Parameters that influence the thermal performance of commercial buildings: an exploratory analysis

an exploratory analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the factors affecting the thermal performance of commercial buildings based on the Brazilian Inmetro Normative Instruction for Commercial Buildings Simplified Method. The study analyzed different thermal zone exposures and input parameters to assess their sensitivity in the output data. A reference office configuration was considered, and five zones were evaluated, including four perimetral zones and one internal zone. Also, two different cities with different climates were evaluated: Curitiba (Brazilian cold climate city) and São Luís (Brazilian hot climate city). Results showed that internal zones and ground floors presented the lowest cooling load values. Roof-exposed thermal zones were a concern in both climates due to higher cooling load results. The study also found that middle-floor exposures should be a concern in the city of Curitiba due to internal gains. Different solar exposures regarding climate and latitude were important to consider. Limitations included not evaluating the influences within parameters and not assessing the whole building, and future work should consider the impact of each thermal zone concerning the building shape.