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Originally Posted by JSH
I disagree on uninsulated concrete performing well for thermal comfort - at least in the areas where I have lived. I suspect it works quite well in areas where the primary thermal issue is staying cool. In that case concrete has lots of thermal mass so you can open the house to the air at night to cool it down and then the house slowly warms up during the day. The offices I visit in Mexico are concrete with no heating or cooling and the day starts cool with a light jacket required but by the afternoon it has warmed up to a temperature that is comfortable for short sleeves. I see you are in Porto Alegre where the average temperatures are a low of 10C in the winter and a high of 30C in the summer for a range of 20 degree.
I don't think concrete works well where the primary concern is heating. Where I lived in Michigan the average winter low is -9C and the average summer high is 28C. A range of 37 degrees. When it is -9 outside in the winter we need to raise the inside temperature to 20C for a difference of 29 degrees. That is a huge difference without insulation to keep the heat in.
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I have also lived in Manaus and Florianópolis, even though the houses I lived had quite thick walls which I'm sure increased thermal comfort. BTW actually it's not uncommon to have more extreme weather in Porto Alegre, and one thing I can't complain about my apartment is thermal comfort, even though it doesn't have air conditioning.
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I'm currently renting an apartment in Heredia, Costa Rica. It is typical concrete construction. Temperature isn't an issue as it is not cold or hot here. (The temperature ranges from about 15 - 25C all year) The biggest thing I have noticed is the NOISE. As I type this a can hear my neighbor's entire phone conversation. I've also notice that opening or closing the door and window does almost nothing to change the level of street noise.
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Sure, noise is a major issue, even though some doors and windows are now developed with some sort of soundproofing.