Skin Facade Design for the Thermal Balance in the Mantaro Valley Buildings

Abstract

Climate change significantly impacts the lifestyle of people living in high Andean areas. For children, heat, combined with other environmental factors like humidity, leads to exhaustion — something experienced daily. Prolonged exposure to heat can cause side effects such as anxiety, and depression, and contribute to mass migrations and regional conflicts, affecting local communities. Given these concerns, this research focuses on the thermal comfort of all types of buildings, whether residential or public. It proposes the importance of controlling internal temperatures, much like green walls or building placement systems that allow air to flow freely, creating cool chambers with stable temperatures for a greater sense of comfort. To achieve this, a system of modular architectural membranes was designed and prototyped. These membranes are tailored to the specific needs of the geographical region where the study was conducted, as each area requires dynamic, flexible geometries capable of forming responsive and intelligent morphologies. The results have effectively met the thermal control needs of buildings in the Mantaro Valley, complying with ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) standards for thermal comfort. Additionally, the system integrates high Andean cultural elements, preserving traditions and art to reinforce identity, as expressed through iconography in the "lliclla," a traditional Andean mantle. Finally, it’s important to mention that various tools were used throughout the data collection, implementation, and design modification processes. SketchUp and V - Ray were utilized for design and presentation; MS Excel, Meteonorm, and WeatherSpark for pre - prototype data collection; and GeoGebra and Climate Consultant for adjustments and changes due to external factors like sudden temperature shifts and the structure of the building where the prototype data was collected.