Sustentabilidade energética no programa de habitação venezuelano GMVV: simulação de cenários no Residencial Ciudad Tiuna, Caracas-VE

Abstract

The ideal of industrial age progress based on the infinity of resources was reflected more strongly in the construction sector than the idea of sustainability. However, in the current situation of global warming, largely produced by the indiscriminate use of energy, this vision has lost validity, opening the way to other methods of approaching constructive practice, pointing out the Bioclimatic Architecture, the Zero Energy Buildings, and the Regenerative Architecture. Thus, the present master´s thesis in architecture and urbanism aims to test strategies and project parameters relevant to the energy sustainability of the most recent Venezuelan Housing Program, the “Gran Misión Vivienda Venezuela (GMVV)”. The research focused on the observation of energy performance, and uses the computational simulation procedure on a typical situation of the Program, for the comparative evaluation of three performance scenarios: the Base Scenario with the original performance characteristics of the model case; the Modified Scenario 1, with the incorporation of bioclimatic strategies and equipment efficiency for the scope of consumption optimization; and the Modified Scenario 2 with the incorporation of 396 photovoltaic modules on the roof and ¼ of the energy of the 1992 modules installed in the parking lot to improve the reduction of CO2 emissions. The Type C Building of the Residencial Ciudad Tiuna in Caracas-Venezuela was used as a Model Case, as support software in the definition of the modification guidelines, the Climate Consultant 6®, and the Ecodesigner of Graphisoft Archicad 23® for thermos energetic simulation. According to the results obtained, the Base Scenario is associated with an energy consumption of 132.39 kWh/m2 a, CO2 emission of 14.42 kg/m2a, and the performance limitation of 7,649 h/a (87% of the hours of the year) for heat discomfort. Solar gain (44.7%) and lighting and equipment consumption (41.03%) are the main sources of energy gain in the building. On the other hand, Modified Scenario 1 showed a reduction of -33% of the global energy consumption obtained in the Base Scenario, with the highest percentage of reduction in the energy needed for the use of equipment and lighting; -52.2% of hours requiring refrigeration; and 6.1% of CO2 emissions. In Modified Scenario 2, the percentage of reduction in carbon emissions reached -20.5% compared to the Base Scenario emissions. Energy sustainability at GMVV thus involves the incorporation of bioclimatic practices that make it possible to take advantage of the natural flows of energy in the place, minimizing solar heat gain and allowing natural air currents to cool internal spaces and eliminate excess humidity; a more efficient consumption profile that favors the use of fans to promote heat loss, use LED lighting, reduction in the use of clothes dryers by guaranteeing spaces for natural drying, and preference for the most efficient equipment, gas when possible, and whenever accompanied by alternative energy generation systems (photovoltaic in the case of Caracas) and plots of vegetation with foliage to favor the reduction of the impact of greenhouse gases generated in the functioning of buildings.