Building Technology experts recommend adoption of green buildings to cut energy needs up to 50%

As the country grapples with its energy needs, building technology experts are calling for the adoption of green buildings to reduce the country’s energy needs.

According to the experts, most building designs and materials are not energy-friendly and have culminated in people using air conditioners in their rooms and putting the lights on even during day.

Speaking at the conference on the adoption of green buildings, Head of Department of the building and Technology Department at the Cape Coast Technical University, and the chairman of the Ghana Green Building Council called for a revolution to halt the recurrence of the energy crisis in Ghana by adopting green building technologies.

The conference discussed among other things the need for energy efficient buildings in Ghana. The experts were convinced the recurrence of the energy crisis in Ghana should teach the nation valuable lessons to adopt measures aimed at halting what has come to be known in Ghana as Dumsor.

Head of the Building Technology Department at the Cape Coast Technical University, Dr. Emmanuel Kwamena Bamfo-Agyei shed more lights on how Ghana could go green to considerable gains in our energy sector.

 “At the moment, most of the materials we use in putting up our buildings, don’t have cross-ventilation coming in. And so, at times, we are discomforted staying in that particular room. And due to the discomfort, we rely heavily on artificial technologies to provide air within the room like the fan, the air conditions, and the rest, “he explained.

Dr. Bamfo-Agyei makes the point that the current situation dire such that even during the day that the lights are not supposed to be on, because of the way the buildings have been designed, the lights are always on.

“Go to many homes and offices and the lights and the air conditions are on consistently,” he stated.

Chair of the Ghana Green Building Council, Foster Osei Akunnor, indicates going green building would be a great gain for the country as nine of the Sustainable Development Goals could be achieved within the shortest possible time if Ghana could commit to it.

“We must achieve all the SDGs by 2030 which is 9 years from now. So, we just have to leap frog. We don’t have to walk; we don’t have to crawl; we have to run to catch up,” he indicated.

Vice-Chancellor of the Cape Coast Technical University, Prof. Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere intimates how the Cape Coast Technical University with its niche area being renewable energy has a program that would champion such a move.

“As a university, our niche area is renewable energy and we get excited when these come up. We actually have Building technology program that is tailored to support such moves,” he averred.

The conference among other things also discussed how rainwater could be harvested using rainwater harvesting technology to reduce the dependence on water from the Ghana Water Company. This they say, could cut Ghana’s energy needs up to about 50%.