With its heavy reliance on imported fuel and the depreciation of the rupee, Pakistan finds itself in a precarious economic situation, where the cost of fuel has risen to an all time high, leading to an energy crisis. The situation is made more unbearable due to climate change and its effects, with Pakistan experiencing 152 extreme weather events in the last two decades according to Global Climate Risk Index, the most recent of which was a devastating heat wave that halved the country’s mango production, crippling exports.
With this mounting socio-economic crisis, it is more important than ever for big and small businesses alike, to work towards a more sustainable and cost-effective future, so how exactly can coworking help?
Coworking spaces encourage collaborative working, providing flexible office spaces for businesses of varying sizes, not just saving them the more costly option of building and maintaining individual offices but also being more environmentally productive by sharing utilities. Daftarkhwan takes this a step further by opening up its services to established enterprises such as World Bank, Li & Fung and Unifonic as well as startups and freelancers, providing theconvenience of a fully run office.
As hubs of innovation and development, most coworking spaces have central locations for easy accessibility. With 3 distinct locations in key commercial areas in Lahore alone, Daftarkhwan ensures its members maintain a diminished carbon footprint by reducing commute while they reap the opportunities that emerge from being situated in such prominent locales.
Dedicated to bringing our members the best experience, Daftarkhwan combines the psychology of well-being with sustainable design philosophy.Expansive windows, paired with the spacious layouts optimizes the transmission of natural light, greatly reducing the amount of electricity used and uplifts mood. Similarly, Daftarkhwan’s spaces are decked with plants, not only symbolic of our green ideals- which have led us to greatly reduce our plastic and paper waste- but also in an effort to improve air quality, bringing a bit of the outside to work with us. “Not a lot of places cater to this,” marvels Hadiya Maud, Sustainability and Research Specialist at MG Apparel, an ethical textile manufacturing company that uses energy-efficient alternatives, who found it incredibly refreshing to work in a workplace that reflects their ideals.
Daftarkhwan has also invested in technology to help realize its energy effective goals. Most Daftarkhwan sites have wall filling insulation while some sites such as Daftarkhwan | Central have been fully converted to solar. Aligned with our own sustainable outlook, daftarkhwan has facilitated the growth of companies like ENERGI by Matra, a renewable energy semiconductor manufacturer that provides the commercial and industrial sector with EPC solutions, having completed over 93 solar conversion projects and saving on average, 58,000 metric tonnes of carbon per year. Additionally, Daftarkhwan makes use of HVAC systems that have made us 20% more energy efficient.
Amidst a rapidly growing climate and energy crisis, the need for change has become imminent, achievable through sustainable measures that are both eco-friendly and cost effective, fostered by coworking.