Air infiltration rates in multifamily buildings in Brazil: current characterization and in future climate scenarios

• Grant number: 24/08387-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Architecture and Urbanism Technology
• Principal Investigator: Karin Maria Soares Chvatal
• Grantee: Nicole Alejandra Zambrana Balanza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Arquitetura e Urbanismo de São Carlos (IAU). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The research aims to characterize the air infiltration rate in urban Brazilian single-family ground-floor residences. The infiltration rate, which corresponds to air renewal through the building envelope when all windows and doors are closed, is a crucial aspect for the thermal performance of dwellings. The choice of residences as the object of study is due to the existence of ABNT standards that regulate their thermal performance. The study seeks to provide data that can be incorporated into future revisions of these standards, contributing to the energy efficiency of Brazilian buildings. ABNT NBR 15575 standard prescribes a table with input values for computational simulations of thermal performance, including the calculation of the infiltration rate, based on international studies. The project methodology involves a combination of on-site measurements and computational simulations to obtain robust and comprehensive results. A search will be conducted in national studies that have already surveyed the housing stock to obtain models for simulation, the research aims to fill a gap in studies in Brazil, which lacks on-site evaluations of air infiltration rates in buildings, especially when all external windows and doors are closed. Understanding the correct infiltration rate of buildings is essential for decision-making aimed at reducing energy consumption.