This paper focuses on the thermal and energetic behavior of a building located in the Brazilian Amazon Region, a region climatically characterized by elevated temperatures and high humidity levels, where achieving adequate thermal comfort demands a high-energy consumption due to the use of air-conditioning systems. Therefore, different energy conservation measures (ECMs) need to be evaluated to reduce the thermal load for cooling. The use of a thermal insulation material on the west wall and on the roof, and a photovoltaic (PV) system integrated as an architectural element and adapted to the roof of the building are considered. The building is simulated with the software energyplus, with its thermal behavior and energy consumption analyzed for an entire year and for a chosen design day, defined with data measured by a weather station installed close to the building. According to the evaluations carried out, it is determined that the ECMs have a direct and major influence on the reduction of the thermal load for cooling, on the reduction of the effects caused by radiation with the shading on the eaves, and the reduction of the transmittance on the surfaces that were modified in the study. In terms of energy consumption and economic feasibility, the ECMs reach an annual energy saving percentage of 74% for the building chosen as the case study, and the solutions adopted provide the return of the financial investment, proving suitable for energy saving and economically viable for regions with similar climatic characteristics.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
June 2018
Research-Article
Application of Energy Conservation Measures and Their Impact on the Thermal-Energetic Performance of a Building in the Brazilian Amazon Region: A Case Study
Heliana M. C. Aguilar,
Heliana M. C. Aguilar
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: aguilar@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: aguilar@ufpa.br
Search for other works by this author on:
Marcos A. B. Galhardo,
Marcos A. B. Galhardo
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: galhardo@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: galhardo@ufpa.br
Search for other works by this author on:
João T. Pinho
João T. Pinho
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: jtpinho@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: jtpinho@ufpa.br
Search for other works by this author on:
Heliana M. C. Aguilar
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: aguilar@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: aguilar@ufpa.br
Marcos A. B. Galhardo
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: galhardo@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: galhardo@ufpa.br
João T. Pinho
Grupo de Estudos e Desenvolvimento de
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: jtpinho@ufpa.br
Alternativas Energéticas (GEDAE),
Instituto de Tecnologia (ITEC),
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA),
Campus Universitário do Guamá,
Belém 66.025-772, Pará, Brazil
e-mail: jtpinho@ufpa.br
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received July 11, 2017; final manuscript received December 8, 2017; published online February 27, 2018. Assoc. Editor: Jorge Gonzalez.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Jun 2018, 140(3): 031005 (13 pages)
Published Online: February 27, 2018
Article history
Received:
July 11, 2017
Revised:
December 8, 2017
Citation
Aguilar, H. M. C., Galhardo, M. A. B., and Pinho, J. T. (February 27, 2018). "Application of Energy Conservation Measures and Their Impact on the Thermal-Energetic Performance of a Building in the Brazilian Amazon Region: A Case Study." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. June 2018; 140(3): 031005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039274
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Numerical Investigations on Minimization of Convective Heat Losses From Hemispherical Cavity Receiver Using Air Curtain
J. Sol. Energy Eng (June 2025)
Related Articles
Effects of Rooftop Photovoltaics on Building Cooling Demand and Sensible Heat Flux Into the Environment for an Installation on a White Roof
J. Eng. Sustain. Bldgs. Cities (May,2020)
Forecasting Building Energy Demands With a Coupled Weather-Building Energy Model in a Dense Urban Environment
J. Sol. Energy Eng (February,2017)
Performance of a Zero-Energy House
J. Sol. Energy Eng (May,2008)
Solar Air Conditioning Case Studies for Qatar Climate Conditions
J. Eng. Sustain. Bldgs. Cities (August,2023)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Dynamic Cool Roofing Systems
Advanced Energy Efficient Building Envelope Systems
Energy Consumption Simulation and Energy Conservation Measures for Typical Public Buildings in Chengdu
International Conference on Green Buildings and Optimization Design (GBOD 2012)
Integration of Solar Energy Systems
Handbook of Integrated and Sustainable Buildings Equipment and Systems, Volume I: Energy Systems