{"id":548163,"date":"2025-06-10T10:31:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T13:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/?p=548163"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:13:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T14:13:13","slug":"buildings-need-to-be-adapted-to-higher-temperatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/buildings-need-to-be-adapted-to-higher-temperatures\/","title":{"rendered":"Buildings need to be adapted to higher temperatures"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the sweltering summers of recent years, many Britons have found their homes unbearable, designed as they are for the country\u2019s typically cool weather. In 2020, the heatwave was so severe that approximately 2,000 people died in England, most in their own homes. But this is more than just a Northern Hemisphere problem. In Brazil, buildings and houses also struggle to cope with rising temperatures and the more intense, prolonged heatwaves predicted as global warming escalates.<\/p>\n

A rare Brazilian study in this field analyzed 92 properties in Florian\u00f3polis, Santa Catarina, examining energy consumption in 2010 and projecting conditions for 2050 and 2090. Among the properties, 39% were stores, 31% offices, 21% restaurants, and 9% residences. The study, published in Sustainable Cities and Society<\/em> in July, found that by 2050, 37% of these buildings could overheat, reaching temperatures uncomfortable for occupants. This is largely due to construction methods that retain, rather than dispel, heat.<\/p>\n

Ironically, the sleek, high-end buildings in central Florian\u00f3polis were the least prepared, with sealed windows and heat-absorbing dark exteriors, the researchers noted. In S\u00e3o Paulo, similar design flaws are widespread, especially in commercial buildings like those in the upscale Itaim district.<\/p>\n

\u201cSealed glass-front buildings are completely at odds with the realities of climate change,\u201d says Denise Duarte, an engineer at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo\u2019s School of Architecture and Urban Planning (FAU-USP). Her research, with funding from FAPESP, explores ways to make buildings more resilient to climate change.<\/p>\n

A 2021 study by her team, published in Energy and Buildings<\/em>, analyzed S\u00e3o Paulo buildings constructed in the 2000s. The analysis predicted that by 2074, total hours of thermal comfort in these structures could drop from 81% to 65% due to higher temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve noticed a growing trend of new residential buildings with fa\u00e7ades in graphite, petroleum blue, or even black\u2014colors that absorb much more heat,\u201d Duarte remarks. \u201cWhile they don\u2019t have to be white, opting for lighter shades can significantly reduce heat absorption.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBuildings with highly transparent, clear glass windows are especially prone to overheating, particularly if they lack shading,\u201d adds Roberto Lamberts, an engineer at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and coauthor of the study in Sustainable Cities and Society<\/em>. \u201cWe\u2019re still using design and construction standards suited for a milder climate\u2014one that no longer exists. The coming years will be far hotter than today.\u201d Shading is a useful strategy for shielding buildings from intense sunlight during peak heat. This can involve architectural features such as sunshades, balconies, or extended eaves.<\/p>\n

In collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, the UFSC team explored solutions that reduce dependency on air conditioning. Their recommendations include applying reflective coatings and paints to roofs and slabs to minimize heat absorption, and installing solar control glass to prevent interiors from overheating (see infographic below<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n \n \n \n <\/picture>Alexandre Affonso\u2009\/\u2009Pesquisa FAPESP<\/span>\n

Cool roofs\u2014featuring light-colored, reflective surfaces with high thermal emissivity (the ability to release absorbed heat)\u2014are an effective and affordable solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cConstruction methods need to be adapted to reduce reliance on air conditioning wherever feasible,\u201d says Duarte. The UFSC study predicts that energy demand for cooling will rise by 48% by 2050. Today, air conditioning already contributes 3% of global carbon emissions. Passive thermal control systems, such as shading fa\u00e7ades and roofs, as well as natural ventilation\u2014including at night\u2014should play a bigger role, the researchers suggest.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe widespread use of air conditioning may worsen the urban heat island effect by increasing outdoor temperatures in non-cooled areas,\u201d says engineer Alberto Hernandez Neto from the Polytechnic School (Poli) at USP, who was not involved in Lamberts\u2019s study (see <\/em>Pesquisa FAPESP issue n\u00b0 331<\/em><\/a>).<\/p>\n

Given the impracticality of eliminating air conditioning altogether, researchers are instead focusing on making it more sustainable. For instance, a study published in March in the Brazilian Journal of Technology<\/em> by researchers from the Federal Institutes of Rond\u00f4nia and Amazonas found that better control of outdoor air intake and fine-tuning indoor temperature settings could significantly reduce energy consumption.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ricardo Funari\u2009\/\u2009Brazil Photos\u2009\/\u2009Lightrocket via Getty Images<\/span>A building in Belo Horizonte with a green roof: a practical solution for lowering indoor temperaturesRicardo Funari\u2009\/\u2009Brazil Photos\u2009\/\u2009Lightrocket via Getty Images<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Progress amid challenges<\/strong>
\nArchitects and engineers have made efforts to promote adaptive building methods, but success has been uneven. In 2023, Lamberts and his team helped to establish thermal resilience requirements for the lowest-cost housing (Tier 1) in the Brazilian Government\u2019s Minha Casa, Minha Vida program, codified in Ordinance No. 725 of June 15, 2023.<\/p>\n

The UFSC team defined thermal transmittance parameters\u2014a measure of building thermal efficiency\u2014and recommended strategies such as light-colored roofs, minimum window opening sizes, and adequate shading. \u201cEven though this was only applied to Tier 1, it was a significant step forward,\u201d Lamberts explains. \u201cWe achieved an 84% reduction in thermal loads in Palmas (Tocantins), 92% in Fortaleza (Cear\u00e1), and an average reduction of over 50% in Brazil\u2019s hottest regions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duarte also played a role in crafting S\u00e3o Paulo\u2019s 2050 Climate Action Plan through the FAPESP-funded Biota Synthesis program. While the initiative mainly targets rural areas, one research group demonstrated that forest restoration could help cool nearby urban zones. However, securing buy-in for these ideas from private real estate developers has been more challenging. \u201cThere\u2019s still a certain level of climate skepticism, and many firms are content to meet only the minimum resilience criteria,\u201d Lamberts notes.<\/p>\n

Duarte and Lamberts had the opportunity to discuss these issues during the 50th<\/sup> National Convention of the Association of Architecture Firms (AsBEA), held in Florian\u00f3polis from June 19 to 22. On June 20, media outlets reported the tragic deaths of over 1,000 people during a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, caused by overcrowding and heat-related discomfort. \u201cWhile events like these do draw public attention, we\u2019re still a long way from achieving meaningful change,\u201d says Lamberts.<\/p>\n

Hernandez Neto, from Poli-USP, points to signs of progress: \u201cin cities like S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, sustainable building projects are incorporating features like green roofs, ventilated fa\u00e7ades, and shading systems to reduce thermal load and improve energy efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Poli-USP, researchers run courses and lectures for architects and builders to promote sustainable construction and thermal resilience practices, including passive solar energy and natural ventilation strategies. Participants often visit the Sustainable Construction Innovation Center (CICS), where alternatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve thermal performance are being developed (see<\/em> Pesquisa FAPESP issue n\u00b0 278<\/em><\/a>). \u201cIt is important that we continue to explore and adopt more sustainable solutions,\u201d says Hernandez Neto.<\/p>\n

The story above was published with the title “Keeping heat in check<\/strong>” in issue 345 of November\/2024.<\/p>\n

Project
\n<\/strong>The role of planning, urban design, and building design in adapting to climate change at the microscale: Contributions to an interdisciplinary approach (n\u00b0 16\/02825-5<\/a>); Grant Mechanism <\/strong>FAPESP Research Program on Global Climate Change ; Principal Investigator<\/strong> Denise Helena Silva Duarte (USP); Investment <\/strong>R$115,059.12.<\/p>\n

Scientific articles<\/strong>
\nKRELLING, A. F. et al<\/em>. Defining weather scenarios for simulation-based assessment of thermal resilience of buildings under current and future climates: A case study in Brazil<\/a>. Sustainable Cities and Society<\/strong>. Vol. 107, 105460. July 15, 2024.
\n<\/strong>ALVES, C. A. et al<\/em>. The recent residential apartment buildings\u2019 thermal performance under the combined effect of the global and the local warming<\/a>. Energy and Buildings<\/strong>. Vol. 238, no. 1. 110828. May 2021.
\n<\/strong>NEVES, M. V. L. et al<\/em>. Automa\u00e7\u00e3o predial: Um estudo sobre economicidade no uso de aparelhos de ar-condicionado<\/a>. Brazilian Journal of Technology<\/strong>. Vol. 7, no. 1. Mar. 26, 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Buildings need to be adapted to higher temperatures","protected":false},"author":753,"featured_media":548173,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[169],"tags":[203,228,243,2413,265],"coauthors":[4945],"class_list":["post-548163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-architecture","tag-engineering","tag-innovation","tag-technology","tag-urbanism"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/753"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=548163"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":554191,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/548163\/revisions\/554191"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/548173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=548163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=548163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=548163"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=548163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}