Abstract
Construction of low-cost housing in Colombia is one of the greatest social challenges of the country. Due to Bogota's climate conditions at 8500 ft. of altitude and non-adapted materials to local conditions, the temperature of these state-subsidized dwellings is usually below optimum comfort standards. This research analyses the impact on temperatures using certain types of materials, comparing the effect of some traditional building skins-composed by brick and concrete - with a new wall envelope made of recycled elements. A comparative study was carried out by housing typologies, based on a work of measurement of the temperatures inside 16 individual dwellings.
Thermal simulations were made to compare the traditional brick envelope material vs a compacted plastic brick, and the results suggest that the construction of dwellings with traditional materials such as brick blocks and prefabricated concrete blocks may not provide the best conditions of thermal comfort. However, alternative materials made of recycled plastic can represent a cheaper, ecological and comfortable solution. Findings could be of interest for construction stakeholders for low-cost housing programs in resilient cities, within the framework of a new plastics economy.