Improving indoor thermal comfort in residential buildings in Andean regions of Peru

Sammanfattning: In the Peruvian Andes, inadequate housing represents an important problem for the local rural people. Over 3000 meters above sea level, communities suffer from very low indoor temperatures this becomes an issue which affects the health and indoor thermal comfort of the building. At early winter mornings, outdoor temperatures can occasionally go down to -15°C and indoor temperatures can drop below zero. Previous work in the field has been done by the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru PUCP, to address thermal comfort in Langui, Peru involving participatory design techniques, multidisciplinary approaches and a focus on sustainability. Their most recent design is based on an attached passive solar heating system similar to a Trombe wall. The effect of housing environment on human health has been an acknowledged issue for many years. In the area, the occupants live with high levels of air infiltration, dirt floor (soil), simple windows, metallic or wood doors, roof most commonly made of corrugated metal sheets, adobe walls, no additional insulation attached and no house heating system. This thesis aims to contribute to a current body of research on thermal comfort and provide insights on how the building environment in Langui can be improved. The main objective is to improve thermal comfort in residential buildings in Andean regions of Peru. An improvement was made by installing a Heat Transfer Rocket which increased the temperature while the relative-humidity stayed steady. Overall, the study shows that indoor improvements can increase thermal comfort in Andean regions of Peru.