THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES OBSERVED IN THE DESIGN PROCESS OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SOUTH-CENTRAL CHILE, FROM THE INCORPORATION OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT STANDARDS. THE METHODOLOGY IS BASED ON AN INTEGRATED DESIGN, WHICH JOINS PROFESSIONALS FROM THE FONDEF PROJECT D09I1081 ?DEVELOPMENT AND INTRODUCTION OF PASSIVE BUILDING IN CHILE? AND THE FOUNDATION ?TECHO? TOGETHER. IT DEVELOPED A PURPOSEFUL RESEARCH BASE ON A SOCIAL HOUSING AS A CASE STUDY. DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS ARE GENERATED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE VALUES OF A HIGHLY ENERGY EFFICIENT STANDARD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE UP TO 80% OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION. THE PROCESS OF THE INTEGRATED DESIGN IS REGISTERED TO PERCEIVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE APPLICATION. FINALLY, THOSE LANDMARKS ARE TURN INTO BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES. THE CONCLUSIONS IDENTIFY THE MAIN IMPLICATIONS OF HIGH-ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS INCORPORATION IN CHILEAN SOCIAL HOUSING.

ENERGY SAVING IS A VERY ACTUAL TOPIC IN CHILE. THERE ARE TWO DIVERGENT REALITIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR: ON THE ONE HAND AN INADEQUATE INDOOR COMFORT AND ON THE OTHER HAND, VERY HIGH ENERGY CONSUMPTION. BOTH ARE PRODUCTS OF A LOW BUILDING QUALITY. THIS ARTICLE SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SAVE ABOUT 80% OF ENERGY IN SPACE HEATING AND COOLING IN THE CENTRAL-SOUTH AREA OF CHILE, WITH LOW ENERGY BUILDINGS WHICH REACH THE SO-CALLED PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD. USING THIS STANDARD NOT ONLY REDUCES THE ENERGY DEMAND OF BUILDINGS BUT ALSO INCREASES ITS INTERNAL COMFORT CONDITIONS. A PARAMETRIC STUDY WAS UTILIZED IN ORDER TO ANALYZE, BY WHAT MEANS IT IS POSSIBLE TO MEET THE STANDARD IN THREE CITIES IN CENTRAL-SOUTH OF CHILE. THE TECHNOLOGIES TO BUILD PASSIVE HOUSES, SUCH AS HIGH THERMAL INSULATION, DOUBLE GLAZING WINDOWS WITH LOW-E COATING AND ARGON FILLING OR VENTILATION SYSTEMS WITH HEAT RECOVERY ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET. WITHOUT DOUBT, THE BUILDINGS THAT ACHIEVE THE PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD HAVE AN HIGHER INITIAL INVESTMENT COST THAN A TRADITIONAL BUILDING, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, A PASSIVE HOUSE HAS APPROXIMATELY 80% LOWER RUNNING COSTS THAN A TRADITIONAL BUILDING. DUE TO THIS SAVING IN OPERATING COSTS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ECONOMIZE THE HIGHER INITIAL COST DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE CONSTRUCTION.