Cora Placco, Researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)  

cplacco@gmail.com

Cora Placco, Researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)  

The “El Potrero” finca, department of Iruya, in the province of Salta, Argentina, is characterized by its semiarid mountain weather. Low temperatures are common during winter, falling as low as -15 °C (5 °F), and the thermal amplitude is quite wide throughout the whole year, as higher temperatures reach 20 °C (68 °F). However, solar radiation is very heavy and continuous in the area. One of the communities living there, Las Capillas, comprises 12 families, from which most of the men have height jobs, far from their town and their families. Weather conditions in the area are a problem for women in the community when washing clothes and bathing their children as water is too cold, even frozen. In summer, to heat water, they leave buckets out in the sun for hours, and during the winter water needs to be heated using firewood or guano bricks. This issue prevents some daily tasks to be performed, but it also has health consequences, such as problems with hand articulations, respiratory tract conditions in children who are exposed to cold, or poor regular hygiene to avoid the cold. Besides, the laundry task has traditionally been a social activity. Laundry was done in the river, where women could talk, exchange information, and plan different activities. Nowadays, a great amount of landslide material has changed the river course due to floods, blocking the water flow. The result is families washing their clothes at home. Although women claim a hot water supply for their houses, they still acknowledge the benefits of community laundry as it makes social exchanges possible. Based on this issue, the solution includes creating a community laundry space with hot water using solar energy by means of leveraging the high levels of solar radiation in the area. The community laundry space have a big pool filled with water. The effect of solar radiation magnifies through upper and lower thermal insulation material to change water temperature according to its use. This solution provides the community with hot water for laundry, cooking, and personal hygiene. By doing so, an issue that affects the community’s life quality is tackled and, at the same time, health conditions can be avoided. It also contributes to environmental sustainability through practices using solar energy, economic sustainability due to low prices and material durability, and a sense of community through the laundry space. 

Prototype system

This solution was difused in four communities: Las Capillas, San Isidro, San Juan and Chiyayoc.

There will not only be hot water for washing clothes but also for cooking and personal hygiene in a place where conventional energy is almost inaccessible to its inhabitants. The installation of durable and proven solar equipment is difficult but feasible in this type of community, located in isolated areas, even with low budgets such as the one available in this project.