New approach for assessing user thermal resilience in buildings

Abstract

The thermal performance of buildings directly influences residents' well-being. Under uncomfortable conditions, residents adopt adaptive measures, thereby characterizing thermal resilience. This case study, conducted in a social housing complex located in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, seeks to contribute to the analysis of thermal resilience within the Brazilian context of Post-Occupancy Evaluation. The objective is to present a proposal for assessing users’ thermal resilience, based on the integration of three elements: the level of thermal comfort in the environment, calculated according to ASHRAE Standard 55; the occupants’ perception of thermal comfort; and the climate control strategies employed. The study employed year-round thermal monitoring of homes over a 365-day period and interviews with residents. The results indicate high resilience to cold, but low resilience to heat, as well as significant discrepancies between the comfort limits established by the standard and users’ perceptions. As a contribution, the study presents the formulation of a tool for assessing thermal resilience, grounded in the integration of the three aspects analyzed.