Thermal Adaptation in Non-Extreme Climates to Potentially Reduce Energy Consumption

Abstract

In architectural design, there are specific construction considerations for each climate type and it is the extreme situations that have clearer design strategies to make efficient buildings require the lowest possible energy consumption for air conditioning. The so-called intermediate or non-extreme climates are very common in the southern hemisphere, where design strategies for buildings are not as standardized and depend on the behavior of users and their ability to adapt. Adaptive models consider the outdoor conditions for calculating the comfort temperature but, in these climates, aspects such as the operability of the adaptive façade and the users’ evaluation must also be considered to obtain a comfort temperature that matches the climate, taking advantage of users’ adaptability. This chapter presents information from research carried out in homes in non-extreme climates of the Southern Hemisphere, where the users’ assessment of comfort plays an essential role. It shows that the comfort temperature in these climates is no longer a linear standard but varies depending on both outdoor conditions and the users’ capacity to adapt.