Buildings Energy Consumption And Thermal Comfort Assessment Using Weather And Microclimate Data: A Numerical Approach In Humid-Tropical Climate

Numerical Assessment of Zebra-Stripes-Based Strategies in Buildings Energy Performance: A Case Study under Tropical Climate

“…There is a need for ventilation and to search for other types of strategies such as bioclimatic or biomimetic [ 7 ]. In addition, a study has been carried out focused on how natural ventilation can influence a favorable climate for the indoor thermal comfort and the energy efficiency of buildings in a microclimate of Panama City via dynamic simulations coupling ENVI-met and Designbuilder software [ 8 ]. Here, it was concluded that passive use would only represent 19.41% of comfort throughout the year, which is why the use of materials in buildings that allow greater thermal insulation to improve these conditions was recommended.…”

“…Therefore, the objective of the present study is based on the research of reference [ 8 ], [ 36 ]. Such previous studies, performed for the same studied urban zone, concluded the following: The urban heat island effect, evidenced by the external comfort, is increased by the narrowness of buildings within the urban zone under such a tropical climate [ 36 ]; Natural ventilation (or passive mode) appears not viable, and the extensive use of air conditioning systems (or active mode) may be required to provide acceptable indoor thermal comfort [ 8 ]; Other thermoregulation strategies are needed to improve external comfort [ 36 ]; The use of microclimatic data could significantly influence the estimation of the building energy performance [ 8 ], causing about a 10% difference lower for cooling needs than when using standard weather data. …”

“…Natural ventilation (or passive mode) appears not viable, and the extensive use of air conditioning systems (or active mode) may be required to provide acceptable indoor thermal comfort [ 8 ];…”

“…The use of microclimatic data could significantly influence the estimation of the building energy performance [ 8 ], causing about a 10% difference lower for cooling needs than when using standard weather data.…”

“…Since [ 8 ] evaluated the passive and active modes in the base case study (with no incorporation of biomimicry) indicating that microclimate data should be used for indoor thermal comfort assessment and energy performance, but encountering that the passive mode appeared not viable, the addition of the biomimetic strategies in [ 36 ], which improved the microclimate conditions, could increase the viability of the use of natural ventilation, and the buildings’ energy performance in this urban zone.…”