A presente pesquisa consiste em uma análise do edifício administrativo da Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos pertencente à Universidade de São Paulo, do ponto de vista de conforto térmico e iluminação natural. O processo de investigação se dá em algumas etapas: análise projetual enfatizando os aspectos relativos ao conforto ambiental (microclima, partidos arquitetônicos, implantação, materiais, técnicas construtivas, aberturas, envidraçamentos, diagramas e esquemas de estudo); aplicação de questionários aos usuários; e medições in loco de níveis de iluminação e de variáveis ambientais de conforto térmico. Os resultados foram analisados e comparados, para que a partir destes seja possível obter uma avaliação das soluções e técnicas empregadas quanto às questões de térmica e iluminação, contribuindo assim no aperfeiçoamento de técnicas projetuais. Objetiva-se com estas técnicas a obtenção de conforto ambiental e redução no consumo de energia, para edifícios do padrão do estudado, o qual é visto repetir-se incalculavelmente em edifícios administrativos, de escritórios e escolares. / This research is an analysis of the administrative building of the Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos belonging to the Universidade de Sao Paulo, from the point of view of thermal comfort and natural illumination. The process of investigation takes place in some steps: architectural design analysis emphasizing aspects related to environmental comfort (microclimate, architectural parties, implantation, materials, constructive techniques, openings, glassing, diagrams, and study schemes); application of questionnaires to users, and on-site measurements of environmental variables of thermal comfort and levels of illumination. The results were analyzed and compared, so that from the results it\'s possible to evaluate the solutions and applied techniques related to thermal and illumination aspects, thus contributing in the development of design techniques. The objective with these techniques is obtaining environmental comfort and reduction in energy consumption in buildings with the same pattern of use, which is seen to be repeated a lot of times in buildings for administrative use, offices and schools.

O Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (HC UFTM) foi inaugurado em 1982 na cidade de Uberaba - MG e é, atualmente, o único hospital público do Triângulo Mineiro que oferece atendimento terceirizado de alta complexidade. Os critérios técnicos exigidos em normas rígidas para esses ambientes hospitalares dificultam o processo de humanização hospitalar como forma de atender os usuários satisfatoriamente e proporcionar espaços apropriados para o exercício dos profissionais da saúde e para auxiliar na cura dos pacientes. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é propor diretrizes projetuais com a finalidade de melhorar o desempenho térmico e lumínico das alas de clínicas médica (CM) e cirúrgica (CC) do HC da UFTM. Para isso, a metodologia proposta consiste, inicialmente, num levantamento de dados dos aspectos projetuais e construtivos das alas estudadas. Posteriormente, foi feito um levantamento bioclimático de Uberaba dos últimos 10 anos junto a uma caracterização do edifício através dos cálculos das propriedades térmicas dos materiais e do uso das estratégias passivas no projeto. Para verificar a eficiência destas estratégias realizaram-se as análises dos métodos de Mahoney e Givoni. Além disso, o desempenho térmico e lumínico das alas de CM e CC foi analisado através das medições das temperaturas internas e externas, da umidade relativa do ar e dos níveis de iluminância. Depois, foram comparados com as recomendações de Mahoney e Givoni e à norma de iluminação NBR 8995-1. Os resultados encontrados indicaram que das estratégias passivas, a ventilação é a mais favorecida pela implantação do edifício, mas o resfriamento evaporativo e a alta inércia térmica não estão presentes. Além disso, os cálculos das 2 propriedades térmicas dos fechamentos verticais e horizontais e as medições das variáveis ambientais não apresentaram índices ideais de conforto e sim, altas transmitâncias, baixas inércias térmicas e, consequentemente, altas temperaturas no interior das alas, gerando um grande desconforto térmico praticamente o tempo todo. Além disso, os níveis de iluminância encontrados não estão adequados às normativas e, aliados a ambientes sem identidade visual desfavorecem ainda mais a percepção que os usuários/pacientes têm dos mesmos. Promover espaços ajardinados, melhorar o desempenho dos fechamentos através da utilização de isolantes térmicos e rever a concepção visual e os níveis mínimos de iluminação do HC são possibilidades eficientes e utilizadas em diversos hospitais para melhorar o conforto térmico e visual dos pacientes durante suas internações e assegurar qualidade no desempenho das tarefas dos funcionários. / In 1982, the teaching hospital (Hospital de Clínicas - HC) of the Triângulo Mineiro Federal University (UFTM) was opened in Uberaba, in Minas Gerais state in Brazil. Currently, it is the only public hospital in the Triângulo Mineiro area to offer third party high complexity services. Technical requirements in strict regulations for hospital environments make it harder to humanize them and satisfactorily assist users, provide health professionals with adequate working spaces and help the healing process. Therefore, this document aims to propose design guidelines to improve thermal and lighting performance in the medical clinic (clínica médica CM) and surgery clinic (clínica cirúrgica - CC) wings of the HC of UFTM. In order to achieve this, there was initially some data collection regarding design and building aspects related to the aforementioned hospital wings. Afterwards, it was necessary to gather data on the bioclimatic profile of Uberaba for the last ten years and relate it to the building using an estimate of the thermal properties of its materials and of the use of passive strategies in its design. To verify how effective the plans were, analyses based on Mahoney and Givonis methods were carried out. Furthermore, measurement of internal and external temperatures, of relative humidity and of illuminance levels were used to analyze thermal and visual performance of CM and CC wings. Then, the results were compared to Mahoney and Givonis recommendations and to lighting regulation NBR 8995-1. These results showed that regarding passive strategies, ventilation benefits the most from the building orientation, while evaporative cooling and high thermal inertia are absent. Moreover, thermal property figures of the vertical and the horizontal openings and measurements of environmental variables did 4 not present ideal comfort ratings, but high transmittance, low thermal inertia and, consequently, high temperatures inside the wings creating great thermal discomfort almost all the time. In addition, illuminance levels registered did not comply with regulations and, while associated with a lack of visual identity in rooms, caused users/patients to negatively perceive those rooms. Fostering green areas, improving insulation by using thermal insulation materials and revising the visual concept and the minimum illuminance levels in the HC are effective possibilities used in several hospitals to improve patients thermal and visual comfort while under treatment and to ensure quality to staff performance.

Esta pesquisa avalia o conforto térmico das residências projetadas pelo arquiteto Rino Levi, um dos protagonistas da arquitetura moderna brasileira, que se caracterizam pela presença de jardins integrados aos ambientes internos. As sete obras residenciais estudadas localizam-se em regiões diferentes do território brasileiro e apresentam soluções para o condicionamento térmico de acordo com as exigências climáticas do local, tais como elementos de proteção solar, dispositivos para ventilação cruzada ou instalação de calefação. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar e analisar as soluções arquitetônicas desenvolvidas para garantir o conforto térmico nestas residências. A análise é feita a partir das recomendações construtivas referentes à insolação e ventilação, elaboradas na mesma época em que as casas foram projetadas, e complementada pelas diretrizes construtivas indicadas na norma brasileira atual de desempenho térmico. Verifica-se que a maior parte das soluções projetuais desenvolvidas por Rino Levi para estas casas estão de acordo com as recomendações construtivas da época, bem como as atuais, no tocante ao conforto térmico / This research evaluates the thermal comfort of the residences projected by Rino Levi, one of the Brazilian modern architecture’s protagonists. These houses are characterized by the presence of gardens integrated with the internal spaces. The seven residences studied are located in different regions of Brazilian territory, and present different solutions for thermal performance, according to the exigencies of local climate, like shading elements, crossing ventilations devices or calefaction. This work intends to identify the architectural solutions developed to guarantee thermal comfort in these residences. The analysis is made based on constructive recommendations about solar radiation and ventilation elaborated when these houses were projected and the constructive directress indicated by actual Brazilian norm about thermal performance. The efficiency of most of constructive solution developed by Rino Levi for these residences concerning thermal comfort is verified

Aujourd’hui à de nombreuses études sur la thermique du bâtiment pour réduire la consommation d’énergie tout en préservant le confort des usagers sont proposées. Le travail présenté ici met en avant les performances d’une technique d’isolation active par un dispositif de bardage extérieur de ce fait soumis au rayonnement solaire incident. L’étude expérimentale mise en oeuvre a permis de caractériser les échanges thermiques à l’intérieur de la lame d’air verticale (circulante ou non circulante), qui sont la clef de ce type de dispositif, en fonction des différents paramètres retenus comme pertinents. Le terme moteur est bien évidemment l’éclairement solaire. La distance parement extérieur mur support, i.e. l’épaisseur de la lame d’air, conditionne un rapport d’aspect et influe donc sur la vitesse de l’air circulant ou sur le volume tampon en situation non circulante et donc sur les échanges thermiques. Enfin les caractéristiques thermiques du parement extérieur, ici une lame de pin maritime ou un bois aggloméré, impactent assez fortement sur l’évolution temporelle des différentes. Une modélisation globale du comportement de la cheminée solaire que constitue le bardageet quelques simulations numériques ont permis de conforter ces différents résultats expérimentaux. On retiendra qu’en été, la solution optimale est un dispositif de bardage avec peu d’inertie thermique et un écoulement d’air rapide alors qu’en hiver, un dispositif avec inertie et sans écoulement contribue à assurer un bon volant thermique. / Today many studies on thermal building to reduce energy consumption while maintaining user comfort are proposed. The work presented here highlights the performance of an active isolation technique by means of exterior cladding thus subjected to solar radiation.The experimental study has been used to characterize the heat transfers inside the vertical cavity (air circulating or not), which are the key to this type of device, depending on various parameter staken as relevant. The driving factor is of course the solar irradiance. The thickness of the air gap induces an aspect ratio and thus affects the speed of the air flowing or the buffer volume and therefore the heat exchanges. Finally, the thermal characteristics of the cladding here maritime pine or chipboard, impact quite strongly on the temporal evolution of the different temperatures.The cladding and the vertical cavity act as a solar chimney, a global modeling of its behavior and some numerical simulations have strengthened the experimental results. We note that in summer, the optimal solution is a device of cladding with little thermal mass an drapid air flow while in winter, a device with large thermal mass and without flow helps to ensure a good thermal flywheel.

The hospital is room for reestablishment of health and therefore its environments should be comfortable and fit to this function, including thermal comfort. In this context, this paper presents a review of the conditions for thermal comfort and thermal performance in the inpatients bedrooms of the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM) city using measurements, site survey and computer simulation (DesignBuilder software). To analyze the thermal comfort, human and environmental variables were raised during the summer and winter of 2012, in four hospital bedrooms with east and west exposure, following the recommendations of ASHRAE 55 (2010). From the collected data, we calculated the PMV and PPD through Analysis 1.5 software. Analysis of degree-hours of discomfort with the data obtained from computational simulation was also performed. To evaluate the thermal performance tests were carried out by observing the damping and thermal flows, still analysis was performed closures and opaque areas of the ventilation parameters considering the simplified method proposed by NBR 15,575 (2013 ) The data found in measurements show that there is large temperature range in Santa Maria. As for thermal comfort, the results showed that the analyzed environments are comfortable for the winter period and uncomfortable for the summer period, showing that the air velocity improves comfort levels for internal temperatures up to 28° C. Another aspect found is that the thermal damping obtained demonstrates that the building has great thermal inertia, contributing to thermal comfort, especially in winter. As for thermal performance, the results of the simplified method demonstrate that the building meets the minimum performance criteria of ISO 15.575 (2013). In the simulation to analyze environments performance, through heat fluxes, the results showed that the greatest gains are achieved through occupation and the solar gains, while the largest losses occur by air infiltration. These data confirm the results obtained from analysis of thermal comfort. It is noted that solar gains are positive for the winter period and the infiltration is negative. However a minimal infiltration must be preserved to hygienic ventilation for the rooms. During summer time, the use of shading devices is crucial to reduce solar gain. It was also found that the solar orientation influences the thermal performance and comfort. Finally, in the case of HUSM, the window frames should be retrofitted to ensure hygienic ventilation in winter and for summer days, it is necessary to use artificial cooling, the need for which can be reduced by the implementation of a ventilation system with control of temperature and improvement in sun protection systems. / O hospital é espaço para reestabelecimento da saúde e, portanto, seus ambientes devem ser confortáveis e adequar-se, inclusive termicamente, a esta função. Neste contexto, este trabalho apresenta uma avaliação das condições de conforto térmico e do desempenho térmico da área de internação do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, utilizando-se medições, levantamento no local e simulação computacional (programa DesignBuilder). Para a análise do conforto térmico foram levantadas as variáveis humanas e ambientais, no período de verão e inverno de 2012, em quatro quartos de internação com orientação leste e oeste, seguindo as recomendações da ASHRAE 55 (2010). A partir dos dados levantados calculou-se o PMV e o PPD, através do programa Analysis 1.5. Também realizou-se análise do número de graus-hora de desconforto com os dados obtidos da simulação computacional. Para avaliação do desempenho térmico as análises foram desenvolvidas observando o amortecimento e os fluxos térmicos, ainda realizou-se análise dos fechamentos opacos e áreas de ventilação considerando os parâmetros do método simplificado proposto pela NBR 15.575 (2013). Os dados encontrados nas medições mostraram que há grande amplitude térmica no município de Santa Maria. Quanto ao conforto térmico, os resultados demonstraram que os ambientes analisados são confortáveis para o período de inverno e desconfortáveis para o período de verão, mostrando que a velocidade do ar melhora os índices de conforto para temperaturas internas até 28 °C. Outro aspecto verificado foi que o amortecimento térmico obtido demonstrou que a edificação possui grande inércia térmica, colaborando para o conforto térmico, principalmente, no inverno. Quanto ao desempenho térmico, os resultados do método simplificado demonstraram que a edificação atende os critérios mínimos de desempenho térmico da NBR 15.575 (2013). Na simulação para avaliar desempenho dos ambientes, através dos fluxos térmicos, os resultados demonstraram que os maiores ganhos acontecem através da ocupação e pelos ganhos solares, enquanto que as maiores perdas ocorrem por infiltração. Estes dados corroboram os resultados obtidos na análise do conforto térmico. Salienta-se que os ganhos solares são positivos para o período de inverno e a infiltração negativa, entretanto deve-se garantir uma ventilação higiênica para os ambientes. No verão, o uso de proteções solares é fundamental para reduzir os ganhos solares. Enfim, no caso do HUSM, as esquadrias devem ser readequadas para garantir ventilação higiênica no inverno e, para o verão, é necessário utilizar-se climatização artificial em alguns horários do dia, cuja necessidade pode ser reduzida pela implantação de um sistema de ventilação com controle de temperatura e melhoria nos sistemas de proteção solar.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine thermal (body temperature, thermal sensation and comfort ratings), circulatory (blood pressure, heart rate variability) and neuromuscular performance responses to whole-body cryotherapy (WBC, -110 °C). Altogether 66 healthy subjects were exposed to WBC for two minutes. The acute and long-term changes were examined, when the subjects were exposed to WBC three times a week during three months. Skin temperatures decreased very rapidly during WBC, but remained such a high level that there was no risk for frostbites. The effects on rectal temperature were minimal. Repeated exposures to WBC were mostly well tolerated and comfortable and the subjects became habituated at an early stage of trials. WBC increased both systolic (24 mmHg) and diastolic (5 mmHg) blood pressures temporarily. Adaptation of blood pressure was not found during three months. The acute cooling-related increase in high-frequency power of RR-intervals indicated an increase in cardiac parasympathetic modulation, but after repeated WBC the increase was attenuated. The repeated WBC exposure-related increase in resting low frequency power of RR-intervals resembles the response observed related to exercise training. There are signs of neuromuscular adaptation, especially in dynamic performance. A single WBC decreased flight time in drop-jump exercise, but after repeated WBC these changes were almost vanished. This adaptation was confirmed by the change of the activity of the agonist muscle, which increased more and the change of the activity of antagonist muscle, which increased less/did not change after repeated WBC indicating reduced co-contraction and thus, neuromuscular adaptation.

The human body has a unique mechanism for perceiving surrounding temperatures. When an object is in contact with the skin, we do not feel its temperature. Instead, we feel the temperature change that is caused on our skin by that object. The faster the heat is transferred, the more intense the thermal sensation is. In this dissertation, a new dynamic thermal display method, where different rates of warm and cold are applied on the skin to generate a unique sensation, is presented. The new method can be related in a wide range of applications including thermal haptics and virtual reality. To understand the perception of temperature and the general thermal state of the human body, the first aspect of this dissertation focuses on investigating the interaction between temperature change and perception on a large scale. Three field surveys were conducted inside airconditioned buildings to investigate the change in the thermal state and temperature perception of occupants when the room temperature changes. The results showed that the participants’ prediction of constant operating temperature was poor, however, their prediction was significantly improved when temperature changes were presented. In order to more accurately investigate the perception of temperature on the skin, a new thermal display method using multiple-channel thermal actuators was developed. The principle of this method is to apply slow and fast rates of temperature change simultaneously on the skin. The slowly changing temperatures are below the perceptual threshold of the thermal receptors, therefore will not be detected whereas the quickly changing temperatures are above the perceptual threshold, hence, will be detected. The idea here is to keep the average surface temperature of the skin constant, however a person will perceive a sensation of continuous cooling. This method was tested through a series of experiments, and the results showed that it is capable of generating a continuous cooling sensation without changing the average temperature of the stimulation area. Multiple variations of this method were tested including different heating and cooling rates of change, different skin locations and patterns of stimuli. Also, a continuous warming was generated using similar concept. To further investigate the temperature distribution that is caused by this method and its effect on the skin, a computational simulation was conducted. An approximate model of the skin was used to monitor its surface temperature and record the temperatures in the stimulation area when the continuous cooling method is applied. The results of the simulation showed that the temperature under the surface of the stimulation area was affected by the continuous cooling method that was applied on the skin model, however this method did not affect the average surface temperature of the skin. These findings may later determine the efficiency and intensity of the method of continuous cooling, and allow us to investigate different technically challenging variations of this method.

Thermal sensation is one of the most dynamic stimulus-response systems in the human body. It is relied upon for safety, comfort and general equilibrium of the human body. Thermal sensation is dependent upon many variables such as area of effected skin, rate of temperature change and location of stimulation. It has been shown that certain rates of change can intensify the sensation of heating or cooling. Conversely, sufficiently low rates of change can go undetected by the skin. As such, the thermal response system can be manipulated by the proper combination of applied hot and cold stimuli. Previous research has shown that through precise application of an asymmetrically heated and cooled thermal display, a sensation of constant cooling can be perceived. This thesis seeks to (1) explore the heat flux characteristics of the thermal display through the use of computer simulations, (2) test a hypothesis about the relationship between thermal sensation and heat flux and (3) examine modifications of the thermal display patterns with the intention of producing more intense thermal sensations. To characterize the heat flux patterns produced by the thermal display, finite element simulations, performed using commercially available software ANSYS©. Simulations are conducted on individual heating and cooling rates to examine the expected values of heat flux as temperatures approach and diverge from skin temperature. Evaluated in the cylindrical coordinate system (axial, angular and radial), the simulations showed a slight nonlinear heat flux generation at the beginning of heating and cooling, but after the initial transient period, this gave way to a strong linear generation of increasing or decreasing heat flux. Simulations were performed that represent the physical experiments implemented in pre- vious research. These simulations were done in two parts: the first examines a small subregion with finer detail on the area between heating and cooling stimuli, the second is a larger scale examination of the heat flux profile of the thermal display. Initially it was observed that directly under the thermal stimulus, in the radial direction, the heat flux was almost perfectly in-phase with the oscillation of temperature whereas between the stimuli, it was nearly 180 degrees out of phase. The heat flux in the axial and angular directions under the thermal stimulus were negligible. Additionally, between stimuli, the values were nearly 180 degrees out of phase with temperature. Additionally, it was observed that the heat flux profiles for all patterns used in the thermal display were approximately identical. From the data gathered by the simulations in conjunction with the thermal sensation data from previous research, a linear relationship is hypothesized that relates these two quantities. This relationship was then used to determine the theoretical thermal sensations of newly developed thermal display patterns in order to determine which are best suited for future physical experimentation.

Le changement climatique et le phénomène d'Ilot de Chaleur Urbain - ICU sont quelques effets de l'action humaine sur le milieu. Les conséquences de ce phénomène sont perçus non seulement en termes d'économie - consommation énergétique, mais aussi directement sur le confort des habitants. Dans le contexte des villes tropicales, où les citoyens sont exposés à une forte chaleur, le confort thermique devrait être considéré comme une priorité dans l'élaboration des politiques d'aménagement et conception des espaces extérieurs. Nous avons étudié ce phénomène à travers un cas concret, la ville de Barranquilla, qui répond non seulement à la condition tropicale, mais qui exprime la réalité et les conflits de l'Amérique Latine et de la Colombie. A travers notre étude, nous avons confirmé la relation entre le microclimat et la forme urbaine ; nous avons aussi caractérisé cette relation et fait une contribution à l'enrichissement de l'état de l'art. Mais nous avons également mis en évidence le lien qui peut exister entre les conditions de confort dans les espaces extérieurs et les conditions socio-économiques de la population dans les villes, qui comme Barranquilla, sont marquées par la ségrégation sociale et la fragmentation spatiale. Enfin, nous avons conclu que la meilleure façon d'intégrer des aspects climatiques à la conception urbaine, c'est d'inclure ces connaissances sous forme de principes dans la formation du concepteur urbain. Dans cette optique, nous proposons d'orienter la réflexion vers la création d'une pédagogie plus active basée sur la sensibilité des acteurs et sur le travail collectif et collaboratif. / Climate change and Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomena are some of the effects of human activity. The consequences of UHI are perceived not only in terms of economic (energy) costs, but also in terms of thermal comfort for inhabitants. In the context of tropical cities, where citizens are exposed to extreme heat, thermal comfort should be considered a policy priority in the design of public space.We have studied the phenomenon of thermal comfort through the case of Barranquilla, a city which not only meets the tropical conditions but also shows us the peculiar conflict and reality of Latin America and Colombia. In our study, we confirmed the relationship between microclimate and urban form; we also characterized this relationship and contributed to enrich the state of the art. In this study we put into evidence the connection between thermal comfort conditions in outdoor public spaces and socio-economic conditions of people in cities marked by social segregation and spatial fragmentation, such as Barranquilla.Finally, this study concludes that the best way to incorporate thermal comfort into urban design and planning is not through design strategies but through the assimilation of principles. Thus, we propose a new pedagogy based on sensitivity to the thermal environment and on collective efforts to enrich the practice of urban design and to develop a symbiosis with climate considerations that seems to have faded at some point in the history of urban development.

The purpose of this study is to develop a Learner Thermal Comfort Protocol (LTCP) for the assessment of thermal comfort in naturally ventilated public school classrooms occupied by primary learners aged between 7 and 14 years and to establish whether there is a relationship between the thermal comfort standards (ASHRAE 55-2004 and ISO 7730-2005) and the learners’ perception thereof. The study tests the LTCP on two primary school case studies in Mamelodi Township, City of Tshwane (CoT), South Africa, by following the adaptive or field study method to collect quantitative data from the classroom and the learners. The classrooms’ actual temperature is measured and recorded by HOBO pendant data loggers while the learners’ thermal comfort perception is surveyed using questionnaires. The actual classroom indoor temperatures are compared to the ASHRAE 55 and ISO 7730 standard temperature range recommendations of ±22°C to ±27°C, based on the heat balance model, and ±20°C to ±27°C temperature range based on the context related adaptive model. To establish whether there is a relationship between standards and learners’ perception, the learners’ perception results are compared to the predicted percentage that occupants would find acceptable. This predicted percentage is based on the heat balance model (i.e. 80%) and adaptive model (i.e. 80% - 90%). The results indicate that the indoor temperature range did not meet the recommended temperature range of either of the thermal comfort models. However, the thermal perception scale shows that the indoor temperatures were accepted by most of the learners. A relationship between the learners’ perception, the thermal comfort standards’ recommended temperature range and predicted percentage of acceptance was established. However, a wider temperature range is suggested for the thermal comfort assessment of classrooms located in the South African climate. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge on thermal comfort in schools and provide the Department of Basic Education (DBE) with an assessment tool for the evaluation of school classroom indoor environments. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Architecture / Unrestricted