Artificial Degradation of Two Wooden Species of Different Density and Their Use for Optimization of Thermal Comfort in Climatic Areas of Marine and Mesoandean Desert

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of two species of wood of different density and the most commercialized in the southern regions of Peru: Schizolobium excelsum (pashaco) and Aniba gigantiflora (mohena), in order to choose the appropriate timber species for housing coating and contribute to thermal comfort. Wood is known to be a widely used material in construction due to its mechanical, aesthetic and sustainable properties. However, its durability is compromised by environmental factors. The degradation of wood can manifest itself in the form of cracking, erosion and discoloration, affecting its structural integrity and appearance. On the other hand, several studios have designed multilayered facades as an architectural strategy that seeks to optimize the thermal comfort of the interior spaces. Previous studies have shown that the configuration of multilayer facades with wood can result in a significant improvement of the thermal performance of buildings, for this purpose the best timber species must be chosen. Context: In this context, samples of two timber species were selected and evaluated in their natural state and coated with commercial surface protector, and wood thermally treated at 180 °C; these samples were subjected to accelerated degradation in a QUV equipment under conditions of UV radiation (0.89 W/m2 nm at 340 nm), humidity (by condensation and spray) and high temperatures (up to 60 °C), according to EN 927-6:2018 (European Committee for Standardization, 2018) for a total of 2016 hours. Results: The results showed statistically that the wood in its natural state, and with commercial coating presented cracking, fissures, erosion and discoloration. However, the heat treated wood presented better results of resistance against cracks. Finally, the species Schizolobium excelsum (density 0.33 g/cm3) is more resistant to exposed climatic conditions. Chosen the best timber species, it was configured as part of the multi-layer facade system composed of: heat treated wood, elastomer, air, OSB board and polyurethane insulators and its behavior was simulated to optimize thermal comfort in homes of marine desert climates and Andean meso with THERM software. The result showed an internal temperature concentration of 20 °C versus 0 °C of external temperature, this result considering only structures of walls of the house. Implications of the research: The implications of the research is at the level of material development, since the results reflect the need to develop coatings and treatments for wood that offer greater protection against degradation that respond to demands for durability and sustainability. Another implication is at the level of design strategy, the configuration of multi-layer facade with heat treated wood, can be adopted in architectural design to improve thermal comfort in marine or Mesoandean desert climatic areas. Originality: The originality of this inside research in which an accelerated degradation equipment was used, which allowed to have a realistic frame of reference to evaluate the behavior of materials in adverse climatic conditions. Likewise, it was possible to identify the timber species, more resistant to extreme climatic factors and by simulating the thermal behavior of this material, it is concluded that it is viable against other timber species.