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Bamboo, particularly Guadua Angustifolia cane, offers significant thermal benefits for construction in warm, humid climates and has been a key material in Ecuador for over 9500 years due to its low cost, versatility, and low thermal conductivity. In the coastal region, including the settlement of El Carmen, traditional architectural techniques have evolved to incorporate local materials like Guadua cane. A common method involves using crushed cane as wall cladding, where longitudinally split bamboo is applied, creating openings in the structure. These openings, often viewed as a construction defect, influence passive cooling systems. This study investigated the impact of these irregularities on indoor thermal comfort by documenting the construction systems and climatic conditions of the area. Computational models were reconstructed and tested through CFD simulations to assess thermal behavior. The findings highlight the thermal implications of the vernacular construction system, revealing how wall openings affect passive cooling strategies and overall indoor comfort in the housing typologies of El Carmen.

Changes in land use and architectural renovation are a normal process in historic urban centres, and as a consequence there are changes in the occupation of properties, such as the loss of vegetation cover and filtering soils that could be integrated into the urban green system, which is now almost entirely concentrated in the public space. In this study, a series of orthophotographs of the historic centre of the city of Loja were analysed to determine the changes in vegetation cover and its distribution among squares, parks and private properties. The study puts into context the way in which the city has modified the extent of green cover throughout its modern history. An analysis of aerial imagery was carried out using a pixel classification technique to determine the proportion of area per pixel analysed, and maps were produced to study the distribution of urban greenery in the study area and compare its radius of influence in each period studied. The results show how the historic centre is becoming detached from the urban green system, reducing the presence of green cover on private properties and concentrating on the public space of squares and parks in the centre. This study also explores strategies to protect and increase the distribution of green areas, which can contribute to the reduction of environmental problems in the city.

The present research evaluated a façade alternative to reduce the indoor temperature of buildings in the Ecuadorian Amazon (Yantzaza, Ecuador). Three scale models were compared: one with a gabion facade and leafy vegetables (onion, lettuce, basil, chamomile, and cabbage), one with a gabion facade only, and one with a clay brick (traditional) facade. Thermal data from inside the models were analyzed in March (warmest month) and January (coldest month). The results showed that between 13:00 and 15:00 in January and March 2021, the facade with plants reduced the indoor temperature up to 2°C more than the traditional facade. Cultivated facades increase thermal inertia without the need for additional materials or insulation, making it an environmentally beneficial solution. This research could be useful for designing cooler and more sustainable homes and buildings in hot climates.