Abstract
Climatic considerations in the architectural design of most contemporary buildings have not been strictly adhered to by building design and construction professionals in the last few decades in the developing world, with users being denied the inevitable interactions with the natural surroundings offered by climate. The situation leads to utilization of energy-based equipment such as air conditioner that is environmentally unsustainable. The study aimed to evaluate the bioclimatic design features of residential building typologies and to identify features that can enhance the environmental responsiveness of buildings. This study adopted the Mahoney Tables to undertake a climatic analysis to develop appropriate design guidelines for the climate context. The developed design guidelines were then used to evaluate the bio-climatic design features of a sampled number of residential building types. The study revealed that features of the buildings reflect the recommended design guidelines, but to varied extents among the building typologies that were studied. Occupants generally find their spaces unsatisfactory primarily as a result of the experience of hot discomfort. The findings are expected to engender a renewed interest in the design of buildings in response to prevailing climatic conditions to reduce reliance on energy use and to serve as a useful reference for contemporary architectural design practice and education.
Highlights
In the search for efficient shelter that provides comfort in an uncomfortable and changing climate, man has since ancient times adapted dwellings to the climate of a place
The study revealed that features of the buildings reflect the recommended design guidelines, but to varied extents among the building typologies that were studied
For over 45 years, the energy crisis persists in many developing countries, and the deployment of passive technologies is still very low. It is widely recognized by the global scientific community that energy consumption from non-renewable sources, such as oil or coal, is responsible for producing large quantities of Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s), CO2, which is largely responsible for global warming [2]
Summary
In the search for efficient shelter that provides comfort in an uncomfortable and changing climate, man has since ancient times adapted dwellings to the climate of a place. For over 45 years, the energy crisis persists in many developing countries, and the deployment of passive technologies is still very low. It is widely recognized by the global scientific community that energy consumption from non-renewable sources, such as oil or coal, is responsible for producing large quantities of Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s), CO2, which is largely responsible for global warming [2]. Traditional buildings in the southern part of Ghana which is a predominantly warm-humid environment are developed with three notable characteristics: 1) outward-looking terraces and open courtyards; 2) steeply pitched roof with wide overhangs; 3) large and fully openable windows [4]. The current building design practice in Ghana necessitates the development of a guide that can help build
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