Bioclimatic constructive solutions existing in vernacular architecture from the North Portugal and “Castela e Leão” (Spain) border region
Conference Paper
Overview
Research
View All
Overview
abstract
The traditional architecture is founded as a defining element of the identity of a region, and its essence
should be preserved and conserved by means of maintenance and recovery actions. Thus, the best
solutions and proposals for intervention should be looked for but this doesn’t imply a back to back
innovation and at construction progress.
This work is part of the BIOURB project, a cross-border project between Portugal and Spain, which
intended to contribute to the change of the current constructive model toward a more sustainable
bioclimatic model, both environmentally and economically, reducing the energy consumption of
buildings and raising the value of bioclimatic heritage along the border. In order to achieve the study a
survey has previously been conducted on the bioclimatic solutions along the border, more specifically
between the areas covered by the municipalities of Bragança, Miranda do Douro, Vimioso, Mogadouro,
Salamanca, Zamora and, in particular, areas of the natural parks of "Los Arribes del Duero" and "El
Sayago".
One of the BIOURB project objectives was to establish guidelines for the conservation and rehabilitation
of the vernacular architecture so it includes the description of techniques for maintenance and
conservation of bioclimatic solutions found and inventoried in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, with
special focus on a unique bioclimatic solution known as Sunspace, whose main advantage is to
contribute significantly to the improvement of the thermal performance of buildings. It is also important
to recover the historical heritage in a sustainable manner, allowing it to become an engine of
development for both urban and small rural centres that exist in the periphery of the bigger cities
