Francisco Serrano Candela

Many buildings built before energy performance regulations are actually in a situation of thermal discomfort and energy inefficiency. The creation of intelligent environments is moving towards new opportunities, based on real-time monitoring and on the development of sensors and technologies. Furthermore, building automation and electronic systems standards enable interoperability and interconnection between control devices and systems. The application of soft computing has significantly improved the energy efficiency; however, it requires prior assessment to design the automation functions. Temperature, humidity, air quality and energy consumption are the most commonly measured parameters, but their relationships with other operational variables such as occupancy or some building states remain as a research challenge. This article presents a methodology to develop the automation of a large existing public building. This methodology consists of two stages: 1. Assessment and diagnosis to set appropriate functions, using EN ISO 52120-1 and EN 50090 for open communication networks, and EN ISO 52120-1 to assign the technical building management. 2. System control deployment of low-cost and low-consumption input and output devices. It has been proven that it is possible to effectively automate an obsolete building with a low-cost, open-source system that can be easily applied to other buildings.

Many buildings built before the energy performance regulations are in a situation of thermal discomfort and energy inefficiency. The creation of intelligent environments advances towards new opportunities, based on real-time monitoring and on the development of sensors and technologies. Furthermore, the standards for building automation and electronic systems enable interoperability and interconnection between control devices and systems. The application of soft computing has significantly improved the energy efficiency, however, requires prior assessment to design the automation functions. Temperature, humidity, air quality, occupancy and energy consumption are the most common measured parameters, but the relationship with other operational variables such as occupancy or some building states remains as a research challenge. This article presents a methodology to develop the automatization of an existing large public building. The methodology consists of three stages: 1. Assessment and diagnosis to set appropriate actions using EN ISO 52120-1. 2. EN 50090 for open communication networks, and EN ISO 52120-1 to assign the technical building management. 3. System control deploying of low-cost and low-consumption input and output devices. It has been proved that it is possible to effectively automate an obsolete building with a low cost, open source system that can be easily applied in other buildings.

En este artículo se aporta una metodología para evaluar la eficiencia energética que aportan las estrategias bioclimáticas de las viviendas vernáculas. El caso de estudio ha sido el Valle del Jerte (Cáceres) con unas tres mil viviendas tradicionales. En primer lugar, se han definido tres tipologías constructivas, y posteriormente se ha simulado específicamente el comportamiento energético de la estrategia de la inercia térmica, proporcionada por los muros de piedra de la envolvente de los edificios, y por la tierra en contacto con la planta baja. En las simulaciones fueron eliminados los elementos masivos para analizar las diferencias en las condiciones higrotérmicas y los intercambios energéticos, tanto de calentamiento como de enfriamiento. Los resultados indican que esta estrategia es beneficiosa, ya que estabiliza las temperaturas interiores respecto a las oscilaciones exteriores, acercándolas a las medias diurnas, más agradables. Identificar las estrategias bioclimáticas permite proponer la valorización de elementos vernáculos.

De entre los muchos elementos arquitectónicos dispersos por el término municipal de Cáceres (ciudad histórica incluida en el Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO) hay uno en estado de ruina, conocido como “ermita de San Jorge”, que en el estado actual del conocimiento algunos autores consideran un edificio religioso por el hecho de tener una estructura de nave diáfana y una serie de pinturas con motivos religiosos. La investigación resumida en este artículo: 1. Se ha realizado con metodología arquitectónica, recabando los datos conocidos y realizando un levantamiento arquitectónico de la estructura del edificio, no sólo de la geometría de los restos, sino del sistema estructural, así como del análisis del emplazamiento. 2. Demuestra que la estructura resistente de los restos constructivos corresponde en realidad a un edificio de almacén de agua (aljibe), emplazado en un camino histórico de la red caminera de Cáceres y en las inmediaciones de la torre medieval de Los Mogollones.