Design and implementation of a bioclimatic housing prototype for the Bolivian highlands

Abstract

The Mechanical - Electromechanical Engineering research institute, made up of a multidisciplinary team, designs and implements a bioclimatic housing prototype for the Bolivian highlands, located near the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level. This project was developed and implemented with financing from the Swiss Cooperation for Bolivia, within the Climate Change Adaptation projects.

The design process includes: the sociocultural study of the inhabitants of the region, where direct information is collected from the peasants on the conception of housing in their culture and ancestral construction characteristics of their houses. Subsequently, the climate of the region (temperatures, solar radiation, winds and relative humidity) is characterized with the help of a meteorological station, which provided historical records of 5 years. Those data were sufficient to be able to carry out a reliable characterization, with which the Typical Meteorological Year is determined.  Likewise, local construction materials that may be useful in the design are studied, analyzing their thermal and mechanical properties in the laboratory.

Finally, with all the information described, an architectural design is carried out taking into account bioclimatic aspects, ways of harnessing solar energy, distribution of the room and a viable construction cost for the economic reality of the region. The developed architectural model is optimized in an energy simulation program (Siter Vs. 1.2), achieving energy savings of 65%. The software used is owned property of the research institute

The house has been monitored with temperature sensors for about a year and six months, to date it shows good results, where the correct functioning of the elements and constructive forms is evidenced, reflecting a temperature inside the house of around 10 °C above room temperature 24 hours a day.