The viability of improving energy efficiency and hygrothermal comfort of rural social housing in central Chile using straw bale construction

With primary energy imports standing at 80%, principally in the form of fossil fuels, Chile is waking up to the reality of its energy dependency. Equally important is that all but the richest two fifths of the Chilean population can be classed as ‘energy poor’, and that a large percentage of the Chilean population live during winter in poor hygro-thermal conditions with over 80% suffering problems with condensation and moulds. Balancing energy efficiency with an improvement in living conditions poses a strong challenge for the Chilean government and those of other developing countries. Straw bales, an affordable, renewable resource, currently burned adding to carbon emission, could provide an answer. The Laboratory of Energy of the Universidad Andrés Bello is currently conducting a research project DI-05-09JM, funded by the Dirección General de Investigación of the Universidad Andrés Bello, to test this hypothesis. This paper will discuss their findings to date