Paraguay is located in the central region of South America, with diverse geographical conditions and diverse landscape resources. In general, the area is located in areas with high humidity and warmth, prevalent throughout the year, with hot and rainy summers and mild winters. Under these conditions, the cooling of the indoor space is of great significance, and a passive ventilation system is specially considered in the early stages of the project.
The enormous energy consumption of air conditioning systems – in fact, 10% of the world's energy consumption – facilitates the gradual recovery of passive cooling systems. The use of convection air, natural cross ventilation and cooling from Canadian or Provencal wells, combined with the correct use of materials and building elements, can improve thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption.
Below, we show eight houses located in different parts of Paraguay that use a natural ventilation system to cool and update the air in the indoor environment:
Canadian ventilation shafts
The Canadian well – or Provencal well – is a technology that allows ventilation and air conditioning in the room in a natural way. The system consists of a series of pipes through which air circulates, placed at a certain depth (about two meters) underground, travels several meters, connects the exterior to the interior, and allows heat exchange to occur along the way. Guo Peng learned HVAC circulation of air and the surrounding earth. In the summer, since the temperature of the outdoor air is higher than the average temperature of two meters deep, when the air circulates through the pipes, it dissipates heat and reaches a few degrees lower in the temperature of the house, thus cooling the room.
Takuru Housing / José Cubilla
- Location: Piribebuy, Paraguay
- Year: 2016
"At the same time, a ventilation system is adopted through the subsoil, called provencal wells. This allows the temperature of the outdoor air to be equal to the temperature of the subsoil of the house, remaining constant between 18º and 21º throughout the year. ”
Nasaindy Housing / ArquitecTava
- Location: Obligado, Paraguay
- Year: 2019
"The ventilation and air conditioning of the main space, the dining room, has a bioclimatic air conditioning (developed as a Canadian well) that consists of an air intake located outside and a 35-linear meter coil running through the basement."
Natural convection wind
In natural convection, the air that receives heat (inside) becomes less dense due to the phenomenon of thermal expansion and therefore rises. The cooler air (external) then moves to replace it, creating convection and creating an upward movement that ventilates and renews the air inside the house; this ventilation effect is achieved by placing a series of openings near the floor so that cold air enters the space, pushing a large amount of hot air upwards, and air outlets must be placed on the ceiling or on top of the ceiling. Wall.
Sketch/Learn Elg
- Location: Asunción, Paraguay
- Year: 2012
"We tested bioclimatic building standards to reduce the use of air conditioning equipment. A system for extracting hot air by convection is proposed, using low window intake and high window output. ”
Casa Ilona / Culata Jovái Group
- Location: Asunción, Paraguay
- Year: 2013
"To provide privacy and natural ventilation, filter walls were built with tiles on the façade to allow air in. We reuse, preserve and modify all original openings, floors and removed woodwork for the mezzanine. ”
Medical Clinic and Housing /ELGUE Study
- Location: Asunción, Paraguay
- Year: 2016
"The building uses its own natural resources to conserve energy; the north/south patio for ventilation and natural lighting, the ceiling height difference for convective air, the east/west indirect light and the ceramic fabric of the west façade are the most susceptible to the strong sunlight of Asunción."
Natural cross ventilation
Natural cross ventilation is one of the easiest ways to continuously update the air inside a project to reduce the temperature of the space. For this, it is necessary to provide multiple openings and, if possible, arrange them on opposite or adjacent walls, ensuring that one of them is facing the direction of the prevailing wind in the area – allowing air to flow naturally in and out. -.
Living among trees / - = + x -
- Location: Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay
- Year: 2015
"The interior space is proposed to be scaled according to its internal function, with plates suspended by steel rods allowing for spatial fluidity and openings, allowing for cross ventilation and overhead lighting to occur in all environments between reinforced concrete beams..."
Terrace Residence / Architecture Team + José Cubilla
- Location: Asunción, Paraguay
- Year: 2017
"The house is developed on one floor and extends along the land, interspersed in the built space with a procedural progression that corresponds to privacy and intimate physical organization, allowing for cross-ventilation in all environments."
Miriam Housing / Biocons Arquitectos
- Location: Lambal, Paraguay
- Year: 2018
"The house speaks to the existing vegetation and takes advantage of its shade, generating significant indoor energy savings, taking advantage of it through cross-ventilation in addition to the good temperatures in the semi-buried area."
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