Thermal comfort in transition spaces and their influence in building internal environments

• Grant number: 06/05407-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2007
• End date: February 28, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Architecture and Urbanism Technology
• Principal Investigator: Lucila Chebel Labaki
• Grantee: Danielle Skubs
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The thermal comfort studies conducted in Brazil has developed greatly in the past decades, with emphasis in inner environments. Transition areas have specificities for their constructive characteristics and for being influenced by the outer climate as well as by the building where they are located. Few are the studies about this subject for Brazil’s tropical climate. In such regions, these environments can minimize the user’s thermal shock when crossing from the outside to inside, reducing the loss of energy and creating more receptive environments. The transition area may yet allow better inner temperatures, functioning as a barrier against direct solar radiation. This paper’s goal is to evaluate thermal comfort in transition spaces and its effects in inner environments, using as object of study schools of Piracicaba, SP. In order to achieve that, questionnaires will be applied, ambient parameters will be measured to obtain the comfort level, and will be observed the implementation and constructive characteristics of the schools. The data gathering will be done with temperature and humidity measurers, globe thermometers, anemometers and radiometers. The measurements will provide data for transition areas microclimate analysis. The data will be collected during sunny and winter. The questionnaires will be used to evaluate the users’ thermal sensation in relation to the outer areas and the building’s. The constructive characteristics of the schools will also be analyzed with models, for a detailed study of the effects of overexposure to sunlight in the building’s thermal performance, and the influence of transition areas on it. With this research, it is expected to prove the efficiency of transition areas as a thermal comfort element for inner environments and, crossing gathered data with the questionnaires and environment composition data, to evaluate the users’ thermal sensation and the better setup for the transition areas. The relevance of this paper lies in showing that these areas are softening climate elements, assist in environmental thermal comfort and create pleasant user space, also showing potential energy saving conditions. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SKUBS, Danielle. The thermal comfort in transitional spaces and its influence as an appeaser of the local microclimate. 2009. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo Campinas, SP.