ABSTRACT
To deal with the perspective of global warming and the vicious cycles generated by the increasing cooling demand in buildings, resilient possibilities for indoor low-energy comfort are needed. The potential of resilient cooling strategies is analysed in this chapter by exploring the current Brazilian thermal comfort database. The dataset is composed by 10,917 votes collected in four distinct cities represented by three ASHRAE 169 climate zones: extremely hot humid (0A), very hot humid (1A) and hot humid (2A). Occupants
’
thermal perception under different building operation modes and clothing adaptability patterns is assessed. Results show that people accept temperatures up to 32°
C in naturally ventilated environments with increased air movement; up to 30°
C under natural ventilation only and up to 28°
C in air-conditioned environments. The intensification of air speed by using fans significantly improved the thermal satisfaction of occupants under high operative temperatures. Warmer environments are better accepted if occupants have the opportunity to lower their clothing insulation. It can be concluded that the extension of room temperatures associated with the use of fans and the flexibility of clothing are effective strategies to promote thermal comfort with lower energy consumption in Brazil.
