Interlocking blocks construction for sustainable affordable housing in Ghana – a case study of Sunyani Municipality

Abstract

The building construction industry in Ghana is dominated by the use of conventional sandcrete blocks for wall construction. However, there is challenge of delivering products of maximum value to clients at an affordable cost and on time. Addressing this challenge will require adopting lean construction principles towards minimising waste and maximising value in the building construction process. This study aimed at making a case for the use of interlocking blocks as an alternative building material in Ghana. It investigates into the construction of housing with interlocking blocks as a concept can be successfully incorporated into housing sector of this country as a means of providing an additional support to the affordable housing pursuit in Ghana. A comparative study of constructing a wall using the interlocking block system and sandcrete block system was done. An observation of the processes was also made to identify the extent to which each system contributes to speedy construction. The necessary data were collected using primary sources of data collection. The data were processed, analyzed by SPSS and interpreted using frequencies, percentages and charts. It was revealed from the study that the use of the interlocking block system does not only lead to eliminating a number of non-value adding activities associated with the use of the sandcrete block, but also makes the wall construction process faster and cheaper. It also showed that buildings with interlocking blocks provide a cooler temperature. It was also revealed that the absence of mortar jointing in the interlocking system reduces the quantity of materials, like cement and sand, required in the wall construction process. The study therefore concludes that Hydraform‟s interlocking block system could therefore be an appropriate tool for implementing Sustainable and Affordable Housing in Ghana.