## 1 Introduction  
The residential sector is responsible for 40% of global carbon dioxide, thus energy efficiency measures in this sector would help to support emission reduction targets for climate mitigation [1, 2]. In Chile, the residential sector accounts for 30% of the primary energy consumption [3, 4] with the majority of energy consumption used for space heating [5]. A study reviewing a representative sample of homes in Chile found that the majority are energy inefficient and do not offer adequate thermal comfort [6]. A total of 67% of the total housing stock in the last four decades was built with a housing subsidy or as part of the programs of Basic and Progressive Housing [7]. The housing subsidy is a state monetary contribution that allows families to purchase or construct a house, with the subsidy ranging between \(\approx\)35,000 and 81,000 USD, depending on the family's economic circumstances and the size of the house you want to build or buy. Several authors have identified that the thermal insulation in the majority of homes built under the subsidy programme is insufficient or simply non-existent [6, 8]. As such, significant focus is needed to improve the energy efficiency across the residential sector in Chile. Improved dwelling design has shown to reduce energy consumption as well as providing safer and more comfortable indoor environments. Current studies recommend a combination of bio-climatic design features, such as optimizing the orientation, size of glazing, effective ventilation, solar shading [9, 10, 11], combined with passive heating and cooling [12, 13]. New architectural approaches [14] and supporting regulations are vital for an improved energy efficiency across the residential sector. In this regard, many high-income countries have established building regulations which have requirements for energy efficiency [15; 16; 17]. In 2000, Chile established thermal regulations that consider the energy performance of residential houses and stipulate minimum levels of the insulation [18]. However, these regulations are likely to fall short of achieving energy efficiency savings necessary to meet emission reduction targets. There are several established standards and evaluation frameworks for supporting the design and assessment of energy-efficient housing. Conceived in Germany, the Passivhaus standard [19] was the first standard developed to achieve indoor thermal comfort with low energy demand, while reducing the CO\({}_{2}\) emissions throughout the useful lifecycle of the home; the Passivhaus standard has been commonly used for housing and is now established in many countries [20]. Other standards include the Minergie P standard [21] in Switzerland, the CasaClima standard in Italy, and the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) standard in the UK. The Passivhaus standard was originally designed for cold climates, and focused on Central and Northern Europe [20], but it has been proven that is possible to design Passivhaus buildings for different climate zones of the world [22]. A case study in a tropical climate (Malaysia) shows that a reduction of the solar radiation heat gain by wall and roof insulation, combined with shading measures, led to a significant reduction in cooling load in a Passivhaus [23]. A study in Australia demonstrated, through a year of monitoring, that a Passivhaus required 64% less energy than an average comparable house in the same city (Chifley) [24]. An evaluation of the building performance in several climates the Southern Hemisphere demonstrated that the requirements of the Passivhaus standard were fulfilled for all Southern Hemisphere cases [25]; the study was based on 38 different locations (including Santiago de Chile).