Ghanaians could be paying more for electricity because of the way their homes are designed, with the Energy Commission warning that glass-heavy buildings can trap heat and force households to spend more on air conditioning.
The Commission says some modern homes are being designed around architectural styles developed for colder European climates, without enough consideration for Ghana’s hot and humid conditions.
Speaking on the Home Owners Show on Metro TV, Ing John Adjei and Hubert Nsoh Zan, both officials involved in the commission’s work on energy performance in buildings said excessive use of glass, poor orientation and inadequate ventilation can leave homes uncomfortably hot and increase cooling costs for decades.
“Now we are building glass houses and I call them the ovens,” an Energy Commission official working on the promotion of energy performance in buildings said.
Large areas of glass may give a home a modern and attractive appearance, but the wrong type of glass can allow significant amounts of heat into the building.
Once that happens, homeowners may have little choice but to run air conditioners for longer periods to keep rooms comfortable, increasing electricity consumption.
The officials pointed to older Ghanaian homes as an example of how buildings can be designed to work with the local climate.
Many traditional homes had verandas, large windows, shaded areas and openings that allowed air to move naturally through the building. These features helped reduce heat without relying heavily on mechanical cooling.
How the position of a house can affect the power bill
The Energy Commission says one of the simplest ways to reduce cooling costs is to consider the position of a building before construction begins.
Engineer John A., who leads work on Energy Performance Certificates for Buildings at the Commission, said the longer sides of a house should generally run from east to west. This allows major living spaces to face north and south, reducing exposure to intense direct sunlight.
“Just simply doing a proper orientation can save you up to 30% of cooling,” he said.
That means a decision made before the first brick is laid can have a lasting effect on how much energy a home uses.
According to the Commission, building design choices can influence cooling and lighting costs for between 50 and 100 years.
Air conditioners are not the real problem
The officials stressed that air conditioners are not necessarily the problem.
Instead, heavy dependence on them may point to a building that was not designed to manage heat naturally.
Homeowners are being encouraged to make greater use of passive cooling measures, including proper orientation, external shading and cross-ventilation, before turning to mechanical cooling.
Mr Herbert advised homeowners to consider placing windows on more than one side of a room where possible so that air can move through the building.
The use of appropriate louvers, double-glazed windows, external shading and suitable facades can also reduce the amount of heat entering a home.
He also warned homeowners to look beyond appearance when choosing windows.
Dark, single-pane glass, he said, can absorb and transfer considerable heat into a building, potentially increasing the need for air conditioning.
Energy efficiency starts before construction
The Energy Commission’s broader message is that energy efficiency should not be something homeowners try to add after a house has been completed.
It should be considered from the design stage.
The Commission is working with architects, engineers, regional coordinating councils, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other stakeholders to incorporate energy efficiency into the building permit process.
Engineer John said a proposed regulation is intended mainly to enforce energy efficiency provisions that are already contained in Ghana’s building code.
The regulation is still in draft form and has not yet been finalised.
The Commission is also considering incentives for energy-efficient buildings, including possible preferential treatment for buildings that achieve four-star ratings or higher.
For homeowners, the warning is simple: the size of an electricity bill may be determined long before a house is connected to the national grid.
A home designed without Ghana’s climate in mind may look impressive but become expensive to keep cool.
The Energy Commission’s advice is therefore to think about how a house will perform, not just how it will look.
In Ghana’s heat, the right design could mean a cooler home and less money spent on electricity.
