Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
≈SUBSTRUCTURE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
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≈SUBSTRUCTURE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Applied Technology
Class: SHS 3
Term: 1st Term
Week: 14
Grade code: 3.3.2.LI.2
Strand code: 3
Sub-strand code: 3
Content standard code: 3.3.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 3.3.2.LI.2
Theme: BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Subtheme: ≈SUBSTRUCTURE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
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A building is much more than just the foundation, walls, and roof (the substructure and superstructure). To make it a comfortable, safe, and healthy place to live, it needs essential systems that work behind the scenes. We call these Building Services. Think of them as the veins, arteries, and nervous system of a house. They are carefully installed within the structure of the building to provide us with light, clean water, and a way to remove waste. In our daily lives in Ghana, we rely on these services every moment. When you turn on a light to study, fetch water from a tap for cooking, or flush a toilet, you are using these vital building services.
A. Introduction: Connecting Services to Structure
Before we dive into the services, let's remember our core building parts: Substructure: The part of the building below the ground level, mainly the foundation. Its job is to transfer the building's load to the ground. Superstructure: The part of the building above the ground level, including walls, columns, beams, floors, and the roof.
Building services are integrated into both parts. Water and waste pipes are often laid in the ground and foundations (substructure) before the ground floor is cast. Electrical cables and plumbing pipes are chased into walls or run through floors and ceilings (superstructure). So, a builder must plan for these services from the very beginning. B. Service 1: Cold-Water Supply Installation
This is the system responsible for bringing clean, cold water into a building for our use. Purpose: To provide a reliable supply of potable (safe to drink) water to various points in a building for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and flushing toilets. Source & Pathway: Company's Main: The journey starts from the large underground pipes laid by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). Service Pipe: A smaller pipe connects the company's main to the property. Water Meter: This device, installed by GWCL, measures the volume of water consumed, which is used to calculate your water bill. Storage Tank (e.g., Polytank): In Ghana, due to intermittent water supply, most houses have a storage tank, usually placed on a high platform or on the roof. This ensures a reserve of water and helps create pressure (gravity feed). Distribution Pipes: From the tank, a network of smaller pipes distributes the water to all the fixtures. Key Components & Materials: Pipes: Used to convey water. Common materials in Ghana are PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), PPR (Polypropylene Random), and sometimes galvanized steel. They come in different sizes (e.g., 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch). Fittings: Used to join pipes and change direction (e.g., Elbows, T-joints, Sockets). Valves: Used to control the flow of water (e.g., a Stopcock or Gate Valve is used to shut off the entire supply for repairs). Fixtures: The points of use where we access the water (e.g., Taps, Shower heads, Washing machine connections, Toilet cisterns). Core Principle: The entire system must be watertight. Joints between pipes and fittings must be sealed perfectly (using solvent cement for PVC or thread seal tape for threaded joints) to prevent leakage, which wastes water and can damage the building structure, and to maintain water pressure. C. Service 2: Electricity Supply