The objective of the present study is to select appropriate wall materials for houses in high Andean regions based on the measurements of the thermal behavior of construction materials using a "Test Cell" under real environmental conditions. It will be the first "Test Cell" to be installed in Peru, in Imata-Arequipa, at 4500 masl. The design and thermal analysis of the "Test Cell" are presented using dynamic simulations with the EnergyPlus program. Initially, the thermal performance of adobe, a traditional construction material in rural regions of Peru, is simulated using real meteorological data recorded in Imata between August 18 and 24, 2018, a period with low temperatures (-12.6 °C). © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Evaluation results of the thermal performance of an experimental housing module (EHM) are presented with considerations for the level of insulation and the installation of two active heaters powered by solar energy. The EHM is located in a high Andean rural area in southern Peru (latitude: 13° 45'40" S, longitude: 73° 51'26" W, and elevation: 3700 masl), where in situ measurements were made. The design and implementation of the EHM was based on the application of bioclimatic strategies and techniques. For the thermal evaluation of the EHM, 43 temperature sensors connected to dataloggers were used. The results show that the temperature inside the EHM increased more than 12 °C with respect to the outside temperature in the critical hours of extreme cold and frost when the isolation and the proposed radiative systems are used. Finally, the thermal behavior of the EHM was simulated using ...