A.* (2023). Climate change, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency: Meeting the needs of the residential sector. IAPEX Quetta Building Materials Exhibition and Conference on Quintessential Quetta. 20-21 Oct 2023. Quetta, Pakistan: Institute of Architects, Pakistan (IAP) Quetta Chapter. 

5. Mahar, W.A.* (2023). Powering the future in a finite world: Housing, energy, fuel poverty and Thermal Comfort. IAPEX Peshawar Building Materials Exhibition and Conference on Urban Regeneration/Revival. 17-19 Mar 2023. Peshawar, Pakistan: Institute of Architects, Pakistan (IAP) Peshawar Chapter. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/301764 

6. Mahar, W.A.* (2022). Climate change, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency: Meeting the challenges of cities in the 21st century. Saving Our Cities: Looming Challenges and Data-driven Policy Making. 17-18 Jun 2022. Lahore, Pakistan: Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/293913 

7. Mahar, W.A.* (2022). Building energy efficiency policies in Pakistan: Current Issues and Future Prospects. International Symposium on Architecture and Planning (ISAAP 2022). 31 Mar 2022. Lahore, Pakistan: University of Management and Technology (UMT). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/293912 

8. Aleha, A., Mahar, W.A., Zahra, S.M. (2022). Study of Indoor Environmental Quality of Public-School Classrooms in Multan. 2nd International Conference on Science, Engineering and Technology (ICSET-2022). 10-11 Mar 2022. Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan: Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology (MCKRUT). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/289779 

9. Aleha, A., Mahar, W.A.*, Labdaoui, K. (2021). Urban green spaces and their role in making cities sustainable: revisiting Multan city from 1988 to 2020. 1st International Conference on Science, Engineering and Technology (ICSET-2021). 18 Mar 2021. Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan: Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology (MCKRUT). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/258159 

10. Mahar, W.A.*, Amer, M., Attia, S. (2018). Indoor thermal comfort assessment of residential building stock in Quetta, Pakistan. European Network for Housing Research (ENHR) Annual Conference 2018. 27-29 Jun 2018. Uppsala, Sweden:  Uppsala University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/226537

11. Kasi, Z.K., Mahar, W.A.*, Khan, J.F. (2018). Structural defects in residential buildings: A study of Quetta, Pakistan. 1st International Conference on Advances in Engineering & Technology (ICAET) 2018. 2-3 Apr 2018. Quetta, Pakistan: Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/223736

12. Mengal, M.U.R, & Mahar, W.A.* (2018). Disaster mitigation strategies for adobe houses: A case study of District Awaran, Balochistan, Pakistan. 1st International Conference on Advances in Engineering & Technology (ICAET) 2018. 2-3 Apr 2018. Quetta, Pakistan: Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/223847

13. Mahar, W.A.*, Knapen, E., Verbeeck, G. (2017). Methodology to determine housing characteristics in less developed areas in developing countries: A case study of Quetta, Pakistan. European Network for Housing Research (ENHR) Annual Conference 2017. 4-6 Sep 2017. Tirana, Albania: Polis University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/222584 

Editorials

1. Mahar, W.A.*, Khamidi, M.F., Leng, P.C. (2024). Editorial: Advancing Sustainability, Battling Climate Change. Frontiers in Sustainability. 5:1480905. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2024.1480905

2. Fezzai, S., Mahar, W.A., Ahriz, A., Matallah, M.E., Mesloub, A. (2023). Editorial: Assessment of users’ satisfaction in public spaces. Frontiers in Built Environment. 9:1213944. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1213944

Scientific Reports

1. Mahar, W. A. & Attia, S. (2018b). Indoor thermal comfort assessment in residential building stock: A study of RCC houses in Quetta, Pakistan. SBD Lab, University of Liège. 26 Dec 2018. ISBN 978-2-930909-14-1. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/230476 

2. Mahar, W.A. & Attia, S. (2018a). An overview of housing conditions, characteristics and existing infrastructure of energy, water & waste systems in Quetta, Pakistan. SBD Lab, University of Liège. 2 Apr 2018. ISBN 978-2-930909-11-0. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/222793 

Scientific Posters

1. Mahar, W.A. & Attia, S. (2018). Methodology for the design of climate-responsive houses for optimized thermal comfort in Quetta, Pakistan. 3rd Young Researchers Overseas Day (YROD) 2018. 7 Dec 2018. Brussels, Belgium: Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences (RAOS), Belgium. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/230039 

2. Mahar, W.A. & Attia, S. (2018). Thermal comfort in residential building stock of Quetta, Pakistan. Doctoral Seminar on Sustainability Research in the Built Environment (DS2BE). 29-30 May 2018. Brussels, Belgium: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/226536 

3. Mahar, W.A., Verbeeck, G. Knapen, E. (2017). Methodology for the design and development of a sustainable house concept for Quetta, Pakistan. Doctoral Seminar on Sustainability Research in the Built Environment (DS2BE). 26-27 Apr 2017. Liège, Belgium: Université de Liège. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/222586  

News Articles

1. Khalid, W., Waqas, A., Mahar, W.A. and Khalid, F. (2019). Thermal comfort, energy management scenario of Pakistan. Pakistan Observer. 18 Sep 2019. Islamabad, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2268/256943