Environmental Performance of Residential Rooms. Comparison between Simulations, Monitoring and Perception of Dwellers in Six Houses of Concepcion, Chile

The housing studies and design regards homes like one indoor environment, without recognizing diffe­rences between rooms, although in the daily living it perceives variations. This article presents a com­parison between data from computer simulations of thermal performance and physical monitoring that records existing values of rooms, with perceptions of its inhabitants around their residential environ­ment, from six houses located in Concepción, Chile. In order to characterize environmental differences that arise in homes, as well as those originated in different rooms, which represents comfort building. Simulations express some significant differences by venues (anual energy demands from 12 kWh/m2 to 330 kWh/m2), while physical measurements reveal more limited values (differences between environ­mental temperatures less than 5°C). Interviews and observation of residents suggest nearby considera­tions, but also provide other aspects (like higher va­lue of upper story and rooms with high luminance). The outcomes and conclusions of the study provide data that can be of comparative interest for hou­sing planning and design, but also an analysis that integrates the diverse studied dimensions, which is incident to environmental policies and actions im­proving housing, targeted to increase the residen­tial quality