The influence of envelopes in the thermal performance of residential buildings, from the perspective of bioclimatic architecture

Abstract

Energy efficiency measures (EEMs) and their impact on the thermal performance of buildings as well as on the user's thermal comfort, have become the focus of several studies. Bioclimatic strategies can contribute to improving thermal performance while increasing indoor thermal comfort for users. This paper aims to verify the bioclimatic potential of two types of dwellings in three Brazilian cities. The first one is the baseline, with basic construction systems. The other includes EEMs. The method consists of the verification of bioclimatic potential by psychometric charts for indoor and outdoor conditions. The results show significant indoor discomfort caused by heat in both dwellings-thermal comfort conditions during more than 95% of annual hours in Manaus, and during 85% in São Paulo. Therefore, energy efficiency strategies such as shading, ventilation and HVAC systems are necessary to promote thermal comfort conditions in hot climates.