Following the earthquake of February 2010 in central southern Chile almost 80,000 families have been re-housed in “media guys,” temporary timber emergency shelters 18m2, as they await the rebuilding of their damaged properties. Even before the earthquake, a survey conducted in 2007 by the Chilean charity, Un Techo para Chile recorded 28,578 families living in shanty towns. In addition, a study conducted between the winter of 2007 and summer of 2008, showed that a large percentage of the Chilean population live during the winter in poor hygrothermal conditions with over 80% suffering problems with condensation and moulds. An affordable, renewable resource, with excellent insulation properties, currently burned as a waste material adding to carbon emission, straw bales could offer an affordable solution to providing energy-efficient housing, especially when considering rural locations. This paper presents the research of the authors regarding the hygrothermal performance of straw bales in central Chile, with results from physical test chambers, and the application of this construction typology to designs for permanent housing solutions.

Even before the earthquake, Chile’s housing deficit was not insignificant. According to the 2002 census, 15% of the urban population were recorded as living in self-built shelters or homeless, a figure that rises to 37.64% of the total Chilean population when those sharing dwellings are included. Of this figure, the rural homeless population represents 19%. According to the National Survey of Shantytowns undertaken by the charity ‘Un Techo para Chile,’ in 2007, there existed in Chile 533 shantytowns (campamentos) housing 28,578 families. Of these 73% were located in the earthquake-affected zone (5-9th and Metropolitan Regions). Prior to the earthquake ‘Un Techo para Chile,’ along with other charities and government agencies had the objective of eradicating these slums by 2010 with the provision of definitive housing that met with the Chilean building regulations. Often during this process, as a stepping-stone families would be moved into volunteer-built “media guys” temporary timber shelters 18m2 costing approximately US$915 . In addition to the quantitative housing deficit, Chile also suffers from one that is qualitative.