Dear Editor,
Mr Horace Williams hit the nail on the head with his observations in a letter captioned ‘We should be designing energy-efficient buildings‘ (SN, July 8). The gentleman should be commended for observing that the building designs being adopted are unsuitable for our hot and humid climate. He mentions among other things that “The result is that buildings are now requiring a significant amount of air-conditioning, as internal conditions would be extremely uncomfortable without it.”
However, the Goshen Gardens housing project now under construction at Relief/Support village, East Bank Demerara, is a clear exception to many of his observations. The Goshen homes are being built to withstand the Guyana climate. A hot day in Guyana is a really hot day. Homeowners want a cool and comfortable retreat from the heat. The homes at Goshen are designed to fight the heat with natural air cooling and comfort. No need for an air conditioning unit. The homes have ceilings 16ft high, roofs that allow much needed ventilation and natural light to save homeowners the extra cost and discomfort. The trees which surround the community also contribute to the cooling effect that the homes need.
Additionally, the homes are built at an angle to capture the clean, incoming fresh air from the outside. Many homes in Guyana are built according to North American designs that are not suited to our climate.
I agree with Mr Williams who is advocating better building practices to adapt to the hot Guyana climate. The homes at Goshen Gardens are meant to minimize the discomfort from the outside heat and give homeowners the relief they really want.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Hussain
Building Contractor
Goshen Gardens
