Comparative Study of Passive Strategies to Favor the Thermal Comfort in Multi-Family Dwellings in Warm Weather: Ricaurte, Colombia

/In many Latin American countries, large building companies of multi-family housing ignore the weather features and the needs of those who inhabit each region. This is due to market dynamics; pressures to save in processes; and the implementation of predefined models. An additional explanation is the lack of local regulations on thermal comfort. This article addresses this issue through a case study in Ricaurte, Colombia, where the increase in housing construction has resulted in high energy consumptions due to air conditioning systems. The analysis included the piloting of passive, insulated, and combined strategies to favor thermal comfort without affecting indoor architectural design. The results suggest considerable reductions of up to 5.7 °C through the combination of shutter-like sun shields in windows and the insulation in façade and covering walls. It was found that the combination of strategies can potentially reduce energy consumption by approximately 33%.