HOME DIAGNOSTICS AND BUILDING
SCIENCE IN MAR DEL PLATA
Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires
Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires
In 2024, Weatherizers Without Borders (WWB, in collaboration with FOVISEE Foundation, with the support of Citi Foundation), carried out a comprehensive intervention in San Jacinto, an informal neighborhood in the city of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province. Our work focused on the technical and social assessment of home performance and on promoting safer, healthier, and more energy-efficient living environments.
As part of this field effort, we conducted 22 full home sustainability diagnostics and surveyed a total of 60 homes, combining Building Science and Weatherization tools, in-depth interviews with families, and technical measurements aimed at identifying domestic risks and opportunities for improvement.


Our Methodology
Each home diagnostic was based on an integrated approach that combined technical expertise, data analysis, and social engagement, always in close dialogue with the families we worked with.
The main components of our methodology were:
Technical measurements:
Building and construction assessment:
Main Findings
Through the systematization of the data collected from the 60 homes, we identified recurring patterns of housing and energy vulnerability, including:
Safety of installations:
Household interviews:


Recommendations and Actions
After each diagnostic, we provided every family with a personalized technical report containing prioritized recommendations according to the level of urgency. These included:
For the most critical cases, we coordinated with local institutions and public agencies to facilitate immediate responses and support.
Impact and next steps
Our work in San Jacinto demonstrated the importance of linking building science, data, community participation, and public policy to address housing and energy poverty in a concrete and measurable way.
Through our evidence-based and community-driven methodology, we were able to identify feasible, scalable, and context-appropriate solutions.
This intervention not only improved the living conditions of participating families, but also generated strategic information to help design public housing programs that are fair, sustainable, and people-centered.
We at WWB, in collaboration with FOVISEE Foundation, will continue expanding and replicating these efforts in other regions of Argentina, working hand in hand with communities to co-create safer, healthier, and more dignified homes for all.