THERMO - LIGHTING OPTIMIZATION PROPOSAL FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN SUBTROPICAL HOT ? HUMID CLIMATES: MONITORING AND COMPUTER SIMULATION ON AUTUMN PERIOD

GUILLERMO J. JACOBO; MARÍA L. BOUTET; ALEJANDRO L. HERNÁNDEZ

ENERGY AND BUILDINGS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 128 p. 785 - 797

0378-7788

The rate of glazed area to floor area and to sun-exposed wall area of a room is one of the main relationshipsin energetically optimized architecture. This paper shows the results of the hygrothermal and lightingbehaviour on autumn period, of a Primary School which was monitored for a year. It was selected from auniverse of 60 school prototypes located in Resistencia, a hot-humid mid-latitude city in the Northeast ofArgentina. The measurements were compared with simulations through Simedif, Ecotect and its Radianceinterface, in real occupation conditions. A root mean square error of 0.6◦C was obtained. Then the thermalbehaviour of the building with an optimized envelope by regulating its glazed areas was simulated forthe same period of autumn. Better hygrothermal comfort conditions were verified with the optimizationproposal, as well as higher levels of illuminance and uniformity in the spatial distribution of natural light,which would be reflected in an electrical consumption saving for lighting. Consequently, this study willcontribute to determining criteria for sizing suitably glazed areas to achieve wellness conditions, whichare not covered in full in the current Planning and Building Codes, for school buildings in Resistencia.