Spreading of energy residential behavior; review of houses in south-central Chile

La necesidad de reducir los consumos de energía residencial requiere conocer cabalmente las condiciones habitacionales. Este artículo analiza viviendas en la zona Centro-Sur de Chile detectando una dispersión espacial de los comportamientos energéticos, que contrasta con la homogeneidad de las acciones públicas. Se presenta una revisión integral de cuarenta casos en el principal sector urbano de la zona (el área metropolitana del Gran Concepción) y se comparan con estadísticas y regionales y nacionales; revisando condiciones constructivas, de equipamiento ocupación, así como antecedentes gráficos y entrevistas, que reflejan una variedad formal y familiar, alejada de estereotipos y registros generales. Revelan una progresión habitacional y una diversidad de requerimientos energéticos. Proveyendo de este modo una estrategia de estudio que expresa la evolución residencial y puede ser aplicable a otras áreas, así como también otorgando nuevas visiones del comportamiento doméstico para enfrentar la crisis ambiental.La necessitat de reduir els consums d’energia residencial requereix conèixer cabdalment les condicions habitacionals. Aquest article analitza habitatges a la zona Centre-Sud de Xile, detectant una dispersió espacial dels comportaments energètics que contrasta amb l’homogeneïtat de les accions públiques. Es presenta una revisió integral de quaranta casos en el principal sector urbà de la zona (l’àrea metropolitana de Gran Concepció) i es comparen amb estadístiques regionals i nacionals; revisant condicions constructives, d’equipament ocupació, així com antecedents gràfics i entrevistes que reflecteixen una varietat formal i familiar, allunyada d’estereotips i registres generals. Proveint d’aquesta forma una estratègia d’estudi que expressa l’evolució residencial i pot ésser aplicable a altres àrees, així com també atorgant noves visions del comportament domèstic per afrontar la crisi ambiental.The need to reduce residential energy consumption necessitates full knowledge of housing conditions. This investigation analyzed dwellings in the south-central region of Chile. Spatial dispersion in energy behaviors was discovered, which contrasts with the homogeneity of public policy housing decisions. A comprehensive review is presented of forty houses in the Greater Concepcion Metropolitan Area, in comparison with national and regional statistics. An examination of building conditions and features, occupation data, photographic records and interviews, revealed formal and familial variety, which differ from stereotypes and general records. Findings demonstrate housing progression and diversity in energy needs. In this way, a research strategy was used that expresses residential evolution and can be applied in other areas, and provides a new vision of domestic behavior to confront the current environmental crisis.Peer Reviewe

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Architectural and Management Strategies for the Design, Construction and Operation of Energy Efficient and Intelligent Primary Care Centers in Chile

Primary care centers are establishments with elevated social relevance and high operational energy consumption. In Chile, there more than 628 family healthcare centers (CESFAM) have been built in the last two decades and with plans for hundreds more in the next few years. We revised the architecture, construction management and energy performance of five CESFAM centers to determine possible instances of overall improvement. Staff was interviewed, and state documents reviewed, which allowed the conceptualization of the architectonic and energy structure of the centers, as well as the process of implementation. At the same time, energy simulations were done for each one of the centers, controlling for different climates, construction solutions and orientations. Our study revealed that strategies employed by the primary healthcare centers in Chile have aided a progressive implementation of establishments with elevated costs and materialization times, as well as neglect for climatic conditions. These energy evaluations show relevant and consistent impacts of the architectural form and material conditions, especially in southern zones, demonstrating the need to work with shared knowledge resources such as BIM. There is a clear necessity to define technological, morphological and construction strategies specific to each climate zone in order to achieve energetically efficient and intelligent healthcare establishments

Touching the world: Lived space, vision and hapticity

Architecture has predominantly been taught, theorised, practised and critiqued as an art form of the eye. The hegemony of the vision has been strengthened by countless technical inventions that enable us to see inside matter as well as into deep space. However, in creative work, a powerful identification and projection takes place; the entire bodily and mental constitution becomes the site of the work. Touch is the sensory mode that integrates our experiences of the world and of ourselves. An architect or artist works in an embodied manner, a sense of success or failure are sensations of the body rather than products of cognitive knowledge. “Life-enhancing” art and architecture addresses all the senses simultaneously, and fuses our sense of self with the experience of the world. The tendentiously visual culture of our times, and its subsequent optical architecture, has led to a search for a haptical and multisensual architecture, an architecture of invitation.La arquitectura ha sido primordialmente enseñada, teorizada, practicada y criticada como un arte para el ojo. La hegemonía de la visión se ha fortalecido por innumerables invenciones técnicas que nos permiten ver dentro de la materia, como en las extensiones del espacio. Sin embargo en el trabajo creativo, se realiza una poderosa identificación y proyección; el cuerpo entero y la constitución mental se convierten en el lugar de trabajo. El tacto es el modo sensorial que integra nuestras experiencias del mundo y nosotros mismos. Un arquitecto o artista, trabaja de una manera corporal, su éxito o fracaso es sentido en el cuerpo, más que como acción cognitiva. La contribución vivencial del arte y la arquitectura involucra todos los sentidos simultáneamente, y funde nuestro sentido de identidad con la experiencia del mundo. La cultura tendenciosamente visual de nuestro tiempo, y su subsecuente arquitectura óptica, han hecho surgir una búsqueda de la arquitectura háptica y multisensorial, una arquitectura de la invitación

384 SIGRADI 2010 / Disrupción, modelación y construcción: Diálogos cambiantes Generative House: Exploration of Digital Fabrication and Generative System for Low-cost Housing in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Generative House is a collaborative exploration of advanced technologies for lower-and working-class housing carried out by industrial and academic partners in southern Brazil. It seeks to test generative procedures and digital manufacturing to develop a flexible building system for low-cost sustainable housing in order to inspire future developments in this field by developing an urban grammar through manufacturing models and generative programming, as well as parametric design of panels assembled using digital fabrication. Scale models and full-scale prototype with timber boards have been built, demonstrating the feasibility of the approach proposed. However, further refinement of the adopted procedures and technical applications is required. KEYWORDS: low-cost housing, generative programming, parametric design, digital manufacturing, collaborative development. The population of the earth has increased ten times during the last two centuries, reaching eight billion of people, and it continues to grow (UN, 2005). Life expectancy has also doubled in the same period, from 40 to 75 years, which means that world demand for housing will dramatically increase in the years to come. Urbanization rates also increased from 30 to 80% in the same period; gross income and people's mobility grew in similar ranges, creating demand for better solutions that meet the needs of different climactic and socio-economic conditions. Despite all of these changes, design and construction have maintained traditional building procedures-construction is economic sector with the lowest productivity and industrialization rates (Haskwell, 2004). Fossil fuels now have a very short availability horizon due to dramatic increase in demand that is a response to the growing consumption of transportation fuel, construction materials, and heating and cooling systems for buildings. Global warning also compels us to make hard choices that require changing many processes, in particular the way in which we build and use of facilities, which are responsible for most of the world's energy consumption and carbon production. Types of architecture and their elaboration have to be changed radically over the coming decades in order to face these new environmental and social challenges. Technological evolution based on scientific knowledge and mass-production has advanced rapidly during the past two centuries, leading to alterations in the modes of production. However, architectural production is far removed from these procedures. Design is usually thought of as an isolated task, aesthetically focused on creating unique products; construction consists of linear handicraft sequences. This is particularly the case in developing countries where the demand for new buildings is very high. Governments of developing countries are promoting massive plans for low-income housing. This endeavor should be accompanied by novel approaches to production both in design and manufacturing. Customized mass production of housing was proposed in the seminal work of the SAR-group INTERVENCIONES URBANAS ENG / POR / ESP scale buildings, but failed to relate these to corresponding urban settings. Low-cost housing involves relatively low financial resources per unit when part of large-scale plans. This may imply identical units in which diversity is achieved through variations in urban configuration. Family makeup and changes made over time also determine variety and adaptations CasaG The Generative House (CasaG) constitutes an example of the utilization of advanced technologies in low-cost housing design, and was carried out by an international partnership between industries and academia in southern Brazil. Generative procedures and digital manufacturing were tested, and inspired the development of a sustainable building system for low-cost housing. The project structured urban and constructive grammars so as to stimulate flexibility and mass production of housing. In an exercise carried out in two workshops held at the SimmLab (Laboratory of Urban and Architectural Simulation) of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PortoAlegre, Brazil in June-July and August-September, 2010, graduate and post-graduate students tested cutting-edge systems targeted to high-scope goals in order to encourage innovation in design, planning and construction. Initial Module The Generative House project initially researched environmentally-friendly industrial products for manufacturing building components. Composite-wood boards were chosen as the main material to be used in the construction because of their good physical properties, local provision, their originating from reforested woods, and their ease of manufacture. A regional industry supplied products and technical support. Panels were designed and tested with laser-cut 1:10 models. Full-size boards (1.84 x 2.75 meters) with maximum lengths close to the house's floor-to-ceiling height defined double walls, and an assembly system composed of perforations and joints was made out of the same material. Windows, doors, ceilings and floors were linked to the walls for structural support and assembly. In addition, a tridimensional module was established (2.60 x 1.70 x 2.60 meters) providing multiple alternatives of windows and doors. Additional coatings were considered because composite-wood boards do not have enough resistance to humidity and fire; proper thermal and acoustic insulation was provided. Studies of local weather and housing regulations were carried out parallel to the review of general requirements. Also several possible housing plans based on the initial module were studied to test the affordability of diverse room arrangements. Urban layouts A variety of housing alternatives to compose urban arrangements was tested through digitally manufactured models in order to select configurations with growth flexibility according to predefined living complexities. A great diversity of module groups were produced in white-plastic models 1:100. Several growth arrangements were studied following generative rules (shape grammar) and photographed step-by-step to allow further review of ventilation and orientation according to weather conditions and high density requirements. This procedure allowed researchers to define a basic configuration consisting of a row of 6-7 modules with a second adjacent row of 3-4 modules, a group called "embryo", with highest growth potential in few steps. This basic configuration allows for a basic 36 square meter house with two bedrooms, services and social space; consecutive enlargements of similar sizes reach 240-300 square meters in two stories. Testing different growth sequences, such housing types preserved good ventilation and functionality patterns, enabling out-door yards. The pattern generated adequate (proportionate) dimensions for local streets so as to encourage social interface in local public spaces. This system of arrangement was programmed in Rhinoceros-Grasshoper with a cellular automata plug-in in order to reproduce alternatives of growth and urban layouts. To define a rectangular grid according to the constructive modulation, attractor points were determined so as to encourage the initial house to be set in different lot positions on the block. An algorithm allowed random growth then refined through several recursions with the high percentage (80%) of coincidence with the tested models. This rate was used to accomplish a computer procedure to achieve the conditions and flexibility demonstrated by the models. Constructive System Development leads to the refinement and completion of the constructive system in order to enable a variety of layouts. This task involved the review of the design and properties of several components such as walls, windows, doors, roofs and floors. It establishes modular dimensions and varieties according to locations in the layout, but also offers the possibility to change and enlarge the configuration. The assembly system was developed to relate all components through a modulation and used a minimum number of joint pieces, including corners and connections to roof and floor, and also provided alternatives for windows and doors according to the modulation in order to maintain structural continuity. Complete 1:10 models of several units composed of two or three modules were made, with diverse possibilities of design and materials. The models were elaborated in 3 millimeter wide composite boards using a laser cutter. Some production difficulties were encountered due to the size of the model elements, such as laser beam adjustments due to board displacements causing minor errors affecting the overall assembly, as well as problems adjusting roof inclination with perpendicular cuts in order to afford supporting pieces and slots. Full-scale Prototype The last step of the project, currently in development and not to be completed until the Sigradi conference, is a full-scale prototype of the building system. Several changes of technical details due production conditions were carried on through CNC-machines for larger formats and products-in this case, with industrial boards cut into panels measuring 120 x 240 x 1.8 centimeters. This modified the procedure of cutting and assembly, as well as the roof system, corners and floor. The prototype will be assembled in a commercial showcase (ExpoAcabamento + Congreso Internacional de Arquitetura e Design, FIERGS, PortoAlegre October 20-24th), exhibiting diverse development models and urban arrangements. Conclusions This experience tested advanced technologies of design and manufacturing to develop a flexible building system for lowcost sustainable housing. It developed an urban grammar through manufacturing models and generative programming, as well as a parametric design of assembled panels using digital fabrication. Several material models and tests of constructive behavior were performed. It has inspired the construction of a full-scale prototype using industrial timber boards, on display in a public showcase. The collaborative work between faculties and students from different institutions and countries and different companies demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach. On the other hand, it revealed the need for the detailed refinement of such technical procedures, building attributes and applications. This work is meant to inspire future developments in the field, in order to target the exploration of new technologies to meet the world's urgent housing needs

Reconstrucción digital del patrimonio minero a partir de relatos fílmicos

En 1997, casi 150 años desde su apertura, cerró la mina de carbón en Lota, en el sur de Chile. La ciudad, fundada a partir de la actividad extractiva, inicia entonces una búsqueda por recomponer su identidad y sustento laboral. La gravedad de la situación económica y las dificultades de superación emotiva, han impulsado múltiples esfuerzos, desde programas gubernamentales de emergencia hasta trabajos académicos, que no han logrado recobrar la situación urbana y social. El caso de Lota desgraciadamente no es único, el cierre de fábricas fundacionales de ciudades son frecuentes en esta era de globalización económica y búsqueda de rentas diferenciales de capital. A partir del caso de Lota, se plantea un ejercicio de taller con estudiantes de segundo año de arquitectura. El ejercicio - que se enmarca en el análisis y sensibilización de los estudiantes a un contexto urbano patrimonial - plantea la representación cinematográfica de relatos como herramienta de reconstrucción digital del patrimonio. Este enfoque plantea dos aportes fundamentales: El primer aporte consiste en reconstruir la dimensión existencial del espacio urbano ausente. Es decir, más que la recuperación de una cierta volumetría o geometría histórica; lo que se plantea es la recuperación del significado subjetivo del lugar. En este sentido, dentro de las herramientas digitales, el recurso fílmico se diferencia fundamentalmente de los modelos en CAD o SIG, cuyo énfasis es la representación cartesiana del espacio; asociada - en este último caso - a una base de datos. El segundo aporte consiste en incorporar el relato al proceso de reconstrucción digital. Los relatos permiten introducir la dimensión intangible del patrimonio al proceso de proyectación; permiten entender cómo se significa el espacio urbano, entendido este último, como el lugar emotivo que entrelaza lo existente con la memoria del narrador indistintamente. El relato enhebra, espacios distantes geográfica y temporalmente, revelando por tanto la condición intangible de la problemática urbana. El recurso fílmico a su vez, permite vincular el relato al espacio al cual alude, de una manera más consciente y rigurosa. En este enfoque, el sentido fundamental del recurso digital - más que una ‘sensibilización’ genérica del alumno con respecto al lugar - es apoyar la traducción concreta de la memoria, en el espacio y la tectónica del proyecto. El ejercicio se inicia con el análisis de la escena introductoria en “Que verde era mi valle” (Ford, 1941), una interpretación Hollywoodiana de la vida de los mineros en Gales. El estudio nos permite reflexionar acerca de la concepción espacial en el film y sus posibles vínculos con la tarea proyectual. Luego se considera la recolección de datos en Lota, análisis de relatos populares, entrevistas informales, filmación, y modelación virtual de escenarios urbanos. Y finalmente se realiza la secuencia fílmica, montaje y producción grupal. Esta ponencia propone la reconstrucción digital del espacio urbano de Lota, como una manera de integrar los intereses sociales en la recuperación de espacios patrimoniales. De este modo la recreación digital de la secuencia fílmica a partir de los relatos, constituye una novedosa herramienta de análisis urbano que podría contribuir a develar la complejidad de significados que subyace en los espacios urbanos para su adecuada intervención y recuperación.Peer Reviewe

Early learning of sustainable architecture through progressive interior views

Achieving sustainable architecture requires, among other aspects, the incorporation of energy considerations in the early stages of architectural designs. Environmental definitions mainly involve numerical and temporal analysis and the detailing of variables normally defined in the advanced stages of a project, far from the spatial resolutions of the initial design concept, especially during early architectural education. This technical knowledge can be applied with students in the early stages of projects, in accordance with theories on meaningful learning and perception which suggest that information technology and graphic simulations enhance cognitive relational capabilities. This article proposes a sequence of pedagogical experiences with models for the integrated resolution of architectural design, which focuses on the creation of progressive spatial views with energy values. This strategy is exemplified by the sizing of windows for natural lighting in a home work space, which is related to privacy and a view of the outside, as well as with comfort and energy consumption. The process was tested with groups of architecture students and through consultations with teachers and specialists who observed significant motivation that was related to the environment. This graphical integration experience involves the early connection of energy and space requirements, and is useful in higher education and later in professional work which seeks to achieve expressive and environmentally responsible architecture.Lograr una arquitectura sustentable requiere, entre otros aspectos, incorporar consideraciones energéticas en etapas tempranas de los diseños arquitectónicos. Las definiciones ambientales involucran principalmente análisis numéricos y temporales, con un detalle de variables normalmente definidas en etapas avanzadas del trabajo proyectual, distantes de las resoluciones espaciales de la gestación inicial del diseño, especialmente durante el comienzo de la formación profesional. Se puede aplicar estos conocimientos técnicos en los alumnos, en etapas tempranas del proyecto, según las teorías de aprendizaje significativo y percepción, que sugieren capacidades de vinculación cognitiva, mediante tecnologías de información y simulaciones gráficas. Este artículo propone una secuencia de experiencias pedagógicas de integración, a partir de modelos para la resolución conjunta del diseño arquitectónico, que se enfoca en la elaboración de vistas espaciales graduadas según valores energéticos. Ello se ejemplifica con el dimensionamiento de vanos para iluminación natural en un recinto doméstico de trabajo, lo cual se relaciona con la privacidad y la visión exterior, como también con la comodidad y el consumo energético. El proceso se ensaya con grupos de estudiantes de arquitectura y a través de consultas con docentes y especialistas del área que reconocen una motivación significativa y de relación ambiental. Esta experiencia de integración gráfica implica una vinculación temprana de condiciones energéticas y espaciales, utilizable para la enseñanza y posterior desempeño profesional, que busca una arquitectura expresiva y ambientalmente responsable

ANÁLISIS Y DIFUSIÓN DE REACONDICIONAMIENTOS ENERGÉTICOS RESIDENCIALES BASADOS EN SIMULACIONES

Este trabajo expone un prototipo computacional para la definición y divulgación de soluciones de mejoramiento ambiental de viviendas unifamiliares en la zona metropolitana de Concepción, Chile. Las viviendas generan un alto consumo energético, por lo que diversos programas públicos e iniciativas privadas permiten adecuar las construcciones existentes para mejorar sus desempeños, con soluciones específicas que se pueden determinar mediante simulaciones dinámicas. Se plantea entonces una herramienta profesional para revisar alternativas, con cálculos de precios y resultados de simulación, para conformar paquetes de mejoramientos por caso. También, este software permite realizar estimaciones según datos básicos, en base a viviendas previamente estudiadas en la zona, para la difusión pública de posibilidades de reacondicionamiento. Se exponen los antecedentes y casos estudiados, así como el desarrollo y funcionalidad del sistema propuesto, actualmente en etapa de prototipo avanzado, y el análisis de algunos casos. El software permite determinar paquetes de reacondicionamiento que generan reducciones del 35% al 65% de las demandas energéticas por vivienda, con costos del 3% al 14% de su valor. Demostrando una adecuada operación y recomendaciones para el mejoramiento habitacional, que permiten ofrecer un apoyo profesional y un medio de concientización ambiental

Three Recent Experiences of Architecture and Digital Fabrication

Članak opisuje projekte i proces izrade u slučaju tri recentna arhitektonska primjera, odnosno Olimpijski stadion u Pekingu, ruralni zbjeg u južnom Brazilu i edukativnu radionicu. Svaki je od njih vrlo različit po veličini i kontekstu, no svi oni koriste tehnologiju digitalne produkcije. Stoga ovaj članak pokazuje slične osobine njihove produkcije, nagovješćujući da nove tehnologije utječu na raspon vremena produkcije stvarajući tako odnose između projektiranja i same izvedbe.This paper describes designs and execution process of three recent architectural works, namely, the Beijing Olympic Stadium, a rural refuge in southern Brazil, and an educational workshop. Each of them is very different in size and context, but they all use new digital manufacturing technologies. Hence, this paper reveals similar features of their production processes, suggesting that new technologies change time spans and create relationships between design and construction

Three Recent Experiences of Architecture and Digital Fabrication

Članak opisuje projekte i proces izrade u slučaju tri recentna arhitektonska primjera, odnosno Olimpijski stadion u Pekingu, ruralni zbjeg u južnom Brazilu i edukativnu radionicu. Svaki je od njih vrlo različit po veličini i kontekstu, no svi oni koriste tehnologiju digitalne produkcije. Stoga ovaj članak pokazuje slične osobine njihove produkcije, nagovješćujući da nove tehnologije utječu na raspon vremena produkcije stvarajući tako odnose između projektiranja i same izvedbe.This paper describes designs and execution process of three recent architectural works, namely, the Beijing Olympic Stadium, a rural refuge in southern Brazil, and an educational workshop. Each of them is very different in size and context, but they all use new digital manufacturing technologies. Hence, this paper reveals similar features of their production processes, suggesting that new technologies change time spans and create relationships between design and construction