ADVANCING LOW-CARBON MODULAR HOUSING: A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF BIO-BASEDTHERMAL INSULATION IN WIKIHOUSE SYSTEMS FOR HIGHLAND CLIMATES

Neira K.R.R.; González E.S.C.; Cárdenas-Ramírez J.P. · ZEMCH International Conference (2025)

Resumen

This study evaluates the thermal performance of a modular housing prototype based on the Wikihouse Skylark 250 system for high-altitude Andean climates, integrating bio-based insulation materials. The objective was to assess the feasibility of combining digital fabrication with low-impact materials to enhance passive thermal comfort. Three insulation scenarios were tested, rice husk fiber, wheat straw fiber, and recycled polyurethane foam (PUR), using steady-state hygrothermal analysis (Ubakus) and dynamic simulation DesignBuilder v5.5 Measured thermal conductivities were 0.040 W/m·K (127 kg/m3) for rice husk, 0.034 W/m·K (80 kg/m3) for wheat straw, and 0.050 W/m·K (30 kg/m3) for PUR. U-values ranged from 0.34 W/m2K (wheat straw) to 0.48 W/m2K (PUR), compared to 1.35 W/m2K for the uninsulated case. Time lag improved from 2.5 h (uninsulated) to 14.5 h (wheat straw. Dynamic simulations without HVAC showed that bio-based insulation increased winter indoor temperatures by up to 6 °C over the uninsulated wall, maintaining conditions within or near the 19-25 °C comfort range most of the year. Results demonstrate that integrating natural insulation into modular systems can provide low-energy, climate-adapted housing solutions for the Peruvian highlands, ensuring indoor comfort through passive strategies without reliance on active HVAC systems. © ZEMCH 2025.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa