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Addy, M N, Adinyira, E, Dadzoe, F and Opoku, D (2022) The market for green buildings in Sub-Saharan Africa: Experts’ perspective on the economic benefits in Ghana. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 27(1), 173-88.

Agyekum, K, Blay, K and Opoku, A (2019) Mechanisms for preventing rising damp in new building infrastructure. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 37(01), 87–107.

  • Type: Journal Article
  • Keywords: Building infrastructure; Damp proof coatings; Damp proof courses; Dense concrete; Rising damp; Test wall;
  • ISBN/ISSN: 2398-4708
  • URL: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-06-2018-0048
  • Abstract:
    Capillary rise of water in buildings has been an issue of concern among past and present researchers. Despite the research efforts devoted to the proper elimination of the problem in masonry construction, it still remains a challenge that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to explore treatment mechanisms that can be used to prevent rising damp in new building infrastructure. Design/methodology/approach In total, 14 test walls are constructed, conditioned, subjected to various treatments and monitored for four years. The treatments applied to the walls include the use of polyethylene damp proof courses, damp proof coatings and dense concrete bases. The walls are then monitored with reference to the two climate seasons in Ghana. Findings The results highlight that rising damp is present, as suggested by the constant increase and decrease in the height of the water levels in the walls during the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. The findings further reveal that within the four-year period, the walls treated with the damp proof coatings, together with those with the dense concrete bases performed better than those treated with the polyethylene damp proof courses. Research limitations/implications The economic and commercial impact of these preventive mechanisms were not considered in this study. A future research can be directed at these issues. Practical implications The proposed treatment mechanisms highlight the effectiveness of some treatments applied to walls to prevent the capillary rise of water from the ground into the superstructure. Social implications Building regulations, especially in Ghana and other tropical settings should be amended to include ways to prevent rising damp phenomena by including effective methods against rising damp during the building design or construction. Originality/value Series of studies worldwide have been conducted in laboratories to simulate the capillary rise of water in walls of buildings. This is among the few studies that look at how water rises from actual ground conditions into the walls of buildings.

Akotia, J, Manu, E, Opoku, A and Sackey, E (2020) The role of built environment practitioners in driving the socio-economic sustainability aspects of sustainable regeneration. Construction Economics and Building, 20(02), 89-108.

Akotia, J, Opoku, A, Egbu, C and Fortune, C (2016) Exploring the knowledge ‘base’ of practitioners in the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects . Construction Economics and Building, 16(02), 14-26.

Blay, K, Agyekum, K and Opoku, A (2019) Actions, attitudes and beliefs of occupants in managing dampness in buildings. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 37(01), 42–53.

Gade, A N and Opoku, A (2020) Challenges for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in the Danish Construction Industry: Building Owners' Perspective. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 36th Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-8 September 2020, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 615-624.

Kavishe, N, Sunday, N, Magembe-Mushi, D L and Opoku, A (2022) Challenges Confronting Environmental Impact Assessment Practices in Tanzania: Construction Industry Professionals’ Perspective. In: Tutesigensi, A and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 38th Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2022, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 662-671.

Opoku, A (2016) SDG2030: A Sustainable Built Environment's Role in Achieving the Post-2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals . In: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 32nd Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2016, Manchester UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 1101–1110.

Opoku, A and Ahmed, V (2014) Embracing sustainability practices in UK construction organizations: Challenges facing intra-organizational leadership. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 4(01), 90-107.

Opoku, A and Egbu, C (2018) Students' perspectives on the relevance of sustainability literacy in a postgraduate built environment program. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 14(01), 46-58.

Opoku, A and Fortune, C (2010) Promoting organizational learning and project sustainability in the construction industry. In: Egbu, C (Ed.), Proceedings 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Vol. 2, 957–66.

Opoku, A and Fortune, C (2011) The implementation of sustainable practices through leadership in construction organizations. In: Egbu, C and Lou, E C W (Eds.), Proceedings 27th Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2011, Bristol, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 1145–54.

Opoku, A and Ibrahim-Adam, R (2018) Early Contractor Involvement in Government Construction Projects in Ghana. In: Gorse, C and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2018, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 199–208.

Opoku, A and Mills, S A (2019) Exploring the use of standardised design in addressing the shortage of primary school places in the UK. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 17(02), 383–401.

Opoku, A and Tallon, A (2019) The Role of Project Sponsors In Defining and Realising Project Benefits. In: Gorse, C and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 35th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2019, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 710-719.

Opoku, A, Ahmed, V and Cruickshank, H (2015) Leadership style of sustainability professionals in the UK construction industry. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 5(02), 184-201.

Opoku, A, Cruickshank, H and Ahmed, V (2015) Organizational leadership role in the delivery of sustainable construction projects in UK. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 5(02), 154-69.

Opoku, A, Cruickshank, H, Guthrie, P and Georgiadou, M C (2014) Stakeholder engagement in research: The case of retrofit 2050 research project. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (Eds.), Proceedings 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 237–46.

Opoku, A, Poshyanand, M, Elmualim, A, Kavishe, N, Mushtaha, E S N and Abdalla, S B (2022) Corruption in the Construction Industry: An insight from the Thai Construction Sector. In: Tutesigensi, A and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 38th Annual ARCOM Conference, 5-7 September 2022, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 307-316.

Opoku, A, Zhao, S, Lok, K L, Chen, C and Umar, T (2020) Promoting Employee Safety Performance in the Chinese Construction Industry. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 36th Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-8 September 2020, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 285-294.

Opoku, D J, Ayarkwa, J and Agyekum, K (2019) Barriers to environmental sustainability of construction projects. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 8(04), 292–306.

Xiang, Y, Bu, J, Zhu, K, Ma, K, Opoku, A, Florez-Perez, L, Zhang, H and Wu, Y (2023) Reconsidering adaptive industrialized construction in Chinese rural areas: responding to the challenge of COVID-19. Building Research & Information, 51(03), 316–32.

Xiang, Y, Opoku, A and Florez-Perez, L (2021) Carbon Emissions Optimisation in Prefabrication Construction: A Review of Current Design Integrated Approaches. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (Eds.), Proceedings 37th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-7 September 2021, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 814-823.