Assessment and Guidelines to Improve Eco-efficiency and Indoor Comfort at University of Passo Fundo, Brazil

Abstract

The paper deals with the energy and indoor comfort on buildings of University of Passo Fundo (UPF), located in Southern Brazil, in order to improve the eco-efficiency concepts in the university's building stock, reinforcing its responsibility towards sustainable development. The factors that affect thermal performance and the energy consumption of two buildings were identified, including the general characteristics of the buildings and the indoor conditions. The simulations with DesignBuilder software compare the energy and thermal performance of both buildings, those results allow the identification of their positive and negative aspects, as well as making a co- relation with the students’ sensations of comfort – obtained through PMV vote. The research indicates that it will be possible to improve eco-efficiency of existing and new buildings and campuses by retrofitting and upgrading it with regard to better indoor conditions that really correspond to climate conditions (hot and humid summers and cold and damp winters), using passive strategies for heating and cooling and at the same time to improve rational use of natural resources and to reduce the environmental impact. Probably, giving comfortable conditions to the users will increase energy consumption, but there is a potential reduction of lighting and equipments that could minimize this impact.