Traditional Mayan Earthen Houses are Not Obsolete: First Evidence of Walls Sustainable Material Hygrothermal Behavior

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Mayan earthen houses have been built across the Mesoamerican region for the last 3000 years. Unconfirmed comfort conditions have been attributed to Mayan vernacular houses, always exposed to warm and subhumid climates. Today, despite record-high heat waves and drought driven by climate change, this sustainable construction practice is declining and limited to the countryside. This work reports the first study concerning unknown properties of the Mayan earthen material employed for house walls: granulometry, mineralogical content, density, heat capacity, as well as thermal conductivity and hygroscopic properties measured as a function of temperature and moisture content. Thermal conductivity varies within a 0.186–0.314 W m−1°C−1 range. Under high relative humidity conditions, the material adsorbs up to 8.1% of its dry mass while retaining up to 1.7% moisture during desorption. Those are the figures of an excellent thermal insulation and moisture buffering material, already sustainable and low-carbon preparation, and according to this work’s findings, with potential for hygrothermal comfort and energy-savings. The Mayan material’s reported set of properties provides scientific evidence against current barriers and prejudices. Promoting public awareness of its assets stands out among the first steps towards Mayan heritage preservation and adoption in modern construction.