Maureen Trebilcock

University of Bío-Bío | UBB · Department of Design and Theory of Architecture

This paper presents the results of a field study on thermal comfort in school buildings in Chile, the aim of which was to determine the comfort temperature of primary school children. Results are given for twelve schools that are located in Santiago, a city with relatively low temperatures in winter and high temperatures in summer, and that are typ...

ABSTRACT/ This study discusses a methodology proposal for the design of confortable and resilient educational facilities. Based on fieldwork performed in educational facilities throughout Chile, the first component of the methodology focused on determining confortable temperatures for school age children, which ended up being considerably lower tha...

This article presents the results of an exploratory study that reviews the diversity of images that sustainable architecture adopts in the Chilean context, with the aim of studying potential dialogues and tensions between local and global patterns; and between performance and appearance. The methodology was based on an extensive review of buildings...

This paper discusses the application of Integrated Design Process for the design of low-cost housing in Chile. It aims to question common practice for the development of housing based on prescriptive regulations and non-interdisciplinary work, which has resulted in poor quality building requirements. The first stage consisted in defining performanc...

Currently, there are few studies aimed at evaluating the indoor thermal comfort of specific contexts such as that of Chile, where national standards are based on international references and are not mandatory. For this research, a field study was conducted in 19 buildings in Chile: 10 in Concepción and 9 in Santiago. Thermal comfort surveys and sim...

Los sistemas de certificación de sustentabilidad en las edificaciones se centran en la dimensión ambiental através de criterios orientados al ahorro de energía y la disminución de gases efecto invernadero. Sin embargo, en la actualidad existe una preocupación creciente por la sustentabilidad social centrada en el bienestar y salud de los ocupantes,...

There is no consensus on the definition of well-being in the built environment, but rather a wide range of approaches that deal with physical, psychological and social dimensions. There is a need for a holistic approach in order to understand what makes a building healthier and positive for occupants' well-being, which is particularly important in...

Teaching methods and the conception of educational spaces have shifted, promoting new learning modalities and the designing flexible, adaptable and comfortable spaces. However, the new learning environments are challenging the indoor acoustic quality because of the noise caused by the variety of pedagogical activities. This article shows the acoust...

Few studies focus on researching the potential of sustainable buildings to promote the sustainability of their occupants. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing the use of LEED credits, with the intention of promoting pro-environmental behaviors. The methodology is exploratory in nature, with a descriptive logic, and comparatively analyzes LEED-ce...

The evaluation of productivity in office buildings is particularly complex; studies indicate that occupants’ perceptions reflect thermal conditions and are therefore an important element to consider. This research reveals the interrelationships and relative influences of the thermal environmental factors of offices on the perceived productivity of...

Resumen El calentamiento global, sumado al fenómeno de isla de calor, ha originado alzas en las temperaturas y con ello riesgo de sobrecalentamiento en las viviendas emplazadas en entornos urbanos, cada vez más sobrepoblados. Si bien las crecientes demandas de refrigeración pueden ser cubiertas mediante la ventilación natural, muchas veces ésta no...

Between the ages of 6 and 18, children spend between 30 and 42 h a week at school, mostly indoors, where indoor environmental quality is usually deficient and does not favor learning. The difficulty of delivering indoor air quality (IAQ) in learning facilities is related to high occupancy rates and low interaction levels with windows. In non-indust...

This study examines the perceived productivity of office occupants in moderate thermal environments in Chile. Specifically, it analyses environmental parameters and contrasts participants’ self-reported answers to cross-sectional and retrospective questionnaires. To this end, data were collected for one day in winter and one day in summer, in eight...

Today, identifying energy poverty is one of the scientific community's challenges. In this sense, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) assumes getting to know which areas are the most vulnerable. This study considers the development of a new territory energy poverty evaluation indicator, called Poverty Adaptive Degree Hourly Index (PADHI). Th...

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships be...

Since occupant behaviour impacts the energy performance of buildings, its study is relevant in order to bridge the performance gap. While the factors influencing occupant behaviour have been established, most studies have focused on those factors that motivate the action, such as environmental and temporal conditions. Contextual factors including s...

Shared office spaces represent a challenge regarding thermal comfort. They have a diversity of occupants and expectations, and they require social interaction, which could imply restriction in adaptive actions, contrary to individual areas that usually allow total control. Hence, this paper aims to identify differences in thermal comfort criteria a...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants’ interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment...

New challenges for delivering more resilient and less energy-dependent office buildings require a better understanding of thermal comfort in different contexts and opportunities for adaptation. This study aims to determine comfort temperatures in 18 office buildings located in two Chilean cities. The methodology was based on a longitudinal fieldwor...

As part of a thermal retrofitting process of existing housing, energy and thermal performance is normally predicted by dynamic simulation that supposes standardized patterns of building use, without considering the key role of the users in building's energy consumption. This represents a weakness in how the evaluation and design of retrofitting pro...

Adaptive comfort plays an important role in defining comfort standards when considering comfort in buildings in free-running mode, including adaptation to external temperatures, opening windows and changing clothing. In this regard, two international standards provide the fundamental basis to model the necessary equations: EN 16798 (formerly 15251)...

Building Simulation Software tools support designers to analyse and identify certain users´ behavioural patterns; besides, they can predict future trends about the energy demand and consumption in buildings, as well as CO2 emissions, design analysis, energy efficiency, or lighting. These tools allow to collect and report information about such proc...

In shared spaces, adaptive actions can be limited by a coexistence factor, which has an impact on thermal expectations. This study aims to compare the perception of thermal comfort, comfort temperature and adaptive actions in individual and shared offices. Fieldwork was carried out in 9 office buildings in Concepción (36°S) and 8 in Santiago (33°S)...

Most of the operational energy needed by the housing sector is used to compensate energy losses or thermal gains through the building’s envelope. As a result, any improvement in the thermal behavior will provide important opportunities to reduce energy consumption. This research analyzes improvements in the thermal envelope in social housing in the...

Currently, energy performance indicators for buildings are associated with the primary energy source consumption, CO2 emissions or net energy distribution, which together set the building’s energy efficiency. The evaluation is frequently based on setpoint temperatures and hours of operation. However, these fixed parameters are not suitable for soci...

Fuel poverty is commonly associated with fuel price, energy consumption, income and building features to maintain comfortable conditions. Most studies are based on existing conditions with future macro level predictions. Therefore, there are a lack of micro scale policies and further in-depth research is needed based on the multivariable complexity...

Previous studies based on simulation carried out in the context of temperate climates in Chile have shown that an insulated and sealed thermal envelope, solar control devices and ventilation strategies would allow to achieve good thermal conditions with no heating and cooling systems. This paper is based on a fieldwork that analysed two school buil...

Children spend most of their lives in school classrooms, so the quality of the indoor environment is very significant for their academic performance and general well-being. This article presents the results of a research project that looked at thermal performance and passive design strategies in school classrooms located in three different climates...

Technology's production in sustainable architecture. Critical analysis of existing approaches This paper discusses the assumptions that guide the production of technology in the field of sustainable architecture. We recover concepts and theories from the field of study of science, Technology and society (sts) that expand the instrumentalist concep...

The constructive configuration of an educational institution influences its indoor comfort variables; while at the same time comfort variables have an effect on the metabolism and stress of students and teachers. In turn, each architectural project depends on the factors that define its design. When the investment is assessed, costs are determined...

ABSTRACT:􀀃 This􀀃 work􀀃 exposes􀀃 the􀀃 application􀀃 of􀀃 integrated􀀃 design􀀃 theories􀀃 to􀀃 develop􀀃 an􀀃 innovative􀀃 prefabricated􀀃 housing􀀃 system􀀃 called􀀃 “CASA+”.􀀃 This􀀃 model􀀃 is􀀃 the􀀃 answer􀀃 for􀀃 the􀀃 growing􀀃 environmental􀀃 constraints 􀀃to􀀃 encourage 􀀃new􀀃 housing􀀃 design􀀃 strategies.􀀃The􀀃 proposal􀀃 achieves􀀃 high 􀀃density, 􀀃flexible􀀃 growth,􀀃 e...

En Chile, 75% del parque habitacional existente fue construido sin consideraciones energéticas-ambientales, convirtiéndose en altos consumidores de energía. Hoy existen medidas de mejoramiento energético para viviendas existentes, pero éstas solo consideran algunos desempeños con implicancia en la demanda energética, siendo cada uno mejorado de man...

A large percentage of existing housing was built without thermal and energy efficiency considerations, causing high energy consumption that users must assume to keep house in comfort conditions. In Chile, at least 75% of existing houses were built without thermal regulations. This situation mainly affects vulnerable families, who live under the lin...

This applied research is to design a buildable high energy efficiency modular prototype of urban housing, able to overcome the sustainable weaknesses of housing construction in centre-south of Chile, present in all economic and social sectors. This deficiency is originated by lack of adaptability of the typical shapes and construction to environmen...

RESUMEN Con el fi n de promover el uso de la energía solar en las ciudades, se presenta una metodología de catastro urbano del consumo energético y captación solar, aplicada para distintas tipologías residenciales, categorizadas por manzanas, en Concepción, Chile. La categorización se realiza mediante encuestas, registros socioeconómicos, fotos aér...

With the aim of promoting solar energy use in cities, this paper presents an urban assessment of energy consumption and incident solar radiation, applied to different residential typologies, categorized by block in Concepcion, Chile. The categorization was done through surveys, socioeconomic records, aerial photographs, building typologies and simu...

To incorporate solar energy in dwellings requires defining appropriate collectors according to housing typologies, constructive features and energy demand. This paper presents a research path towards determining highest potential active solar systems, considering architectural integration aspects, applied for dwellings in the city of Concepción, Ch...

This research focuses on a new workflow between Space Layout Planning (SLP) and Building Performance Simulation (BPS) fields for the early stages of building design aimed at reducing energy needs of a building and improving indoor environment quality. Parameters of environmental performance requirements (such as temperature, view, and acoustics) fr...

This research focuses on a new workflow between the fields of Space Layout Planning (SLP) and Building Performance Simulation (BPS) for the early stages of building design with the aim of reducing the energy needs of a building and improving indoor environment quality. Parameters of environmental performance requirements, such as temperature, view,...

Chile, like many developing countries, presents a continuous residential growth and of energy consumption, but with a significant environmental impact. The nation has implemented programs and regulations, but there is a lack of detailed information on the housing performance. This paper presents a novel strategy for the analysis of urban single hou...

The relevant participation of dwellings in the overall energy consumption in Chile, justifies the study of improvement opportunities, especially in reconstruction programs that are solving the housing deficit and the thermal retrofitting implemented after the earthquake on February 27th 2010. This article, which is part of the research project "Int...

The architectural design of a school classroom has an effect on students' wellbeing, as thermal, visual and acoustic comfort, as well as indoor air quality, characterizes learning environment. This paper explores design strategies for school classrooms that aim at improving environmental performance in an integrated manner, looking for "integral cl...

The relevant participation of dwellings in the overall energy consumption in Chile, justifies the study of improvement opportunities, especially in reconstruction programs that are solving the housing deficit and the thermal retrofitting implemented after the earthquake on February 27th 2010. This article, which is part of the research project "Int...

This manuscript is part of the research project "Integrated Design for Energy Efficient Housing Reconstruction." It exposes the diagnosis of energy and construction conditions of dwellings of 3 regions in the south central area of Chile, which was the most affected by the earthquake of February 27th, 2010. With this aim, it reviews predominant char...

After the 27F 2010 earthquake in central-south Chile a rethinking of the residential architecture was necessary. This was seen as an opportunity to review and improve energy efficiency of housing, both on its morphological-constructive aspects and on the methodological procedures for new development. Simulations of thermal performances indicate tha...

Integrated design is a strategy to develop sustainable architecture projects incorporating multidisciplinary work and environmental performance assessments, which has provided significant advancement to public buildings in developed countries. This paper presents a review of some aspects of integrated design for the planning and construction of ene...

La Sostenibilidad en el Currículo de las Carreras de Arquitectura: implicaciones del concepto de sostenibilidad en el perfil profesional y el plan de estudios de las carreras de arquitectura en América Latina. Sustainability in Architecture Curriculum: implications of the sustainability concept in the professional profile and the syllabus of archit...

Housing development in the central-south area of Chile (Regions VII, VIII and IX) gives response to the needs for housing with low density detached dwellings of similar typologies and constructive systems. The challenges of the reconstruction process after the earthquake of the 27th of February 2010 are been faced with similar buildings, applying a...

This article analyses the main barriers to energy-efficiency perceived by groups of architects who work in the public and private sectors in the main cities of the centre and south of Chile. The methodology was based on Focus Groups of architects from Temuco, Valdivia, Concepcion and Santiago who are experienced in these issues, or at least show a...

This article analyses the main barriers to energy-efficiency perceived by groups of architects who work in the public and private sectors in the main cities of the centre and south of Chile. The methodology was based on Focus Groups of architects from Temuco, Valdivia, Concepcion and Santiago who are experienced in these issues, or at least show a...

This article proposes a model for integrating environmental sustainability into architectural education that derives from the analysis of sustainable architectural design in practice. The research methodology is based on nine case studies of architectural practices that are pioneers in environmentally sustainable design. The design process of a bui...

This paper proposes a model for integrating sustainability concerns in architectural education that derives from the analysis of sustainable design in practice. The methodology was based on five case studies of contemporary architectural practices in Europe that are considered to be leaders in the field of sustainable design. A specific non-domesti...