Thermal performance of office buildings in Ghana

Using a simulation application and a sample of five existing office buildings, we parametrically explored building features and measures that could improve the thermal performance of office buildings in Kumasi, Ghana. To improve the reliability of the simulation results, the simulation models were calibrated using long-term continuous measurements on environmental conditions (air temperature, relative humidity) inside and in the immediate vicinity of the selected objects. The simulation results demonstrate that changes in the building fabric (e.g. better window constructions) and controls (e.g. the use of natural ventilation) can improve the buildings' energy performance. Specifically, certain combinations of improvement measures (such as better windows, natural ventilation, and efficient electrical lighting) could be shown to significantly reduce cooling loads (20% to 35% depending on the building).