School Classroom Temperatures in Urban Ghana: the Effect of Roofing Materials

Ebenezer Amankwaa, University Of Ghana

With increasing extreme heat events in the tropics, schools face challenges in maintaining comfortable and safe learning environments. Despite the significant impact of extreme heat, little is known about classroom temperatures in tropical climates and how to reduce them. This study measured temperatures in 16 school classrooms in Accra, over 389 days to understand conditions faced by students and how different roof types influence these temperatures. Findings revealed extremely high classroom temperatures, reaching 39.8°C, which were up to 5.9°C higher than outdoor temperatures. Classrooms with concrete roofs were considerably cooler during occupied hours compared to those with metal or asbestos roofs (by up to 5.8°C), and on average were 1.2°C cooler than outdoor temperatures. Consequently, children in classrooms with concrete roofs experienced fewer hours of uncomfortably hot temperatures. The study found that plywood ceilings under metal roofs reduced indoor temperatures, though less effectively than concrete roofs. Roofing materials with low thermal transmittance are crucial in protecting school classrooms, as well as the children and staff in them, from extreme heat. Implementing these design principles in new school constructions or retrofitting existing ones will provide students in tropical cities with safer, healthier learning environments that support their education, health, and well-being.

Keywords: Population, Environment, and Climate Change, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Data and Methods

See paper.