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This paper aims to review the application of integrated design strategies in several cases of housing in south-central Chile in search of ways to significantly reduce energy loss and demand.

First, seven main design features of energy-efficient buildings in developed countries were identified. Second, these features were reviewed in two professional case studies from architectural practices and two academic exercises on residential design in south-central Chile. In all cases reviewed, characteristics of integrated design were verified to reductions in energy loss and demand. Finally, the procedure implemented was evaluated through surveys of those practitioners responsible for each experience studied.

This process made it possible to highlight four main features of integrated design, namely, pre-established performance goals, interdisciplinary collaboration, regular broad-ranging meetings and the use of performance assessment tools. With these techniques, reductions of more than 50 per cent in the energy requirements of the housing designs were achieved, while safeguarding the functional, aesthetic and economic aspects of the projects.

However, professionals currently working in this field did express their concern regarding responsibility for the design and the time needed to complete the process.

Furthermore, this experience also identified similar modifications made to the design of the houses, which revealed general possibilities for improving energy performance.

The conclusions obtained have been exposed in conferences and graduate programmes and applied in two real projects for the benefit of society: first, the improvement of building envelopes in social housing in Temuco; and second, CASA+, a modular, prefabricated and energy efficient house prototype.

This paper carried out a novel review of an integrated design process in housing cases of developing countries, and identified the key features, which improve the environmental performance of dwellings.