The older segments of the adult population in cities experience problems conditioned by the climate of each place. Since the 2003 heat wave which caused 70,000 heat deaths, the dramatic consequences of climate change and rising temperatures in Europe have led to the elderly being most at risk. Insufficient adaptability and economic resources among them also lead to repercussions on architecture, causing energy poverty issues as a result of a real consumption needed which is very different from the actual consumption. The demands of these people are determined by environmental stress, which differ greatly throughout the year. In addition, illnesses influence the daily health and the decrease in sensory capacity of the elderly, making them more vulnerable to constant changes. Faced with this problem, the main aim of this research is to analyse the degree of comfort and well-being of the elderly due to the environmental changes that occur in Andalusian rural homes in order to include some considerations in the design of indoor environments.
TopIntroduction
Today's society is subject to constant transformation, altering its way of life and its way of thinking about architecture and the spaces which make it up. Currently, anywhere in the world changes are always promoted by self-interest, something which can be manipulated and directed by society. Although nature cannot be directed by the action of humans, it is influenced by their actions. Climate change continues to be one of the main axes influencing our lives, a process which cannot be modified by humans. Resilient architecture can be understood as the ability to recover from changes caused by environmental agents.
In parallel, another concept that will determine how architecture is thought about is the way in which users understand life. The degree of comfort of an individual will depend on the situation at a given point in time, their way of life, their customs, their needs, etc. It will always be personal and unique to each user.
Given the current population context in Europe, where an aging population has resulted in a significant inversion of the population pyramid, the study of this older sector of the population is of interest. At this stage in their lives, people have assimilated certain customs imposed by the culture in which they live, and certain aspects of how they use their home bring about a unique purpose in rural architecture (Figure 1).
Figure 1.
Population pyramid of Spain
At present, the elderly make up a vital influential part of society in the development of a resilient architecture. The numerous energy poverty issues stemming from a lack of adaptability and economic resources in turn have a serious impact on the architecture. Demand is determined by environmental stress, with the situation changing drastically for them from one season to the next. In addition, the damage caused by disease to daily health and the reduced sensory capacity of the elderly makes them vulnerable to continuous change. At this stage, people are more fragile, with a more reduced adaptive capacity. A case study in Aznalcóllar, a town in Andalusia has been set up to study the comfort and well-being of users and their homes.
The main objective of this research is to analyse the degree of comfort and well-being of the elderly due to the environmental changes that occur in rural homes.
This case study aims to answer two main questions:
TopBackground
The conflicts and convergences that occur between climate change and the aging of society is a current reality, one to be experienced for many years. People’s age and required energy demand are directly linked. The current aging population is also affected by falling fertility and mortality. This is expected to have an impact on global health and financial stability, while also constituting a greater burden on the environment. (Harper, 2006).
The city of the future will be affected by a rise in temperatures and a higher concentration of older people. Flexibility proposals are made for the city, including sustainable infrastructure and changes to urban environments. The constant increase in temperature expected until 2100 and changes in precipitation patterns have prompted consideration of an architecture which can adapt to its surroundings, where homes can act as climatic shelters
In the Mediterranean temperatures will increase progressively by + 2/4 ºC. In 2035 they will increase between + 4/6ºC; in 2050 by + 8ºC; in 2070 between + 10/12ºC; with an increase of around 15ºC expected in 2100. On the other hand, precipitation change in the Mediterranean is expected to fall by 0.05 to 0.10 metres (Peek, 2016).
This will result in drought phases for years, causing new problems to society. Population ageing causes a change in physical and mental ability, reducing sensory capacity and moderating decreases in temperature and environmental stress. Another consequence expected is that of migrations, which empty the industrial city and create some temporal agglomerations (Peek, 2016).