Thermal Performance of Roof Solutions for Social Housing in Portoviejo, Ecuador

Abstract

This paper intends to expose and discuss the results of an experimental research carried out in lab models to evaluate the relative thermal behaviour of different roof solutions in Portoviejo city, Ecuador. An experimental study was carried out in unitary models (1 m² interior surface and 2.60 m height), based on an inventory of locally available resources (natural or recycled). Weather conditions were observed and recorded each day. Indoor air temperature was measured each hour, covering the experimental modules with the different studied roof solutions, and simultaneously in a meteorological cabin outdoors. Taking into account that zinc tile is the most used roof building material, its influence on indoor temperature was verified, adding ceiling and mortars over it, elaborated with the local materials, and even double roofs. Finally, a statistical processing of the temperatures measured in real zinc roofed housing during a previous research work and in the experimental modules covered by a zinc roof was made, in order to find their correlation.

The addition of mortars over the zinc roof improves its thermal behaviour. The best performances correspond to zapan, recycled rubber and coconut fibre (Δt up to 2 °C). The inclusion of ceiling below the traditional zinc roof is even more effective in reducing indoor temperature. Such is the case of the newspaper, or zapan, which can contribute with reductions up to 3 °C. Indoor temperatures in modules are higher than in housing with respect to outdoors, with Δt differences between 1.5 °C and 2.5 °C, being possible to achieve 3 °C at 5.00 pm.