Dynamic evaluation of thermal comfort scenarios in a Colombian large-scale social housing project
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 4 May 2021
Issue publication date: 31 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the technical, environmental, economic and thermal comfort impacts of implementing passive measures and heating systems in Ciudad Verde, a large-scale social housing project located at the periphery of Bogota, Colombia.
Design/methodology/approach
A system dynamics (SD) model is proposed to evaluate scenarios through counterfactual experiments, including technical, environmental and economic components. Model inputs are obtained from building energy simulation models and data collected from official reports, public policy documents and construction records.
Findings
Results suggest that the use of heating systems is the best choice to achieve thermal comfort conditions throughout the day. However, both the capital expenditures and CO2 emissions associated with such system make their adoption very difficult. In line with that, the use of heating systems in combination with passive measures stands out as a viable solution since their costs are affordable and their use contributes to reducing CO2 emissions.
Originality/value
The proposed model recreates the dynamics underlying social housing construction processes, the adoption of heating systems and passive measures in low-income dwellings and their corresponding impact on CO2 emissions and indoor thermal comfort conditions. The model can be employed as a support tool in the formulation of social housing policies associated with thermal comfort specifications. In this way, the model represents a first step toward incorporating thermal-related variables into the decision-making processes related to social housing planning and development.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This material is based on the work supported by the United Kingdom Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK-PACT) program through the project Systemic perspectives on low-carbon cities in Colombia – An integrated urban modelling approach for policy and regulatory analysis. The project is developed by researchers within the College of Engineering (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) at Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the supporting organizations and/or other researchers involved in the project.
Citation
Garay, A., Ruiz, A. and Guevara, J. (2022), "Dynamic evaluation of thermal comfort scenarios in a Colombian large-scale social housing project", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 1909-1930. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-09-2020-0684
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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