Energy consumption to cool and heat experimental modules for the energy refurbishment of façades. Three case studies in Madrid

• Comparison of two types of facade insulation methods in a test building environment under real weather conditions.
• Thermal performance improvements of buildings erected in Madrid from 1940 to 1980 are analysed.
• Use of monitoring data collected for over a year to establish seasonal variations.

This article identifies the façade construction systems used on social housing in Madrid in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). A large percentage of the city’s present housing was built in that period, often under precarious circumstances, to accommodate rural migration to the city.The study described, inspired by the urgent need to improve the thermal performance of these enclosures to adapt them to today’s energy efficiency standards, consisted in monitoring innovative refurbishment solutions under controlled conditions.Three construction systems for façades were explored. One was the standard housing enclosure built in Madrid in the time frame mentioned, while the other two were solutions proposed for its energy refurbishment. The second system was a tile-based ventilated façade with national technical approval credentials and the third an ETIS (external thermal insulation system) with European technical approvals (ETA) credentials.The findings are analysed in terms of the energy consumption calculated for the three solutions. One of the most prominent conclusions of the study is that on south façades in climates where winter prevails (such as in Madrid), ETIS solutions are more effective than ventilated façades. In warmer climates and for other orientations, however, ventilated façades may be more efficient.