In Mexico, as in many other countries, the energy crisis has permeated throughout many sectors, particularly the construction sector. Mexico has started to develop and implement actions for the efficient use of energy in order to reduce its consumption. The field of building construction has been particularly active in studying ways to optimize the use of energy, especially regarding energy use indoors. One of the main goals of architectural design is to create the proper indoor conditions so individuals can carry out their daily activities in a comfortable area. Interior space must be designed and calculated to provide a comfortable temperature, appropriate lighting, sound control and ventilation for individuals to carry out their daily activities, but must also address the energy required to provide all these characteristics. In warm dry climates, air-conditioning is responsible for a significant amount of the energy consumed in buildings. Proper building design is necessary in order to reduce energy consumption in this sector.This paper shows the results of simulations with the Energy Plus software to compare the thermal performance of a low-cost housing located in a warm dry climate, Hermosillo, Sonora, with similar construction systems in the envelope. Furthermore, an analysis of the effect of the color exterior finish, represented as a gradual change in the absorptance to solar radiation. The simulation is performed for two conditions of use of low-cost housing, the first condition considers the room without air conditioning and the second considers the air conditioned room. To simulate analyzed housing with air conditioning, is used an air conditioner from the database Energy Plus, corresponding to a Mini-split system compact unit zone cooling with a COP (Coefficient of performance) of 1.83

In extreme climates like the desert climate of Northwest Mexico, indoor thermal conditions in buildings, and particularly in low-cost housing developments, are very uncomfortable. In buildings where the use of air conditioning devices can be afford, excessive energy is spent, leading to high acclimatization costs.In many cases, construction materials for low-cost houses are selected according to the lowest price, and not taking into account the best thermal behavior according to the local climate. Different types of blocks are widely used as a construction material for walls, such us earth blocks, adobe, concrete hollow blocks, cellular blocks, bricks, because of their low price and easy installation.Designstrategies must be very carefully selected according to the local climate, because they have a great impact on energy consumptions and in the quality of life of the occupants. The selection of the appropriate materials for the envelope is part of these design strategies, and is the main subject of this paper.In this work we analyze the thermal behavior of a wall compound of two different materials: cellular concrete blocks and stabilized earth blocks. The monitored wall is part of a low-cost house constructed for demonstrative and experimental purposes. External and internal superficial temperatures have been measured and infrared images of the same areas have been analyzed.Infrared thermography is particularly useful to evaluate non-homogeneous materials or non-traditional materials, from which not all thermal properties are known. The thermal behavior is analyzed, in relation to the expected characteristics according to the climate, such as adequate thermal insulation and thermal inertia of the envelope, which are different for air-conditioning and non air-conditioning situations

The first phase of the project presented in this paper consisted of an analysis of the current conditions of the users of social housing units, and has...