Serviceability of Materials in the Tropics

Abstract

With increasing complexity in the building construction trend and the advancement of building material technology, more building materials and substitutes have evolved and been adopted for use to function together in a building that is supposed to maintain its technical performance during its intended working life. Condition surveys of 450 buildings, face-to-face interviews, and workshops were conducted with industry specialists, to examine the behavior of materials used in facades and wet areas in tropical climates and their estimated costs of maintenance. This paper presents an indicative computational method for the durability of building materials for façades and wet areas in the tropics. Total operations and maintenance costs of the identified materials are also included to provide suggestive maintenance expenditure over the materials’ service life. Natural stone was preferred as a more durable façade material while ceramic and homogeneous tiles proved more economical for wet areas.