Papers by Christian Koranteng
A questionnaire survey of 5,800 residential buildings was conducted in the Dry Equatorial, South ... more A questionnaire survey of 5,800 residential buildings was conducted in the Dry Equatorial, South Western Equatorial, Tropical Continental and the Wet Semi Equatorial climatic zones in Ghana to identify the lead source of dampness in walls of residential buildings in Ghana. Data were analyzed using frequency and severity index. Majority of the houses surveyed were of lateritic materials and sandcrete block walls. The results showed that the most dominant symptoms in the walls of the residential buildings surveyed were hygroscopic salts, decayed skirting, dampness below 1.5 m and mold growth on walls up to 1m high. These symptoms point to the presence of rising dampness in the walls of these residential buildings. The results provide a platform for addressing the problem of rising dampness in buildings.
This study sought to assess the perceptions of building occupants on the level of effectiveness o... more This study sought to assess the perceptions of building occupants on the level of effectiveness of some practiced damp remediation measures in Ghana through a questionnaire survey of 5,100 inhabitants living in buildings in eleven major towns in Ghana. The study employed the average weighted model where the average effective scores of all the damp remediation measures studied were considered by the inhabitants as highly ineffective. However, the rankings of these measures by their Effective Index Values based on the level of effectiveness attached to each measure by the respondents showed that using damp proof courses and membranes and construction of aprons at the base of walls showed some level of effectiveness in their application to address the problem of dampness in residential buildings in Ghana. These findings call for the urgent need for all stakeholders in Ghana and other tropical countries to educate building occupants on the need to satisfactorily address the problem of d...
This study sought to identify and document the symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of ... more This study sought to identify and document the symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of 5,800 residential buildings in Ghana through a questionnaire survey in the Dry Equatorial, South Western Equatorial, Tropical Continental and the Wet Semi Equatorial climatic zones. A quantitative approach to data analysis was used in which the symptoms associated with dampness were analyzed using severity index. Majority of the houses surveyed were of lateritic materials and sandcrete block walls. The results showed that the most severe symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of the residential buildings surveyed were hygroscopic salts, decayed skirting, dampness below 1.5m and mold growth on walls up to 1m high. These identified symptoms are indications of the severity of the problem of dampness in residential buildings in Ghana. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to identify the lead source of dampness in the walls of residential buildings as this will assist i...
This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey of inhabitants of 5,800 buildings in fo... more This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey of inhabitants of 5,800 buildings in four climatic zones in Ghana which sought to assess and document the level of knowledge of these inhabitants on the problem of dampness in walls of buildings. A quantitative approach to data analysis was employed, using percentages and mean score rankings of the factors studied. The results showed some existence of knowledge on the problem of dampness among the building occupants. The results also showed that dampness is often seen on the walls of residential buildings in Ghana and its level of appearance varied from one climatic zone to the other. The symptoms associated with damp walls are 'surface efflorescence just above skirting/floor', 'dampness at the base of walls up to 1.5m in horizontal band', 'stains, especially in horizontal band, noticeably damp in humid conditions' and 'mold growth (on cold surfaces, windows, etc.)'. The findings from this stud...
Simulation-based Assessment of the Thermal Performance of High-rise Office Buildings in Ghana
British Journal of Applied Science & Technology, 2015
A holistic survey of dampness in a six bedroom residential apartment
Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana), 2014
Journal of Construction Engineering, 2014
Rising damp is one of the most severe phenomena that leads to decay and deterioration of both old... more Rising damp is one of the most severe phenomena that leads to decay and deterioration of both old and modern types of buildings. This study employed a holistic approach to dampness investigation and sought to examine the problem of rising damp in the walls of two residential apartments in Kumasi, Ghana. The study sought to determine the types of soluble salts and their concentrations in the soils and accumulated percentages in the walls over time and whether there exists any linkage between the salts in the walls and those in the ground. Results from the geotechnical survey of the building sites found that the soils on site 1 consisted of silty sandy gravel with some clay particles and those on site 2 consisted of silty sandy soil with some clay and traces of gravel. The study identified several groups of salts in the walls of the buildings, with the most damaging and dangerous being magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride, and sodium sulphate salts. Similar salts were identified in the soil samples from the trial pits. The results therefore indicate a linkage between the salts found in the ground and those found in the walls and therefore confirm the presence of rising dampness.
An Assessment of Thermal Comfort in Multi Storey Office Buildings in Ghana
Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research, 2014
Energy and Buildings, 2011
This paper comprises the outcome of a long-term monitoring of the thermal conditions in a selecte... more This paper comprises the outcome of a long-term monitoring of the thermal conditions in a selected number of office buildings in Kumasi, Ghana. The observed data was not only used to assess indoor environmental conditions in these offices, but also to calibrate a number of thermal simulation models of the buildings. Thus, a simulation-based exploration of thermal retrofit options towards a general reduction of cooling requirements could be conducted. Moreover, the impact of thermal retrofit measures towards reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions was assessed and the amortization times for investments in such retrofit measures were estimated. The results suggest that improvements in building fabric and controls (with payback times of 3-12 years) can reduce buildings' cooling loads by around 20-35% and CO 2 emissions around 27%. Additionally, the outcome of interviews conducted showed that 45% and 70% of occupants in mixed-mode and naturally ventilated buildings were uncomfortable with the air quality during the dry season. The highest dissatisfaction with indoor environment was reported by 85% of the occupants in the naturally ventilated building. The importance attached to the operation of windows and shades was relatively high, 55-80%, depending on building type.
This study sought to identify and document the symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of ... more This study sought to identify and document the symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of 5,800 residential buildings in Ghana through a questionnaire survey in the Dry Equatorial, South Western Equatorial, Tropical Continental and the Wet Semi Equatorial climatic zones. A quantitative approach to data analysis was used in which the symptoms associated with dampness were analyzed using severity index. Majority of the houses surveyed were of lateritic materials and sandcrete block walls. The results showed that the most severe symptoms associated with dampness in the walls of the residential buildings surveyed were hygroscopic salts, decayed skirting, dampness below 1.5m and mold growth on walls up to 1m high. These identified symptoms are indications of the severity of the problem of dampness in residential buildings in Ghana. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to identify the lead source of dampness in the walls of residential buildings as this will assist in the recommendation of appropriate actions to remedy the problem.
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Papers by Christian Koranteng