Methods to improve school design in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Most schools in Sierra Leone are constructed using a standard design with little variation from building to building. They are relatively high-cost and have poor ventilation, lighting and thermal comfort. In January 2010, thirteen primary schools in Sierra Leone were analyzed in order to identify design changes that will improve performance and reduce costs. One struggle that this analysis revealed is that construction methods have not changed for decades, as local builders resist changes in the current design. This thesis aims to explain small-scale alterations for primary school buildings in Sierra Leone and list the impact on daylighting and thermal comfort performance for each alteration. For each design alteration, the daylight performance, air flow, and thermal comfort of the new design are compared to the standard design. The overall goal of this thesis is to create guidelines that can be used to reduce the risk of design changes and improve the performance of schools without raising costs.