Design strategies for solar control in school buildings in a humid climate - case study high school level in the city of Macas - Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction. In several cases, in Ecuador, educational architecture is based on guidelines established several years ago, the same ones that are not in accordance with current trends or do not consider determining factors to achieve the thermal comfort of the user, it has been dismissed issues such as climate, culture and age-appropriate pedagogy. The same concept is repeated in public and private institutions around the country, optimizing construction time and reducing costs, causing sustainable design deficiencies such as orientation, use of thermal insulation or sunbathing devices, are a common factor. Objective. Propose passive architecture strategies in response to an unfavorable factor of sunlight and thermal sensation, strategies that can be applied in the design of new educational projects or in renovating existing ones. Methodology. Surveys have been carried out under the Fanger method to determine the thermal and sunny conditions in which the educational activity of the baccalaureate level is carried out in certain educational institutions in the city of Macas. Results. The physical and architectural conditions of some establishments do not contribute to achieving an environment that has a very important factor such as thermal comfort, a term that relates the properties of variables such as air quality, humidity conditions, sunshine, among others. The climatic conditions of the city of the case study are also established, such as temperature, incidence of wind and sun, regularity, indices, and incidence of rain, among other factors. Conclusion. It is necessary to determine passive strategies for solar control in high school educational establishments in the City of Macas, the same ones that can be applied in other areas of the same geographical region of the country that have the same climatic conditions.