Argentina. Argentina faces a new scenario in the face of increases in energy tariffs, and in this context, the Professional Council of Civil Engineering -CPIC- highlights the need to cover three levels of the problem: build efficient buildings in their insulation and enclosures, secondly analyze both the most efficient technological equipment as well as the use and maintenance. And finally, think about increasingly accessible systems for one's own generation of energy.
Epifanio Blanco in a recently published text highlights that in the framework of the recent tariff increases in our country, a concern that is growing at great speed in recent months stands out: energy efficiency. The Professional Council of Civil Engineering proposes the most effective way to reduce energy expenditure in buildings, in three levels of approach. Firstly, the construction of a building itself, followed by the use of air conditioning and lighting equipment, among many other components, and thirdly the increasingly feasible possibility of generating additional renewable energies that could be produced by the same building.
The engineer Ramón Eyras and the architect Ismael Eyras, experts in the field, explain: "Regarding the first solution to the problem, builders must take into account the proverb "the cheapest energy is the one that is not spent". To save energy used in thermal conditioning it is fundamentally necessary to ensure that the energy we provide is minimal and, on the other hand, is preserved. For this, it is necessary to improve the quality of thermal and water-repellent insulation throughout the building envelope. The choice of windows must be taken into account, among other factors, since they generate up to 57% of the energy losses and gains in air conditioning. In Argentina we have a beneficial and undemanding climate regarding the conservation of energy, so it is not a priority to place opening systems as demanding as in other latitudes, where hermetic double glazing is a standard for construction; however, carpentry is necessary to provide tightness and avoid thermal bridges. Also, some very simple elements to protect the windows, such as blinds or lattices, generate very important savings for protection against the sun's rays and insulation from heat losses and gains. Unfortunately, in Argentina, these systems have disappeared for about 15 years in buildings, transferring these additional costs of air conditioning from the house to users."
