“Patio” and “Botijo”: Energetic strategies’ architectural integration in “Patio 2.12” prototype

•Energy strategies of the “Patio 2.12” prototype for Solar Decathlon 2012 are analyzed.•We examine how an optimal architectural integration is achieved.•We show the advantages of using strong architectural ideas to integrate energy systems.•Innovative systems like evapotranspiration in the ceramic envelope is explained.•A technological re-interpretation of the vernacular Mediterranean courtyard is showed.

The “Patio 2.12” Prototype is the Andalusian Universities’ proposal for Solar Decathlon Europe 2010. Its design was focused to get an optimal integration between architectural concepts and energy-efficient mechanisms. It was intended to develop the energy design operations as if they were the logical conclusion of two primary concepts named after de Spanish words “patio” and “botijo”. Patio has to do with architectural typology, with the way we use domestic space, with the possibility of creating damping gaps, with the advantages of the natural regulatory mechanisms of light, shade and air; in short, patio has to do with interior space and enjoyment. The second, botijo, is related to the outer shape of the pieces, with the heat exchange through different “skins”, and with the mechanisms designed to improve that exchange. Thus, we can achieve a coherent image that, together with the solar thermal and photovoltaic collectors, does not appear as added, but as a natural part of the “vessels” that make up the house.In the text that follows, every energy strategy of “Patio 2.12” is described and analyzed. We show the advantages of using strong architectural ideas to accomplish a harmonious dialogue among the domestic energy mechanisms.