Passive house alternative proposal for the Brazilian Bioclimatic Zone 8

Abstract

The energy consumption in buildings accounts for a significant portion of energy production worldwide hence there is a growing interest in the development of more efficient projects. One way to achieve buildings with low energy consumption while maintaining a high thermal comfort is the Passive House concept. This paper discusses the alternative approach of the Passive House standard for hot climates. The certification refers to a low-energy building standard for cold climate regions that the indoor comfort conditions can be maintained year-round with a specific minimum energy consumption target. There cannot be a single Passive House concept since there are climatic variations. Thus, the Passive House Institute reviewed the proposal for the application of the standard to meet hot climate regions around the world. This study is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and considered a residential project proposal for the city of Pelotas, Brazil. The EnergyPlus software performed the new simulations, to verify the potential of the Passive House concept adoption in Brazil, whose territory is mainly characterized by hot climates.