Air tightness of precarious housing in informal settlements in Lima, Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22320/07190700.2026.16.01.09Keywords:
sloping construction, sustainable development, thermodynamicsAbstract
The level of air tightness in a dwelling directly affects its thermal, acoustic, and health-related conditions. Due to the lack of studies providing such data at a local level, this research aimed to determine both the values and the contributing factors that condition the level of air tightness in precarious housing built in informal settlements in Lima. Using the blower door method, measurements were conducted in five dwellings, revealing air change rates between 40 and 280 ACH (Air Changes per Hour) at a differential pressure of 50 pascals, which are remarkably high and indicate poor airtightness. These findings constitute the first empirical approach to airtightness in precarious housing, providing preliminary data useful for analyzing thermal comfort in contexts of high urban vulnerability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Martin Wieser, Ronald Mas, Enrique Barrantes, Enrique Mejía-Solis, Alessandra Gonzales, Jimena Valdivia, Luis-Ricardo Chirinos-García
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