Comparative evaluation of passive conditioning strategies for the improvement of courtyard thermal performance

Abstract

The alarming increase in global average temperatures and the adaptive capacity of humans in relation to air quality and temperature are becoming increasingly relevant. Scientific resources have focused on the thermal adaptation of building users, but little research has been done on thermal comfort in outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces in the city. This study focuses on the analysis and comparison of different passive strategies implemented in courtyards. The present investigation quantifies the comfort improvement brought by shading and misting elements in courtyards. For this purpose, a set of intrinsic and extrinsic variables that intervene in the thermodynamic behavior of the courtyard will be taken into account. The relevance of the study lies not only in the need to design energy-efficient buildings with adequate thermal comfort patterns but also in more resilient urban environments in the current climate change scenario. The main objective of the research is to quantify the implementation of other passive strategies and the results of different combinations of these. The results identified a thermal delta in the courtyard of up to 10°C cooler than the outdoor temperature, which varies depending on the different strategies implemented and the time of day.