Conference article

Earthen Buildings for a Low-Cost High-Energy Performance Social Housing

Stefania Luizzi
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Politecnico di Bari, Italy

Pietro Stefanizzi
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Politecnico di Bari, Italy

Download articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.3384/ecp110571741

Published in: World Renewable Energy Congress - Sweden; 8-13 May; 2011; Linköping; Sweden

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 57:1, p. 1741-1748

Show more +

Published: 2011-11-03

ISBN: 978-91-7393-070-3

ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

A social housing project was carried out in a developing country (Benin; West Central Africa). A complex of twenty two-storey houses was designed in the city of Cotonou; in order to achieve the best architectural solution with the lowest cost. The project was carried out taking into account the bioclimatic and passive architectural devices in a hot-humid climate site. By using the software ECOTECT V 5.50 the hygrothermal behavior of the buildings was assessed. Every building was supposed with a reinforced concrete structure; and unfired brick walls. The raw earth was also used as a filler layer in the floor and roof slabs. None HVAC was assumed. The simulation has led the best results in terms of thermal performances and indoor comfort conditions. A partial do-it-yourself building was also supposed in the project; allowing to bring down; with use of the earthen materials; the cost of the whole project of almost 30%.

Further investigations on the earthen materials were started at the Laboratory of Thermophysics of Materials (LTM); University of Politecnico di Bari. The aim of the study is to obtain a low-cost high-energy performance building material suitable to achieve a better hygrothermal comfort in sustainable buildings.

Keywords

Earth; Hygrothermal behavior; Social housing

References

[1] J. A. Orosa; A. C. Olivieira; Energy saving with passive climate control methods in Spanish office buildings; Energy and Buildings 41; 2009; pp 823-828. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.03.004.

[2] V.Olgyay; Design With Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism; Princeton University Press; 1963

[3] N. Engin; N. Vural; S. Vural; M.R. Sumerkan; Climatic effect in the formation of vernacular houses in the Eastern Black Sea region; Building and Environment 42; 2007; pp 960-969. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.10.037.

[4] N. Djongyang; R. Tchinda; D. Njomo; A study of coupled heat and mass transfer across a porous building component in intertropical conditions; Energy and Buildings 41; 2009; pp 461-469. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.11.009.

[5] D. Allinson; M. Hall; Hygrothermal analysis of a stabilised rammed earth test building in the UK; Energy and Buildings 42; 2009; pp. 845–852. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.12.005.

[6] M. Hall; D. Allinson; Assessing the moisture-content-dependent parameters of stabilised earth materials using the cyclic-response admittance method; Energy and Buildings 40; 2008; 2044-2051. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.05.009.

[7] M. Hall; Assessing the environmental performance of stabilised rammed earth walls using a climatic simulation chamber; Building and Environment 42; 2007; 139-145. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.08.017.

[8] M. Hall; D. Allinson; Analysis of the hygrothermal functional properties of stabilised rammed earth materials; Building and Environment 44; 1935-1942. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.01.007.

[9] S. Liuzzi; M. Petrella; P.Stefanizzi; Building with earth; a sustainable material for efficient buildings; Proceeding of 37th international IAHS World Congress on housing; 2010

[10] M.C.J Delgado; I.C Guerrero; The selection of soil for unstabilised earth building: a normative review; Construction and building materials 21; 2007; pp. 237-251. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2005.08.006.

[11] Human Development Report 2007-2008 available on http://hdr.undp.org

[12] Troisement Recensement General De La Population et de l’habitation; Institut National De La Statitique et de l’analyse economique; Benin; February 2002

[13] H.Y Chan; S. B. Riffata; J. Zhua Review of passive solar heating and cooling technologies; Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 14; 2010; pp 781-789. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2009.10.030.

[14] EN ISO 13786; Thermal performance of building components - Dynamic thermal characteristics - Calculation methods; 2007

[15] G. Minke; Building with earth. Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture. Birkhauser; 2006.

[16] EN ISO 13788; Hygrothermal performance of building components and building elements - Internal surface temperature to avoid critical surface humidity and interstitial condensation - Calculation methods; 2001

[17] EN ISO 13370; Thermal performance of buildings - Heat transfer via the ground - Calculation methods; 2007

[18] ISO EN 7730; Moderate thermal environments - Determination of the PMV and PPD indices and specification of the conditions for thermal comfort; 2005.

Citations in Crossref