CREATING AWARENESNESS ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION IN GHANA

  Bricks house Author: Anita Amoah Mary Blocks and Bricks are both building materials, which can be used for the same purposes. However, the two have varied differences and similarities in terms of price, durability, choices, convenience, and their advantages over each other. In Ghana, the most common building material used is cement, which is employed right from the start to the finish of a construction work; i.e., in producing blocks. Conversely, brick, which is obtained from burnt clay, is not all that much patronized by builders despite the effort of the government of Ghana encouraging the use of this indigenous local material to solve the housing problem of the country. The scarcity of the usage of bricks in building projects, according to research, has led to the gradual killing of the brick industry in Ghana even though; the country is endowed with clay deposit in almost all 16 regions. The $500 million needed annually to import clinker and gypsum; the main raw materials...

Brick House      credit: Belinda Ampofo In the olden days, traditional building methods were commonly used, such as mud and thatch roofing. These methods were sustainable as they utilized locally sourced materials and were well adapted to the local climate and environment. However, with modernization and urbanization, there has been a shift towards more modern building techniques, such as concrete and steel construction. While modern building materials may offer more durability and stability, they also come with a higher environmental cost. The production of concrete, for example, is a major contributor to carbon emissions and deforestation. Additionally, modern building practices often result in the depletion of natural resources and increased waste generation. On the other hand, traditional building methods were more sustainable in terms of their environmental impact. Mud houses, for example, have a lower carbon footprint and can be easily repaired and recycled. Thatch ...

Debris at construction site                      Credit: Perez Dotse Author: Perez Dotse The improper disposal of waste materials at construction sites in Ghana is a growing environmental concern. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports a 40% increase in construction waste over the past decade, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and enforcement.   The construction sector, which has grown due to urbanization and infrastructural development, is responsible for approximately 25% of the country's total waste. The report highlights the need for comprehensive waste management strategies, including recycling and proper disposal methods.   Dr. Kwame Mensah, a senior environmental scientist at the EPA, emphasizes the need for stricter regulations, regular inspections, penalties for violations, and increased awareness and training within the industry on sustainable waste management practices. While some const...

Men at work.                      Credit: Isaac Amoako Antwi Ghana's construction industry, which contributed 14% to the country's GDP in 2023, is facing scrutiny for unsustainable practices. The industry's rapid expansion has led to deforestation, water pollution, and extensive sand mining, which are causing significant environmental costs. Between 2010 and 2020, Ghana lost over 135,000 hectares of forest cover due to construction-related activities, contributing to biodiversity loss and increased carbon emissions. The financial gains of the construction boom have led to job creation, boosted industries, and increased economic activity. However, these economic gains come with hidden costs, such as elevated pollution levels in construction zones and severe erosion and habitat destruction. Communities near construction sites are also suffering from health risks and displacement due to construction projects.    

  Building materials on site.      Credit: Perez dotse Author: Abdul Hamid Amama. In the past, construction sites were synonymous with waste and disposal. Builders would discard cement papers, broken blocks, iron rods, and other materials after completing a project. However, a remarkable transformation has taken place in recent years. Today, engineers and builders are adopting sustainable practices that prioritize waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Instead of disposing of waste materials, they are finding innovative ways to utilize them. One engineer revealed, "We used to dispose of waste materials, but now we've adopted sustainable practices. For instance, market women purchase cement papers from us, which they use to wrap goods. Broken blocks are crushed and reused as aggregate, while iron rods are melted and recycled into new steel products." This shift towards sustainability has numerous benefits: Reduced waste in landfills, conservation of the natural resour...

Q uarry site with polluted water.            Credit: Isaac Amoako Antwi.   Author: Isaac Amoako Antwi. According to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in November 2016, an alarming number of licenses were issued for sand mining operations, leading to significant environmental degradation. The EPA's 2016 report documented that authorities had issued 112 licenses for sand mining across an area of 937.73 acres. This activity resulted in the extraction of a staggering 13,889,460 cubic meters of sand. Additionally, the report highlighted the registration of 259 quarry companies with the EPA at the time, underscoring the extensive scale of these operations. The environmental impact of these activities is becoming increasingly evident. Water bodies near mining and quarry sites are suffering from severe pollution, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of clean drinking water in Ghana. Experts warn that if the current trends con...

  An interview with Mr. Adu .  Credit: Erasmus Oppong Tetteh Author: Erasmus Oppong Tetteh. Most builders and contractors are carried away by their passion and profit they are likely to make in the building and construction industry forgetting the implications some building and construction materials have on their health. The flex of owning luxurious homes also takes our minds off the implications that comes with living in homes which have been built with materials that can cause problems for our health.   Studies from Altuma, I. M. & Ghasemlounia, R. (2021) , suggests that, 64% of global carbon pollution is attributed to energy or activity (remaining is from forestry, agriculture, or destruction); 35% is from manufacturing, 31% from buildings, and 27% from transportation. Manufacturing of construction materials consumes energy, and the building process also consumes heating, lighting, control and ventilation energy through the operation of buildings completed. In a...

        workers at quarry site .                 credit: Perez Dotse Unregulated stone quarry is transforming a once verdant hill into a landscape, leaving behind exposed rocks and soil. Residents living near the quarrying site are witnessing the rapid degradation of their environment firsthand. The once-fertile ground is now exposed and barren, revealing the earth's embrace. The people of Kwabenya are the resident humans that work at the quarrying site. Few of them shared their experiences. According to Daavi, a worker at the quarrying site who is involved in the stone quarrying activity, she does stone  quarrying to earn a living for herself and her two kids, who are currently at the university. She does that due to the high unemployment rate in the country. A resident living close to the quarry site mentioned bitterly that the stone quarrying activity is rapidly destroying and degrading the environment and land. The...

  Stone quarry site               Credit: Belinda Ampofo Author: Belinda Ampofo. The destruction of mountains can have far-reaching consequences on climate change, leading to significant changes in rainfall patterns and impacting the environment, ecosystems, and human communities. Rain patterns are vital in mountain ecosystems as they determine the availability of water resources for both humans and wildlife. When mountains are destroyed or altered, the natural processes that regulate rainfall are disrupted, resulting in alterations in precipitation levels and patterns. One of the consequences of changes in rainfall patterns is the increased risk of flooding and landslides in mountainous regions. This poses risks to human lives and infrastructure, while also contaminating water sources and spreading pollutants, ultimately affecting water quality and ecosystem health. Changes in rainfall patterns can have a significant impact on local economie...

  Quarrying site                                                                          credit: Erasmus Oppong Author: Erasmus Oppong Tetteh Trees, mankind’s major source of oxygen, suffer due to some irresponsible activities that individuals engage in. Over the years, the rampant growth in the human population has created more harm than good to the environment. In the quest to build more lavish and so-called “modern” homes, we tend to deplete our soils, cut down trees without replacing them, and pollute our precious waters. A journey to a stone quarrying site in Ghana explains the harm we are likely to face in a few years. The people of Katapor, a town in Kwabenya, are the resident human resources that work at this stone quarrying site. Some, who have lived there for over the past 50 years, shared...

  Dusty atmosphere                 Credit: Abdul Hamid Amama  Author:  Abdul Hamid Amama As I stood at the sand-winning and gravel stone site in Kwabenya, I witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of unsustainable construction practices on air quality and land management. The site, surrounded by once-pristine mountains, was now a hub of environmental destruction. The air was thick with dust and particulate matter, polluting the atmosphere and posing serious health risks to nearby communities. The mountains, once a natural beauty, were being ravaged by excavation and drilling, leaving behind a trail of destruction and soil erosion. The site's activities were not only harming the environment but also damaging the health and wellbeing of the workers and nearby residents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is a major environmental risk factor for public health in Ghana, with an estimated 12,200 pre...

sand winning site                    Credit: Isaac Amoako Antwi Author:   Isaac Amoako Antwi In our team of six dedicated members from the University of Media, Arts and Communication - Institute of Journalism, we are tasked with creating awareness on building sustainably. Our goal is to assess the negative implications of stone and sand winning from our mountains on the environment.  Revealing the Impact of not Building and Constructing Sustainably Our initial mission is to analyze the correlation between the materials used in building and construction, its sustainability. We will delve into how the depletion of our mountains for construction purpose affects the environment as a whole.  By understanding the consequences depleting our mountains, we believe all sundries will come on board to persevere our mountains and promote sustainable building practices. Assessing the impact of Sand and Stone mining on Stakeholders ...

                                                 CLICK HERE FOR DIGITAL VIDEO Story Board Ecofriendly Building and Construction Script DIGITAL STORY SCRIPT - ECOFRIENDLY GH         MUSIC FOR STORY: Beautiful Nature & Water Sounds     SCENE 1   NARRATION [0:00-1:08]   Climate change has become a troubling global phenomenon, with several countries doing everything in their power to limit its occurrences. Some causes of climate change in the environment include stone quarrying, sand winning, and deforestation. In Ghana, the EPA has implemented rules and regulations to control the extraction of raw materials such as stone and sand to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment and living creatures.   But how do these rules and regulations affect those involved in sand and stone winning?   SCENE ...

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 We are a group of students from the University of Media Arts and Communication - Institute of Journalism. Advocating for sustainable building and construction in Ghana is our mandate. We educate the general public to understand how to build well and live sustainably for the next generation .                                                                                                   MEET OUR MEMBERS ISAAC AMOAKO ANTWI - Assistant Producer ERASMUS OPPONG TETTEH - Editor PEREZ DOTSE - Cameraman ABDUL HAMID AMAMA - Reporter BELINDA AMPOFO- Reporter Anita Mary Amoah - Producer.

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