Celis-D'Amico, F; Echeverria-Valiente, E; Garcia-Alvarado, R; Escorcia-Oyola, O and da Casa-Martín, F (2025) CASA+: Highly energy-efficient housing system for the central-south of Chile. Construction Innovation, 25(2), pp. 306-327. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to introduce the results of a research carried out to develop a prototype of a highly energy-efficient modular detached house, called CASA+ CASA means HOUSE in spanish, adapted to the climatic features of central-southern Chile. The project enables a sustainable alternative to facilitate the reconstruction of the residential areas after the impact of the 2010 earthquake. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology is based on an "integrated design process" of a case study that proposes a constructive response that quantitatively and qualitatively improves the initial data of traditional dwellings. The characteristics of the new system have been simulated with specific software to validate the final decisions, considering the cost–benefit ratio. Findings: Simulation tools were used to assess and improve the system's energy performance with respect to present options and to analyse its economic and construction viability. We obtained several economically competitive housing prototypes that substantially reduced energy consumption and the CO2 footprint by between 20% and 80%. Research limitations/implications: The prototype has not been developed, as we are waiting for funding, but all its energy features have been simulated. Practical implications: Furthermore, this experience also identified similar modifications made to the design of the houses, which revealed general possibilities for improving energy performance. Social implications: The origin of this research is a public call for international researchers to improve the quality of the new homes to be built in Chile after the strong earthquake of 2010. The result of the research has been put at the direct service of Chilean society and in other international projects for the construction of low-energy social housing. Originality/value: These are the result of a long research aimed at establishing a new architectural model that, in addition to improving the architectural quality of the product, obtains significant improvements in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The most particular aspect is the practical vocation and its implementation with real construction with the support of construction companies.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | earthquake; efficiency; energy saving; environment impact; social house; sustainability |
| Index terms: | CO2 emissions, case study, efficiency, reconstruction, vocation, residential area, funding, earthquake, energy-saving, energy consumption, option, integrated design process, implementation, social housing, energy performance, Chile, society, architectural quality, construction company, prototype, methodology, housing, simulation tool, international project |
| Subjects: | design process, Geography, research methods, environmental hazards, quality assurance, communities and social development, building construction, housing and residential development, specialized education, zoning, organization, strategic management, construction type, analytical methods, economic analysis, contractual arrangements, performance management, decision analysis, air quality, data collection methods, energy systems, modelling and simulation |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Education, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Sustainability, Procurement, Risk Management, International Construction, Urban Studies, Design Practice, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Construction Technology, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here