Goal: To establish the relationships between transformation and form to

enhance diversity and interconnectedness

Role: You are a material engineer or technologist
Audience: Colleague students
Situation: In an engineering and technology company, scientists want to
choose the best materials for an application. The physical properties of fresh
materials and substances will affect their suitability. They are therefore
asking you to help them choose the best materials with different properties
to develop new things.

As a material engineer my recommendations for buildings in warmer climates

specifically for countries like Ghana would be as follows:
1. Building materials
Currently most of the buildings we have in Ghana use concrete which is sand
and cement. This is because concrete is strong, durable, fire proof and is
thermally insulated. However, I think wood would be better suited for poorer
countries with warmer clients because wood is also strong and durable. It is
cheaper compared to concrete you can build houses very quickly. Wood never
gets dry and does not attract heat and it’s also strong and durable. Wood is
also a bad conductor of heat. It also absorbs moisture from the surrounding
environment and releases the moisture in the environment making the
buildings cooler. Here are some types of wood we have in Ghana which can be
used to build odum, wawa, teak, seiba, sapele etc.
2. Roofing material
My suggestion as an engineer would be that in warmer climates terra cotta
tiles which are made with clay should be used for roofing. This is because by
baking them in a kiln they develop weather resistant properties, become very
strong, durable and fireproofed. The shape of the tiles makes air pass through
and it also allows air to circulate below the surface, which keeps roofs and
interiors of the buildings cool. This means the use of air conditioning would be
minimal saving energy costs. In addition to these benefits the terra cotta tiles
are water resistant and thermal insulator. On the other hand, these tiles are
expensive and heavy but because you make some savings on energy it is still
worth using.
3. Outdoor Furniture material
For the outdoor furniture for the building, I will recommend plastic furniture
due to the harsh weather conditions the furniture will be exposed to. Plastics
are strong, water proof, heat resistant and they can withstand scratching.