Homes In Argentina

[ghost]

Not for homes.

 

[PhilipDT]

Not for homes.

http://servicio.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-159132845-poliuretano-expandido-in-situ-aislacion-termica-_JM

 

[gpop]

Very interesting read here. The concept of Climate Responsive Building. In particular, the Design for warm Humid climates.
There was more about this topic in relation to placement and orientation of construction to optimize the change in solar path/angles of the sun in winter/summer for decisions of shape and angles of roof construction.
Malaysian homes seem to be pretty efficient at passive cooling throughout the day... kinda blows the whole brick-cooling idea away as they use very light construction material. Maybe, I build me a house on stilts

 

[mmoon]

The biggest problem we had with our house is the leaky roof…no matter how many times we had it repaired by different people, we always had problems. If I had to do it again, I would tear the roof off and start over again while watching every step like an eagle.
If you're buying or building, don't forget the roof! It's almost comical how many owners we know who have major roof problems.

 

[gpop]

I've found the oposite having been here. Masonry construction has a large thermal mass that resists temperature fluctuations and tends to average out daytime and nighttime temperatures. The construction entremedianeras - at least here in capital - limits the amount of heat absorbed from the sun to one wall and a roof. Even on hot days the walls of the turn of the century PH I lived in when I first came to BA would be cool to the touch. This was a lot less pronounced in the house I lived in up until june which was constructed with hollow brick rather than common solid ones.

My new house has central air and the duct work extends down to the garage and dependencias in the subsuelo with both supply and return vents. Since we're still technically in winter I haven't a chance to test the effects of this in the summer but I'm suspecting that the basement and garage may be able to function as a sort of heat sink for the entire house. Basements are usually cool in the sumer (due to the thermal mass of the earth) and if the temperature of the walls is lower than what I set the thermostat at this should take a load off of the AC. I'll update in december.

ooofff. ...medianeras , it's not just about heating and cooling (I wish it were) part II of the pain of BA city dwelling. I have neighbors on both sides that are doing illegal construction and using the medianeras to support their construction. As I understand it; you cannot use the medianeras for any kind of structural support, and that you are responsible for maintenance on your side.

On one side the guy opened up the wall but never patched it up again properly and it directly affected a large portion of one of the corner in my living-room. On the other side; They have a I-beam embedded directly into the medianera on the side where my bedroom is; every other day the young girl who lives there likes to swings on the swing supported by a chains. The noise is amplified in my bedroom... i can hear each link as it passes over the edge of the beam.
These marvels are more of a pain than anything to me.

Don't you find that the ambient temperature is higher during the day, then the latent heat dissipation during the night is slower with bricks? Of course, this will depend on the amount of area and angle you have exposed to direct sun, with/without an over hanging roof to reduce direct sunlight into windows, etc. I have several areas that get direct sun as my home is north facing, the largest area without over hanging roof is bombarded by noon-evening sun, so my place gets fairly hot despite the light coloring.

 

[gpop]

The biggest problem we had with our house is the leaky roof…no matter how many times we had it repaired by different people, we always had problems. If I had to do it again, I would tear the roof off and start over again while watching every step like an eagle.
If you're buying or building, don't forget the roof! It's almost comical how many owners we know who have major roof problems.

I'm in it up to my neck. Right now trying to find the right contractor/weather to start replacing my entire terrazza on my 7 year old house <_< . II don't understand the materials involved, otherwise I would do the work myself.

 

[gpop]

Just to balance out some of the modern style buildings i keep seeing in this thread...here! :

Frenchie has his ideas, I have mine... I'm a big fan of the Arts-and-Crafts style. I love timber roof, wood everywhere, stone, and built-in cabinetry, bookshelves, etc.

 

[camino no tomado]

Very interesting read here. The concept of Climate Responsive Building. In particular, the Design for warm Humid climates.
There was more about this topic in relation to placement and orientation of construction to optimize the change in solar path/angles of the sun in winter/summer for decisions of shape and angles of roof construction.
Malaysian homes seem to be pretty efficient at passive cooling throughout the day... kinda blows the whole brick-cooling idea away as they use very light construction material. Maybe, I build me a house on stilts

Over two decades ago I built a commercial building that was designed by an ambitious young guy who took the time to calculate seasonal sun angles. His plan called for covering the entire south side with glass (in the northern hemisphere), using a large overhang of a specific size and flooring material that would act as a heat sink. The result was a 700 sq metre building that was extremely economical to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. And to top it off, the exterior elevations featured a semi-Craftsman style lol. That would really stand out in Argentina though!

 

[steveinbsas]

This photo from Mercado Libre was published to show the lamp for sale but I like the bay window with the Asian style pool. In an area where additional security is desired, the bamboo curtain could be replaced by an anti-robo roll-up. I would think twice about the pool, as well.

It may be easier to view the photo here: http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-524071887-lampara-de-pie-de-hierro-_JM

 

[gpop]

On the subject of cooling costs, I'm perplexed by what appears to the ubiquitousness of "split" air conditioner systems in Argentina. I understand their appeal when retrofitting an existing home, but I also see them installed in almost all new builds as well, even very premium homes. Why is central air conditioning so rare, when it's clearly more efficient and economical in the long run (not to mention the aesthetic considerations raised earlier)?

I think the problem stems from the status-quo thinking. Split ACs are available everywhere and are targeted to be sold here. Central air requires thought in how to effectively distribute and insulate the ducts; then how to cleverly mask the ducting. I don't think that you have such an abundance of installers and replacement parts to make central air marketable and/or profitable here.