Lessons from Vernacular Bamboo Architecture for Sustainable Design in Hot Humid Areas of Coastal Manabi
Abstract:
It is now understood that vernacular architecture essentially embodies the tangible and intangible values of a com munity that comes to identify itself with what it builds as a result of its engagement and cultural legacy. In the coastal province of Manabí, Ecuador, the vernacular architectural heritage is mestizo, stemming from the intermingling of Spaniard techniques and indigenous craftsmanship that made extensive use of bamboo as the main building material. For centuries, vernacular bamboo houses have adapted to social changes and harsh coastal climatic conditions, displaying the effectiveness of their bioclimatic design with highly sustainable construction methods. However, over the past decades there has been a loss of passive climate control principles, mainly due to the substitution of bamboo in favour of culturally and environmentally foreign processed materials. Scientific literature has further explored the properties that distinguish Guadua angustifolia kunth from other bamboo species, placing it as one of the most sus tainable and cost- effective materials for human use. This paper proposes, based on historical analysis, to reveal the bioclimatic strategies bound to the material which could be implemented in a sustainable and comfortable housing design proposal. The aim is twofold: to highlight the bioclimatic nature of traditional architecture when associated with other local materials, such as cade and quinche, and to demonstrate the versatile performance of bamboo for sustainable constructions. Design Builder software is used to model the proposal, which is then evaluated under ASHRAE 55 adaptive comfort parameters. The results show a sustainable and energy efficient annual performance, with more than 98% comfortable annual hours using only bamboo, quinche and cade architectural and construction strategies. The study also highlights that a high thermal mass of the building, in conjunction with cross ventilation, is a very efficient strategy in hot humid climates, capable of ensuring indoor comfort without resorting to mechanical air-conditioning.
