Ecodesign in materials, construction systems and the built environment

OPTIMIZACIÓN DE LA SOSTENIBILIDAD ENERGÉTICA EN EDIFICACIONES RESIDENCIALES: UNA APLICACIÓN AL CASO DE LA REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA

Doctoral student:
Yokasta I. García Frómeta
Year:
2018
University:
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Director(s):
Jesús Cuadrado Rojo & Eduardo Rojí Chandro
Description:

The development of the countries is generating a series of problems worldwide that are causing changes in the climate, which in most cases greatly affect families with fewer resources. Similarly, global overpopulation and the growth of urban environments, has generated the development of cities that have grown both in extension (this for the houses

of a plant), and in height (for multi-storey buildings), where in the latter case the primary objective is to make the most of the available space and resources. On the other hand, the world population demands in its measure minimum levels of comfort in buildings. This is increasing global energy consumption and in turn producing adverse phenomena associated with climate change.

In countries with a hot and humid climate, as is the case of the Dominican Republic, where the effects of internal overheating and overhumidification directly affect the comfort of homes, as well as being located in highly seismic areas, and with a permanent incidence of hurricanes, tropical storms, characterized by strong winds and torrential rains, it is required that the buildings have constructive structures resistant to these atmospheric phenomena.

Achieving that these buildings also comply with the internal comfort standards established by international regulations, without the exclusive use of mechanical air conditioning systems, is one of the main purposes to be reached in the development of this research, since the majority of the population of this country, does not have the economic resources to be able to use said air conditioning systems.

The final objective of this research focuses on the analysis of comfort conditions in Dominican homes. More specifically, the residential buildings of the two predominant groups of the real estate park in the country have been analyzed, which are currently in continuous growth (Case 1: single-family housing of a plant and Case 2: Multi-plant construction of 4 levels).

The methodology followed has analyzed two buildings of reference, with its traditional construction system, seeking the best orientation of the building, the use of different shading elements, and the improvement of the building envelope, through the use of non-traditional materials in the building. the construction of the country, in the search of the techniques that improve the interior comfort with almost no energy consumption.

To analyze the different alternatives proposed, the thermal comfort inside the building has been measured, according to the ASHRAE 55. A set of 57 different configurations has been proposed, which have been analyzed with the Energy Building simulation software DesignBuilder, contemplated only passive measures (that is, they do not consume energy), in order to favor its application even in families with low economic resources. The work shows the alternatives analyzed, the results obtained in the simulations carried out, with significant improvements in comfort and an analysis of the economic impact of the changes made

in the final price of the home.

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