Sensitivity analysis in historical adobe buildings in Hermosillo using NOM-020-ENER-2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32870/rvcs.v0i20.349Keywords:
adobe, thermal conductivity, NOM-020-ENER-2011, heat gain, historic buildingsAbstract
1. Objective: To analyze the impact of the thickness of the walls and the thermal conductivity of adobe on the energy consumption of historic buildings, using exclusively the calculation tool from NOM-020-ENER-2011.2. Methodology: Adobe wall thicknesses from historical buildings in Hermosillo and thermal conductivity values reported in the literature were collected. Using the maximum, minimum, and median values of each variable, nine combinations of construction systems were generated and evaluated in two different geometries using the calculation tool from NOM-020-ENER-2011. The results were analyzed through correlations and sensitivity analysis for each variable.3. Results: The correlational analysis indicates that thermal conductivity is more influential in predicting heat gain; however, the sensitivity analysis shows that variations in wall thickness produce more significant changes.4. Limitations/implications: The study uses only the calculation tool from NOM-020-ENER-2011, which limits the results to heat gain and compliance with the standard without considering effects such as stratification, thermal inertia, among other passive strategies of the buildings studied.5. Originality/value: The study provides quantitative evidence in an extreme climate context, focusing on variables that are little explored in adobe buildings, and generates criteria for the conservation and thermal improvement of heritage without compromising its authenticity.6. Findings/conclusions: The information obtained is useful both for new adobe buildings and for interventions in heritage buildings aimed at improving their thermal performance.References
Abro, R. S. (1994). Low energy architecture: Recognition of passive cooling techniques. Renewable Energy, 5(5-8), 1143-1146. https://doi.org/10.1016/0960-1481(94)90142-2
Akbarzadeh, A., Charters, W. W. S. y Lesslie, D. A. (1982). Thermocirculation characteristics of a Trombe wall passive test cell. Solar Energy, 28(6), 461-468. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-092X(82)90317-6
Al-Assaad, D., Sengupta, A., An, P., Breesch, H., Afshari, A., Amaripadath, D., Attia, S., Baba, F., Corrado, V., Eli, L., Krelling, A. F., Lee, S. H., Levinson, R., Olinger, M., Tootkaboni, M. P. Wang, L., Zhang, C. y Zinzi, M. (2025). Resilient passive cooling strategies during heat waves: A quantitative assessment in different climates. Building and Environment, 274, 112698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112698
Alioui, A., Kaitouni, S. I., Azalam, Y., Al armouzi, N. Bendada, E. M. y Mabrouki, M. (2024). Effect of straw fibers addition on hygrothermal and mechanical properties of carbon-free adobe bricks: From material to building scale in a semi-arid climate. Building and Environment, 255, 111380, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111380
Bodach, S., Lang, W. y Hamhaber, J. (2014). Climate responsive building design strategies of vernacular architecture in Nepal. Energy and Buildings, 81, 227-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.06.022
Borbon-Almada, A. C., Lucero-Alvarez, J., Rodriguez-Muñoz, N. A., Ramirez-Celaya, M., Castro-Brockman, S., Sau-Soto, N. y Najera-Trejo, M. (2020). Design and Application of Cellular Concrete on a Mexican Residential Building and Its Influence on Energy Savings in Hot Climates: Projections to 2050. Applied Sciences, 10(22), 8225. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10228225
Cabrera, S., Guilarducci, A., González, D. y Suarez, M. (2023). Evaluation of the thermal conductivity and transmittance coefficient of earthen constructive elements. Revista Hábitat Sustentable, 13(1), 8-19. https://doi.org/10.22320/07190700.2023.13.01.01
Centro INAH Sonora (2025). Planos de plantas, fachadas y detalles [Archivo DWG]. Hermosillo, México.
Charai, M., Salhi, M., Horma, O., Mezrhab, A., Karkri, M. y Amraqui, S. (2022). Thermal and mechanical characterization of adobes bio-sourced with Pennisetum setaceum fibers and an application for modern buildings. Construction and Building Materials, 326, 1268091, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126809
Chávez Galán, J. (2009). Evaluación experimental de propiedades térmicas de materiales de construcción nacionales y desarrollo de ventanas ahorradoras de energía. Tesis de Doctorado, UNAM.
Costa, C., Arduin, D., Rocha, F. y Velosa, A. (2019). Adobe Blocks in the Center of Portugal: Main Characteristics. International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 15(3), 467-478. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2019.1627442
Costi del Castrillo, M., Ioannou, I. y Philokyprou, M. (2021). Reproduction of traditional adobes using varying percentage contents of straw and sawdust. Construction and Building Materials, 294, 123516, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123516
Diario Oficial de la Federación (2011). NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-020-ENER-2011, Eficiencia energética en edificaciones. Envolvente de edificios para uso habitacional. https://www.dof.gob.mx/normasOficiales/4459/sener1.htm
Foruzanmehr, A. (2015). People's perception of the loggia: A vernacular passive cooling system in Iranian architecture. Sustainable Cities and Society, 19, 61-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2015.07.002
Erell, E. y Etzion, Y. (1996). Heating experiments with a radiative cooling system. Building and Environment, 31(6), 509-517. https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-1323(96)00030-3
Givoni, B. (1998). Effectiveness of mass and night ventilation in lowering the indoor daytime temperatures. Energy and Buildings, 28(1), 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-7788(97)00056-X
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (2014). Catálogo de monumentos históricos inmuebles: Estado de Sonora. México: INAH.
Izadpanahi, P., Mahmoudi Farahani, L. y Nikpey, R. (2021). Lessons from Sustainable and Vernacular Passive Cooling Strategies Used in Traditional Iranian Houses. Journal of Sustainability Research, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20210014
Jové-Sandoval, F., García-Baños, E. M. y Barbero-Barrera, M. M. (2024). Characterisation and thermal improvement of adobe walls from earth-straw lightweight panels. MRS Advances, 9(2), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00630-1
Kimura, K. y Yamazaki, K. (1982). Passive cooling performance of thatched roofs in traditional Japanese vernacular houses. In A. Bowen y R. Wagner, Passive and Low Energy Alternatives I: Proceedings of the First International PLEA Conference. Bermuda: Pergamon Press, 3-1-3-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-029405-6.50015-5
Kokatnur, T., Ferreira, S., Akkoç, B. K., Markarian, E., Nojedehi, P., Qiblawi, S., Sewraj, K., Gunay, B., O’Brien, W., Papineau, M., Schweiker, M., Ulukavak Harputlugil, G. y Azar, E. (2025). A review of passive design strategies and their effect on thermal resilience in low-income households. Energy and Buildings, 348, 116508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116508
Mohamed, M., Klingmann, A. y Samir, H. (2019). Examining the Thermal Performance of Vernacular Houses in Asir Region of Saudi Arabia. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 58(2), 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2019.03.004
Moscoso-García, P. y Quesada-Molina, F. (2023). Analysis of Passive Strategies in Traditional Vernacular Architecture. Buildings, 13(8), 1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13081984
Nie, Y., Luo, M., Liu, J. y Wu, Z. (2025). Assessment of passive climate-responsive strategies in vernacular Yinzi building: A case study in China’s hot-summer and cold-winter climate. Energy and Buildings, 347(A), 116274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116274
Nikiforova, T., Savytskyi, M., Limam, K., Bosschaerts, W. y Belarbi, R. (2013). Methods and results of experimental researches of thermal conductivity of soils. Energy Procedia, 42, 775-783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2013.12.034
Niles, P. W. B. (1976). Thermal evaluation of a house using a movable-insulation heating and cooling system. Solar Energy, 18(5), 413-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-092X(76)90007-4
Ouanes, S. y Sriti, L. (2024). Regression-based sensitivity analysis and multi-objective optimisation of energy performance and thermal comfort: Building envelope design in hot arid urban context. Building and Environment, 248, 111099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.111099
Pérez-Sánchez, J. F., Chavez-Vega, F. R., Calvillo-Villicaña, M. E., Suárez Domínguez, K., Estrada Castro, K. E., Luna-Domínguez, J. H. y Gallegos-Villela, R. (2022). Thermal conductivity prediction and comfort in adobe housing in Tamaulipas. Cogent Engineering, 9(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2022.2109321
Polidori, G., Aras-Gaudry, A., Rousse, C., Beaumont, F., Bogard, F., Murer, S., Moussa, T., Bliard, C., Fronteau, G. y Hamard, E. (2025). Analysis of adobes from vernacular raw earth buildings in Campagne region (France). Construction and Building Materials, 470, 140582, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140582
Secretaría de Energía (2022). Programa para el Desarrollo del Sistema Eléctrico Nacional 2022-2036. México: SENER. https://www.gob.mx/cenace/documentos/programa-para-el-desarrollo-del-sistema-electrico-nacional-2022-2036
Soleymanpour, R., Parsaee, N. y Banaei, M. (2015). Climate Comfort Comparison of Vernacular and Contemporary Houses of Iran. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 201, 49-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.08.118
United Nations Environment Programme UNEP (2024). Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction: Beyond foundations: Mainstreaming sustainable solutions to cut emissions from the buildings sector. Nairobi: UNEP. https://doi.org/10.59117/20.500.11822/45095.
Zra Mha, B., Dawoua Kaoutoing, M., Moubeke, C. A., Lemanle Sanga, R. P., Doko, V. y Ntamack, G. E. (2025). Thermophysical characterization of adobes stabilized with natural fibers. Construction and building materials, 502, 144439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.144439
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Alma Angelina Ayala Moreno, Juan Pedro Ayala Moreno, Javier Esquer Peralta

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Update Notice: Beginning with Issue 20 (July–December 2026), the contents of Vivienda y Comunidades Sustentables are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Previous issues remain subject to the licensing terms under which they were originally published.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
In accordance with copyright legislation, authors retain copyright of their work and grant Vivienda y Comunidades Sustentables the right of first publication. Vivienda y Comunidades Sustentables does not charge any fees for manuscript submission, editorial processing, or publication.
Authors may enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of their article (for example, by depositing it in an institutional repository or republishing it in a book), provided that they clearly acknowledge that the work was first published in Vivienda y Comunidades Sustentables.
