The preparation of “The Solar Neighborhood: Reflections and Applications for Twelve Ibero-American Cities” took more than 14 months. Published by Luz Alicia Cárdenas in co-authorship with Ester Higueras, the work brings solar energy to architecture and urban planning. Published by Mairea in Madrid, it studies the radiation conditions in these cities and analyzes, both theoretically and empirically, the sustainability of 12 neighborhoods across twelve Ibero-American cities.

It is also aimed at three different audiences, as explained by Dr. Cárdenas, an academic at the UCH Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism and a researcher for SERC Chile's Line 3. First, it seeks to guide real estate developers, who could incorporate energy-environmental concepts into their projects rather than just the occupancy coefficient allowed by current regulations. Second, the public sector, which through planning instruments could guarantee the use of solar energy across all socioeconomic segments. The third audience for this work is communities, concerned with maintaining the thermal quality of their neighborhoods, which is currently threatened by high-rise constructions.

The idea emerged from the Study of Solar Potential in Urban Fabrics project, sponsored by Cyted Spain and CONICYT, Chile. This solar network involved several researchers across the 12 countries studied, who explored projects, instruments, and solar radiation experiences in each of those cities.

Professor Cárdenas explains that the book analyzes solar irradiation on facades and roofs in detail, as a preliminary step to a calculation applied to different neighborhood configurations: continuous facade blocks, those with front gardens, or those with gardens and patios. These three types of housing configurations are replicated in all Ibero-American cities, including, obviously, specific neighborhoods in the cities studied: Santiago, Easter Island, Madrid, Lisbon, Veracruz, Arequipa, Asunción, Bogotá, Caracas, Punta Arenas, Quito, and Mexicali.

The second part of the book, related to climate and thermal comfort conditions, includes the simulation and bioclimatic design of the 12 neighborhoods studied.

Dr. Luz Alicia Cárdenas, an academic at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Chile, is a researcher for Line 3.