Self-build amid rising temperatures: the case of Cantinho do Céu, São Paulo

Abstract

This article seeks to identify the main envelope elements that hinder the thermal performance of self-construction in a context of rising temperatures, an important effect of climate change. Based on a set of self-built houses located in Cantinho do Céu, an irregular settlement in the southern region of São Paulo, we used an evaluation method that combines the analysis of the building envelopes with field research, interviews, and thermographic photographs. The results indicate that the heating of the dwellings is predominantly related to the inappropriate use of materials and to the wrong disposition of construction elements. Technical advice is recommended as a tool that acts on the construction defects of precarious housing, contributing to a better adaptation of the most vulnerable population to climate effects.