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A big problem in Brasil is that most residential building are not built to be energy efficient and modern architecture is making this even worse. No isolation o
by elzbardico 3y ago
A big problem in Brasil is that most residential building are not built to be energy efficient and modern architecture is making this even worse. No isolation on roof and walls, giant glass planes everywhere.
- matheusmoreira 3y agoCan thermal isolation help reduce air conditioning costs by keeping the heat out? I asked someone this once and they looked at me like I was insane. I got the impression this is only done in cold climates.
- elzbardico 3y agoYes. Even small retrofits like putting thermal isolation under the tiles or in the attic's floor make a sizable difference. I did this in a home I lived in Rio de Janeiro. If you are thinking about building in brasil, instead of traditional masonry, consider using insulated structural panels, called EPS in brazil. I friend of mine did a home using this system in Rio de Janeiro where you easily get over 42C (107 F) outside in the summer. It works fantastically. Energy in Brasil used to be way less expensive, and traditional masonry and concrete construction is not very friendly to insulation unless you do like the germans that have double walls with the insulation in the middle. So, culturally, insulation is kind of an alien concept for a lot of people and even engineers.
- matheusmoreira 3y agoThanks for the tips!! I do want to get a home of my own design constructed in the future. I've been compiling resources on the matter and the information you provided is extremely useful.