“Podemos ahorrar un 40% en el consumo de calefacción si aislamos los cerramientos de edificios antiguos”
"We can save 40% in heating consumption if we insulate the enclosures of old buildings."
- University of Navarra professor Ana Sánchez-Ostiz provides tips for saving energy in winter
"Old buildings whose enclosures are not insulated produce a lot of heat loss. We can save up to 40% in heating consumption by replacing or reinforcing the window frames and insulating the facades". So says the professor of the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra Ana Sánchez-Ostiz, who directs one of the modules of the program of training 'management of energy. design of passive measures'.
Likewise, the expert also states that "10 minutes are enough to completely ventilate a normal home in winter, provided that it has a double orientation".
Other tips provided to reduce the energy expense at home during the colder seasons is to "take advantage of solar radiation through the glass surfaces facing south, leaving the curtains or blinds open during the hours of solar incidence. To which he adds that "when it gets dark, we must reinforce the heat conservation conditions of these openings, lowering, for example, the blinds".
On the other hand, the architect also comments that a useful and convenient measure is to "distribute the heat in the house from sunny to non-sunny spaces". "If we carry out these simple measures, the savings will be significant," she said.
The goal of the course directed by Ana Sánchez-Ostiz, which opened with a lecture on Sustainable Architecture, is "that students learn to design buildings to optimize energy consumption, in winter and summer, without reducing comfort for users, taking advantage of natural outdoor resources, the environment, the orientation of the facades and the characteristics of insulation and inertia of the building envelope, as well as those of its openings".
Four experts will teach the classes
Four experts in construction and the environment will give lectures in the program 'management of energy. design of passive measures'. On December 10, Iván Flores, an industrial engineer specializing in Energy Techniques, will talk about the physical principles of bioclimatic architecture. On the other hand, Javier Niela, Full Professor of the UPM, will intervene on December 16 and 17 and will present ideas related to construction strategies for energy saving in summer.
Finally, Helena Granados, architect and environmental consultant, will visit the University of Navarra's School of Architecture on January 13, 14, 20 and 21. She will give classes on climate analysis prior to the building's design and on construction strategies for energy savings in winter.