The thermal influence of the mud wall of the sunspace in the indoor climate of the 1811-1950 home’s of Valparaiso

Abstract

This exploratory descriptive study analyses the contribution of the mud wall, 'adobillo' in Spanish, of the sunspace of the houses of Valparaiso built during the 4th stage of growth of the city of Valparaiso, period from 1811 to 1950's. The sunspaces were part of the Balloon and Platform Frame systems, which mass walls were filled with adobillo, this feature is analyzed from a technical aspect to study its influence on the thermal comfort. 

To study the thermal performance of the sunspace and the adobillo wall, two measurement tools were applied, data-loggers and thermal dynamic simulation, which help to identify the factors that contribute to energy efficiency, and especially, how the sunspace and the adobillo wall contribute to the indoor climate of these houses of the historical heritage of Valparaiso. 

First, to understand the sunspace, "galería" in Spanish, a historical analysis is carried out in the city of Valparaíso, identifying the environmental architectural component and its parts, recognizing the heritage values present in the city as a result of the architectural contribution of English and American migrants that brought the constructive techniques. Second, this space and its elements are measured and simulated, the data obtained with both tools was analyzed and contrasted. 

The results corroborated that the "Balloon Frame" filled in with adobillo wall is responsible for the thermal control of the spaces adjacent to it, acting as a mediator between these two environments, where the sunspace is in turn the mediator of the external environment and the indoor environment. Determining that this passive environmental architectural component favorably contributes to thermal comfort in the sunspace and in the home as a whole. Finally, the conclusions obtained could potentially serve for future energy rehabilitation of patrimonial housing in Valparaiso and / or possible new applications of this environmental component.