More than 14 months took the development of “The Solar Neighborhood. Reflections and applications to twelve Ibero-American cities, published by Luz Alicia Cárdenas in co-authorship with Ester Higueras, taking the subject of solar energy into architecture and urbanism. Edited by Mairea, in Madrid, the book reviews the radiation conditions in these cities and analyzes, in a theoretical and empirical way, the sustainability of 12 neighborhoods of the same number of Ibero-American cities.
It is also intended for three different audiences, according to Dr. Cárdenas, Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at UCH and Line 3 researcher at SERC Chile. Firstly, it seeks to guide real estate companies, which could incorporate the energy-environmental concept into their projects and not only the occupancy coefficient allowed by current regulations. Secondly, the public sector, which through planning instruments could ensure the use of solar energy across different socio-economic segments. The third target-reader of this work is the communities, who are currently concerned with maintaining and protecting the thermal quality of their neighborhoods from the height of construction works.
The idea came from the study of Solar Potential in urban framework, sponsored by Cyted Spain and Conicyt, Chile. This solar network gathered several researchers in the 12 countries studied, who explored solar radiation projects, instruments and experiences in each of these cities.
Professor Cárdenas explains that the book analyzes the solar irradiation in facades and ceilings in detail, prior to a calculation applied to different neighborhood configurations: continuous facade blocks; with front yard or with backyard and patio. These three types of housing configuration are replicated in all Ibero-American cities, including, obviously, specific neighborhoods of the cities studied: Santiago; Easter Island; Madrid; Lisbon; Veracruz; Arequipa; Asunción; Bogotá; Caracas; Punta Arenas; Quito and Mexicali.
The second part of the book, related to climate and thermal comfort conditions, includes the simulation and the bioclimatic design of the 12 districts studied.
Dr. Luz Alicia Cárdenas, Professor in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of Universidad de Chile, is also a Line 3 researcher at SERC Chile.