📘 [Article] Bioclimatic design recommendations for novel cluster analysis–based mapping for humid climates with altitudinal gradient variations

Colombia is not just “hot and humid.” It is a country of microclimates shaped by altitude, humidity, and solar exposure. A new study analyzed 69,874 satellite-based climate records at 4 km resolution using updated TMY 2021 data. The result?

🔎 8 statistically validated bioclimatic clusters.

🌎 A high-resolution national climate atlas

🏗 Direct translation from climate data to passive design strategies

Key findings:

• Nearly 80 percent of the territory requires cooling strategies• Altitude radically shifts design needs from ventilation to heating

• Above 2000 meters, passive solar heating becomes dominant

• In Amazon and Pacific regions, air conditioning plus dehumidification is required most of the year

🏙️ Why this matters

This is more than mapping the climate. It connects data science, satellite modeling, and building physics to early-stage architectural decision-making. For young researchers working in sustainable design, this methodology is replicable across humid tropical regions where meteorological data is limited. If you are designing for the tropics, this framework matters.

• 80% of the territory is hot and humid, yet mountain microclimates drastically shift strategy needs

• Natural ventilation dominates in lowlands • Passive solar heating becomes essential above 2000 m

• Air-conditioning + dehumidification is unavoidable in tropical super-humid zones

This is not just a climate map. It is a design translation tool for architects, planners, and policymakers.

👥 Authors & institutions to follow: Cristian Andrés Mejía Parada and Viviana Mora-Ruiza (Research and Development University (UDI), Colombia), Shady Attia 阿提亚 沙帝 (Université de Liège, Belgium).

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