Reducing extreme discomfort in the global South - Comparison of a calibrated model and locally measured data from informal housing in Peru
Argyris Oraiopoulos1*, Martin Wieser Rey2, Marion Verdiere2, Pamela Fennell1, Paul Ruyssevelt1
1: Energy Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom;
2: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Perú
DOI: 10.62744/CATE.45273.1149-415-423
Email: a.oraiopoulos@ucl.ac.uk
Abstract:
With most growth in urban population happening primarily through informal urbanisation, it is vital to identify cost effective measures for improving the often-poor housing conditions, which can have adverse health impacts on large parts of the population. The aim of this research is to investigate the indoor environmental conditions of self-constructed houses in low-income informal settlements in Lima, Peru, before and after implementing fabric retrofit strategies. Data loggers were placed in a family house in the informal settlement of José Carlos Mariátegui in Lima, measuring internal temperature and humidity at hourly intervals for two years. At the start of the second year the house underwent fabric improvement measures and particular roof insulation, following the recommendations of a calibrated dynamic thermal model. The results presented in the paper compare internal temperatures before and after retrofit as well as the modelling predictions. Overall, the measured data reveal the extreme indoor temperatures occupants are experiencing daily and the impact roof insulation has on these, with the modelling output predicting the reduction in daily peak internal temperature up to 3-5°C, and the measured data indicating an average of about 5°C on site, during warm months. The application of roof insulation on these self-constructed homes can be carried out by community members and was shown to be a cost- effective measure, accounting between 5-10% of the total cost if it was to be implemented at the start of the construction process.
Keywords: extreme discomfort, internal temperature, retrofit, low-income, fabric insulation