This research concerns the in-use performance of light-gauge steel modular construction used for residential purposes. The aim was to investigate ways to reduce the in-use energy consumption of new buildings, while ensuring thermal comfort. Data were collected from two case study buildings in the UK, one in Loughborough and the other in London, using a variety of methods including building measurement, building monitoring, inspections, and a detailed review of the construction documentation. The case study buildings were monitored using EnOcean enabled wireless sensor networks and standalone temperature sensors. Monitoring data included electricity consumption in individual rooms, often by end use, space heating use, internal temperature and relative humidity, and external temperature. Building measurements included blower door tests to measure fabric air leakage rates, infrared thermal imaging to identify fabric defects and weaknesses, and ventilation system flowrate measurements. Inspections and the review of documentation allowed problems with design, manufacture and construction to be identified. A particular concern for thermally lightweight construction is the risk of overheating, therefore overheating analyses were undertaken. The research identified weaknesses in the design, construction and operation of the case study buildings resulting in increased energy use and poor thermal comfort, particularly overheating. The modular construction studied requires specific design changes to improve the fabric and building services, in order to reduce energy use. There are also specific recommendations for quality control on site to ensure critical stages are correctly completed, such as installing rigid insulation. There are also more general recommendations for how a company operates because this can influence performance; there ought to be greater attention to holistic design and greater collaboration with suppliers and contractors to determine robust solutions. Overheating was a problem in the London case study, and more research is required to understand the scale of the problem. Avoidance of overheating must be a focus in the design of new buildings. The findings suggest that once the problems with the design and quality control on site are rectified, offsite modular construction can be used to consistently and reliably provide low energy homes.

This research studied the relationship between transit users’ travel experience and the built environment bus rapid transit (BRT) stations. The study recorded attributes of the built environment and user perceptions at eight Emerald Express stations between Eugene and Springfield, Oregon as case studies. It found that of the attributes studied, transit users’ satisfactions of pedestrian accessibility had strong correlations with their preference of using EmX over a car. It also found that users perceived stations in built environments with spare street shading and commercial land-uses as less safe, and were also less satisfied with weather protection at stations with low street shading. The study found Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and Predicted Mean Votes (PMV) to mostly identify the same categories of thermal stress. The study developed a rating system to evaluate station performance based on quantitative attributes and suggests short and long term improvements to improve semi-outdoor bus stations.

O padrão de desenvolvimento das cidades brasileiras nas últimas décadas, com acelerada urbanização, tem mostrado resultados prejudiciais sobre a forma das cidades, a qualidade de vida nelas e o consumo dos recursos naturais. Para promover a sustentabilidade no planejamento urbano é importante adequar o ambiente construído ao clima local, permitindo ao homem viver em conforto e reduzir o consumo dos recursos naturais. Uma das maneiras apontadas para melhorar a qualidade das cidades e o conforto térmico nelas é através da criação de parques verdes. Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar a influência dos parques verdes no conforto térmico urbano, através de estudo de caso em Porto Alegre/RS. A pesquisa parte da revisão bibliográfica, para explicar como as áreas verdes podem contribuir para o conforto térmico urbano. Para o estudo de caso foi analisada a influência dos parques Farroupilha, Moinhos de Vento e Germânia nos seus entornos, através de medições in loco de temperatura e umidade do ar, principais variáveis de conforto térmico, e de análises de dados de sensoriamento remoto. Utilizando índices que consideram apenas estas duas variáveis, um com base da carta de Givoni e outro no cálculo da Temperatura Efetiva, não foi possível observar correlação entre o conforto térmico e a presença e proximidade dos parques. Entretanto, analisando as variáveis, é possível observar que os parques aumentaram entre 3,54 e 13,94% a umidade relativa do ar e reduziram a temperatura do ar em até 2,3°C. As análises de sensoriamento remoto vão ao encontro destes resultados, chegando 8,6°C as diferenças de temperaturas de superfície obtidas no interior e no entorno dos parques. Os três parques estudados influenciaram nas variáveis de conforto nos seus entornos, sendo o efeito de oásis mais significativo nos parques maiores e com áreas mais arborizadas e superfícies de água. Assim sendo, até mesmo os parques menores contribuem para a redução das ilhas de calor urbano, evitando que as temperaturas dos centros das cidades aumentem ainda mais. / The pattern of development of Brazilian cities in recent decades, with rapid urbanization, have shown harmful results on the morphology of the cities, the quality of life in them and the consumption of natural resources. To promote sustainability in urban planning it is important to adapt the built environment to the local climate, allowing to live in comfort and to reduce the consumption of natural resources. One of the ways aimed at improving the quality of cities and the thermal comfort in them is by creating green parks. This work aims to analyze the influence of green parks in the urban thermal comfort a case study in Porto Alegre / RS. The study of the literature review can explain how green areas can contribute to the urban thermal comfort. For the case study we analyzed the influence of three parks (Farroupilha, Moinhos de Vento and Germânia) with their surroundings by measurements, in situ, of temperature and humidity, the main variables of thermal comfort, and remote sensing data analysis. Using indexes treating only these two variables, one based on the chart of Givoni and the other in the calculation of Effective Temperature, was not observed correlation between thermal comfort and the presence and proximity of the parks. However, analyzing the variables we can observe that the parks have increased of relative air humidity between 3.54 and 13.94% and reduced air temperature of 2.32°C. Remote sensing analysis are in agreement with these results, reaching 8.56°C differences in surface temperatures obtained inside and around the parks. The three parks studied influenced variables the comfort of in their surroundings, with the oasis effect very significant on the largest parks and more wooded areas and water surfaces. Even the smallest parks contribute to the reduction of urban heat islands, preventing temperatures from urban centers to increase further.

A seleção para produção de leite vem aumentando a suscetibilidade de vacas leiteiras ao estresse térmico, principalmente em raças europeias em regiões tropicais e sub-tropicais. Cerca de 95% do rebanho leiteiro no Brasil é composto por animais mestiços. O objetivo deste trabalho, conduzido no campo experimental José Henrique Bruschi da Embrapa Gado de Leite, em Coronel Pacheco – MG, durante o mês de março de 2013, foi investigar alterações nos parâmetros fisiológicos de vacas leiteiras que identifiquem com maior fidedignidade o estresse calórico. Foram realizadas coletas de sangue para análise do hematócrito (Ht), contagem de eritrócitos (ERI) e contagem de hemoglobina (HEMO), além do registro da temperatura retal (TR), da frequência cardíaca (FC), da frequência respiratória (FR), do escore de ofegação (EO) em 38 fêmeas bovinas em lactação, divididas conforme o grupo genético em ½, ¾ e puras, durante seis dias nos turnos da manhã e da tarde. Os dados foram submetidos à análise da variância considerando os efeitos de grupo genético, dias, turnos e suas interações, com medidas repetidas no tempo e regressão “broken-line”. Houve efeito significativo para a interação grupo genético*dia*turno para TR, FC, FR e EO. Os valores de TR, FC, FR e EO do grupo de vacas puras HO foram maiores em relação ao grupo ¾ e esse em relação ao grupo ½. No grupo de vacas puras, as variáveis fisiológicas aumentaram linearmente com o Índice de Temperatura e Umidade (ITU), sem apresentar inflexão. O ponto de inflexão das curvas de variáveis fisiológicas ocorreu num valor de ITU mais alto para o grupo ½ em relação aos demais. Os valores de Ht e HEMO foram distintos entre os grupos genéticos, mas não variaram com o ITU, mostrando que o estresse provocado não foi suficiente para alterar os parâmetros hematológicos medidos. A média de ITU durante o turno da manhã foi de 74, quando 70, 43 e 13% das vacas puras, ¾ e ½, respectivamente, se apresentavam com a FR acima dos padrões de referência. A FR foi o melhor indicativo do estresse térmico e seu valor crítico foi de 140mov/min para as vacas Girolando e 168 mov/min para a raça Holandesa. Vacas da raça Holandesa são mais sensíveis ao estresse térmico do que cruzas Holandês-Zebuíno. / Selection for milk production has increased the susceptibility of dairy cows to heat stress, especially in European breeds reared in tropical and sub - tropical conditions. About 95% of dairy cattle in Brazil are crossbred animals. This study, conducted in the Embrapa Dairy Cattle José Henrique Bruschi experimental station, Coronel Pacheco - MG, was used to investigate changes in the physiological parameters of dairy cows to identify heat stress with greater reliability. Blood samples were collected for analysis of hematocrit (Ht), erythrocyte count (ERI) and hemoglobin count (HEMO), in addition to recording the rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), panting score (PS) in 38 lactating cows. These varied according to genetic group (½, ¾ and pure bred Holstein (HO)), anda data was collected for six days in the morning and afternoon. Data were subjected to analysis of variance considering the effects of genetic group, days, time of day and their interactions with repeated measures and broken-line regression. Significant effects were found for the interaction between genetic group*day*time of day for RT, HR, RR and PS. These values were higher for pure HO cows were higher than in ¾ and ½ groups. In the HO group, physiological variables increased linearly with the Temperature Humidity Index, without presenting inflection in the regression. The inflection point occurred at a higher ITU highest value for the ½ group compared with the other groups. Ht and HEMO were different among genetic groups and did not vary with the ITU, showing that stress caused was not sufficient to alter the hematological parameters measured. The average THI during the morning shift was 74, when 70, 43 and 13 % of pure HO, ¾ and ½, respectively, presented FR above the standard. The FR was the best indicator of heat stress and its critical value was 140mov/min for Gir cows and 168 mov / min for Holsteins. Holstein cows are more sensitive to heat stress than crossbred Holstein- Zebu.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-12-10Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:22:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ayres_mcr_dr_botfca.pdf: 1999593 bytes, checksum: 4eed8f4e59e415e484ad679e07a8b14b (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi o estudo de diferentes espécies arbóreas quanto ao sombreamento e seus efeitos na temperatura de um ambiente construído, a partir de medições de temperaturas de globo e do ar, umidade relativa e velocidade do vento. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária/Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste, no município de Dourados-MS. Foram analisados o sombreamento de duas espécies arbóreas, a Sibipiruna (Caelsalpinia peltophoroides) e o Flamboyant (Delonix regia), quanto à atenuação da temperatura em ambientes internos, proporcionada pela sombra de cada uma das espécies, em edificações abertas. Os dados foram coletados em dois módulos de edificação de madeira e cobertos com telhas de fibro-cimento, localizados ao sol e à sombra das espécies analisadas. Nestes módulos foram obtidos dados de temperatura do ar, umidade relativa e temperatura de globo negro. Os dados de velocidade do vento foram obtidos na Estação Meteorológica da Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste. Com os dados obtidos foram calculadas as porcentagens de atenuação da temperatura para cada um dos módulos e as variações relativas das temperaturas do ar e de globo negro. Avaliando-se os resultados obtidos, observou-se que o sombreamento natural produzido pela Sibipiruna proporcionou à sombra uma atenuação na temperatura de globo negro de 2,82ºC e na temperatura do ar de 0,96ºC menor em relação aos dados obtidos ao sol e, uma porcentagem de atenuação de 8.34 % e 3,16% respectivamente. Analisando-se os resultados, observou-se que o sombreamento natural do Flamboyant produziu à sombra uma atenuação na temperatura de globo negro de 3,96ºC e na temperatura do ar de 1,26ºC menor em relação aos dados obtidos ao sol e, uma porcentagem de atenuação de 9.62% e 3,46% respectivamente... / The objective of this research was to study different arboreal species in relation to the shading and its effects on temperature of a constructed environment, from measurements of temperatures of the globe and of the air, relative humidity and speed of the wind. The research was developed at Brazilian company of farming research/Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste, on Dourados City, Mato Grosso do Sul State. The shading of two arboreal species, Sibipiruna tree (Caelsalpinia peltophoroides) and Flamboyant tree (Delonix regia) had been analyzed in relation to the attenuation of the temperature in internal environments, provided for the shade of each one of the species, in opened constructions. The data had been collected in two modules of wooden construction and covered with asbestos-cement roofing tiles, located under the sun and in the shade of the analyzed species. In these modules, they had been gotten data of temperature of the air, relative humidity and temperature of the black globe. The data of speed of the wind had been gotten at Meteorological Station from Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste. With the gotten data, the percentages of attenuation of the temperature for each one of the modules and the relative variations of the temperatures of the air and of the black globe had been calculated. Evaluating the results gotten, it is observed that the natural shading produced by Sibipiruna tree provided to the shade an attenuation on temperature of the black globe of 2.82ºC and on temperature of the air of 0.96ºC lesser than the data gotten under the sun, and a percentage of attenuation of 8.34 % and 3.16%, respectively. Analyzing the results, it is observed that the natural shading of Flamboyant tree produced to the shade an attenuation on temperature of the black globe of 3.96ºC and...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below)

A pesquisa analisa o desempenho térmico de duas edificações escolares distintas, o Centro de Educação Profissional do Vale do Caí e a Escola de Ensino Fundamental Frei Pacífico, localizados em municipalidades também distintas e compostos por tipologia arquitetônica e orientação solar similares. Método: Os dois casos estudados tiveram o seu desempenho analisado pelo método de medição in loco, com coleta horária das variáveis de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar, fazendo uso de data loggers. A amostra foi composta por uma sala de aula, em cada ambiente de ensino. Objetivos: Foram objetivos desta pesquisa: caracterizar os estudos de caso; calcular as propriedades térmicas dos fechamentos; apontar distinções no procedimento de coleta de dados; analisar o desempenho térmico das salas estudadas, considerando o período de medições e o período de ocupação; e comparar dados climáticos das municipalidades com os dados climáticos de Porto Alegre. As análises foram estruturadas por estações do ano, com análise de temperatura (incluindo atraso e amortecimento térmico) e umidade relativa do ar. Auxiliaram nas análises de dados, a metodologia de análise de graus-hora e a carta bioclimática proposta por Givoni. Foram realizadas análises considerando o período de medições e o período de ocupação das escolas. Resultados: Os resultados apontaram um desempenho mais satisfatório para o Centro de Educação Profissional do Vale do Caí, o que pode ser atribuído à inércia térmica e às propriedades térmicas dos fechamentos deste edifício, mesmo tendo apresentado oscilações maiores de temperatura e umidade relativa. A análise dos dados climáticos das municipalidades permitiu identificar algumas similaridades com os do município de Porto Alegre, embora a proximidade deste com massas d’água tenham demonstrado interferência considerável na amplitude térmica e na umidade relativa do ar. / The research examines the thermal performance of two different school buildings, Vale do Caí Professional Education Center and Frei Pacífico Elementary School, located in different municipalities and also composed of similar architectural style and solar orientation. Method: The two cases studied had their performance evaluated by the in situ measurement method, with hourly collected hourly rate of the variables of temperature and relative humidity, using data loggers. The sample consisted of one classroom in each teaching environment. Objectives: The objectives of this research: were to characterize the case studies; to calculate the thermal properties of the elements; to point out distinctions in the procedure of collecting data; to analyze the thermal performance of the classrooms studied, considering the measurement period and the period of occupation; and comparing climatic data of municipalities to the climate data from Porto Alegre. The analysis was structured by seasons, with analysis of temperature (including thermal delay and thermal damping) and relative humidity, to help the data analysis methodology degree-hours and bioclimatic chart proposed by Givoni. There were analyses considering the measurement period and the period of school occupation. Results: The results showed a more satisfactory performance for Vale do Caí Professional Education Center, which can be attributed to thermal inertia and thermal properties of the closures of the building, though it had the highest swings in temperature and relative humidity. The analysis of climate data of the municipalities identified some similarities with that of the city of Porto Alegre, although the proximity of masses of water to the later, demonstrated considerable interference in the temperature and relative humidity ranges.

Este trabalho aborda a avaliação da percepção do conforto térmico em uma sala de controle, tendo como objetivo identificar quais os fatores que influenciam na sensação térmica dos operadores e se esta sensação difere estatisticamente entre os quatro turnos de trabalho. Foram medidas as variáveis ambientais (temperatura do ar, temperatura média radiante, umidade do ar e velocidade do ar), levantadas as variáveis pessoais (vestimenta e taxa metabólica) e aplicados questionários para coletar as sensações térmicas dos operadores a cada 1 hora. A taxa metabólica foi estimada em função da atividade, conforme os valores tabelados pela ASHRAE (2001), mas tal estimação pode apresentar imprecisões devido às diferenças individuais e às condições fisiológicas do ser humano, que são influenciadas pelo ritmo circadiano. O isolamento térmico médio das vestimentas foi de 0,5 a 0,8clo, sendo que os valores mais elevados ocorreram no turno da madrugada. Devido ao controle ambiental térmico da sala, a temperatura média do ar ao longo do dia permaneceu dentro de limites muito próximos. A sensação térmica predominantemente relatada pelos operadores, foi neutra, isto é, nem frio nem calor. Apenas em alguns períodos, principalmente no turno da madrugada, foi relatado desconforto devido ao frio. Não houve diferença significativa entre os resultados de conforto para os diferentes turnos de trabalho, mas o assunto merece estudos mais aprofundados. Os valores de PMV apresentaram baixa correlação estatística com as sensações relatadas pelos operadores, provavelmente em função dos valores da taxa metabólica e do isolamento térmico das vestimentas serem tabelados e não se ajustarem ao ambiente de trabalho. Devido a esta baixa correlação, a Anova não paramétrica de Kruskal-Wallis foi utilizada permitindo identificar que a temperatura do ar, a temperatura média radiante, a umidade do ar e a vestimenta utilizada influenciaram a sensação térmica dos operadores. Tendo em vista que o PMV não predisse a sensação térmica dos usuários, conclui-se que ele não é um bom parâmetro para uso em projetos de ambiente construído. / This present work approachs the evaluation of thermal comfort perception inside a control room, having the specific goal to identify which factors are important to the worker’s thermal sensation and if this sensation differs statistically among the four shifts work. Each environmental parameter (air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity and air velocity) were measured. The personal variables (clothing insulation and metabolic rate) were evaluated and questionnaires were applied to collect worker’s thermal sensation each hour. The metabolic rate was estimated through the activity, according to the ASHRAE table (2001). This estimative might not be precise due to individual differences and to physiological conditions of the human being, which are influenced by the circadian rhythm. The clothing insulation was 0,5 to 0,8 clo, and the highest values occurred in the early hours of the morning. Owing to the environmental control of the room, the mean air temperature through the day did not have significant changes. The thermal sensation predominantly reported by the workers was neutral, that is, neither cold nor warm. Only in a few periods, especially in the early hours of the morning, was related discomfort because of the cold. There is not a significative difference among the comfort results for the different shifts work, but the topic deserves deeper studies. The PMV values no small statistic correlation with the sensations related by the workers, probably due to the values of the metabolic rate and to the clothing insulation be tabled and were not to adjustable to the work environment. As a result of this weak correlation, the Kruskal-Wallis non parametric Anova was used to identify that air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air relative humidity and clothing insulation influenced the worker’s thermal sensation. Considering that the PMV did not predict the worker’s thermal sensation, the data suggest that the PMV is not a good parameter to be used in projects of buildings.

abstract: Improving the conditions of schools in many parts of the world is gradually acquiring importance. The Green School movement is an integral part of this effort since it aims at improving indoor environmental conditions. This would in turn, enhance student- learning while minimizing adverse environmental impact through energy efficiency of comfort-related HVAC and lighting systems. This research, which is a part of a larger research project, aims at evaluating different school building designs in Albania in terms of energy use and indoor thermal comfort, and identify energy efficient options of existing schools. We start by identifying three different climate zones in Albania; Coastal (Durres), Hill/Pre-mountainous (Tirana), mountainous (Korca). Next, two prototypical school building designs are identified from the existing stock. Numerous scenarios are then identified for analysis which consists of combinations of climate zone, building type, building orientation, building upgrade levels, presence of renewable energy systems (solar photovoltaic and solar water heater). The existing building layouts, initially outlined in CAD software and then imported into a detailed building energy software program (eQuest) to perform annual simulations for all scenarios. The research also predicted indoor thermal comfort conditions of the various scenarios on the premise that windows could be opened to provide natural ventilation cooling when appropriate. This study also estimated the energy generated from solar photovoltaic systems and solar water heater systems when placed on the available roof area to determine the extent to which they are able to meet the required electric loads (plug and lights) and building heating loads respectively. The results showed that there is adequate indoor comfort without the need for mechanical cooling for the three climate zones, and that only heating is needed during the winter months. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Architecture 2015

abstract: During summer 2014, a study was conducted as part of the Landscape Architecture Foundation Case Study Investigation to analyze features of three sustainably designed landscapes. Each project was located in a southwest desert city: Civic Space Park in Phoenix, AZ, the Pete V. Domenici US Courthouse Sustainable Landscape Retrofit in Albuquerque, NM, and George "Doc" Cavalliere Park in Scottsdale, AZ. The principal components of each case study were performance benefits that quantified ongoing ecosystem services. Performance benefits were developed from data provided by the designers and collected by the research team. The functionality of environmental, social, and economic sustainable features was evaluated. In southwest desert cities achieving performance benefits such as microclimate cooling often come at the cost of water conservation. In each of these projects such tradeoffs were balanced by prioritizing the project goals and constraints. During summer 2015, a study was conducted to characterize effects of tree species and shade structures on outdoor human thermal comfort under hot, arid conditions. Motivating the research was the hypothesis that tree species and shade structures will vary in their capacity to improve thermal comfort due to their respective abilities to attenuate solar radiation. Micrometeorological data was collected in full sun and under shade of six landscape tree species and park ramadas in Phoenix, AZ during pre-monsoon summer afternoons. The six landscape tree species included: Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina Torr.), Mexican palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata L.), Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.), South American mesquite (Prosopis spp. L.), Texas live oak (Quercus virginiana for. fusiformis Mill.), and Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia Jacq.). Results showed that the tree species and ramadas were not similarly effective at improving thermal comfort, represented by physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The difference between PET in full sun and under shade was greater under Fraxinus and Quercus than under Parkinsonia, Prosopis, and ramadas by 2.9-4.3 °C. Radiation was a significant driver of PET (p<0.0001, R2=0.69) and with the exception of ramadas, lower radiation corresponded with lower PET. Variations observed in this study suggest selecting trees or structures that attenuate the most solar radiation is a potential strategy for optimizing PET. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Applied Biological Sciences 2016

The search for the knowledge of conditions that provide thermal comfort for children in classroom activities is justified by the background and support for the architectural strategies capable of provide the spaces pertaining to the school with better conditions of habitability and thus to contribute for an educative process of better quality. The demand of thermal comfort is intensified with the need of conservation of energy, productivity in the execution of tasks and quality of the people's life. Laboratory researches developed studies of thermal comfort from the theory of the alternation of heat between the body and the environment, which is predisposed by physical factors, characteristic of the atmosphere, and personal factors, own of the occupants. The evaluation normalization of thermal comfort is based on such formulations and in the field studies recently developed, of which derived in a model applicable to buildings naturally ventilated. Thus, the present work made an effort to verify the applicability of the models normalized for the evaluation of the real conditions of children's thermal comfort in school activity, once the children s organism presents a higher metabolic production of heat tax than in the adult age, being this a personal active variable in the thermal balance. In order to consider this differentiation, a calculation procedure was adopted capable to predict the total metabolic tax starting from the gender, age, weight, height and level of carried out activity. The field researches were accomplished at classroom with five groups in two schools of Ijuí (RS), in a total of 116 students between 8 to 11 years. In the occasion of each measurement, the environmental and personal variables were collected as well as the sensations and the occupants' thermal preferences, in agreement with the suitable methodology in the pertinent norms. Field researches ware made, starting from the collected sensations and of the calculated indexes, descriptive and comparative analyses were accomplished between the gathered data and the comfort indexes calculated according normalized models. The work concluded that the PMV model is applicable for evaluation of thermal comfort considering the researched population, however there is children's tendency to feel lightly warmer than the model esteem. Also the adaptive model was shown satisfactory for evaluation in days of heat, although doesn't appreciate accurately the performance of the garment, which extends the comfort interval for lower temperatures. / A busca do conhecimento das condições que proporcionam conforto térmico para crianças em atividade de sala de aula é justificada pelo embasamento e incentivo a estratégias arquitetônicas capazes de dotar os espaços escolares de melhores condições de habitabilidade e assim contribuir para um processo educativo de melhor qualidade. A exigência de conforto térmico é intensificada com a necessidade de conservação de energia, produtividade na execução de tarefas e qualidade de vida das pessoas. Pesquisas desenvolvidas em laboratório embasaram os estudos de conforto térmico a partir da teoria do balanço de calor entre o corpo e o meio, a qual é influenciada por fatores físicos, característicos do ambiente, e fatores pessoais, próprios dos ocupantes. A normalização de avaliação de conforto térmico é baseada em tais formulações e nos estudos de campo recentemente desenvolvidos, dos quais derivou o modelo adaptativo aplicável a edifícios ventilados naturalmente. Assim, o presente trabalho objetivou verificar a aplicabilidade dos modelos normalizados para a avaliação das reais condições de conforto térmico de crianças em atividade escolar, uma vez que o organismo infantil apresenta a taxa metabólica de produção de calor mais elevada do que na idade adulta, sendo esta uma variável pessoal atuante no equilíbrio térmico. A fim de considerar esta diferenciação, adotou-se um procedimento de cálculo capaz de predizer a taxa metabólica total a partir do sexo, idade, peso, altura e nível de atividade desempenhada. As pesquisas de campo foram realizadas em sala de aula com cinco turmas da terceira e quarta série de duas escolas de Ijuí (RS), totalizando 116 estudantes de 8 a 11 anos. Na ocasião de cada medição, foram coletadas as variáveis ambientais e pessoais bem como as sensações e preferências térmicas dos ocupantes, de acordo com a metodologia indicada nas normas pertinentes. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e comparativas entre os dados levantados e os índices de conforto térmico calculados segundo os modelos normalizados. O trabalho concluiu que o modelo PMV é aplicável para avaliação de conforto térmico considerando a população pesquisada, contudo existe a tendência de as crianças sentirem-se levemente mais aquecidas do que o modelo estima. Observou-se que o modelo adaptativo mostrou-se satisfatório para avaliação em dias quentes, no entanto não avalia com precisão a atuação da vestimenta em dias frios, a qual estende o intervalo de conforto para temperaturas mais baixas.