Characterization of Representative Residential Buildings within a Neighborhood and Their Energy Efficiency Levels According to RTQ-R

Abstract

Approximately 54% of Brazilian electricity consumption is attributed to the residential, commercial, public, and service sectors; thus, it is important to formulate strategies that promote both the energy efficiency of buildings and a better understanding of their thermal and energy performance. Within the scope of the Brazilian Labeling Program (Programa Brasileiro de Etiquetagem—PBE), technical regulations were developed to classify the level of energy efficiency of buildings. This article defines four representative buildings based on an analysis of the most common typologies that represent the multi-family residential buildings of a neighborhood. A total of 663 buildings were mapped and classified. The four representative buildings were evaluated for their thermal and energy performance in relation to Building Labeling (Quality Technical Regulation–Residential: RTQ-R). The results for the housing units (HUs) were analyzed for cooling degree-hours (cooling for summer), relative consumption for refrigeration (artificial cooling), performance of the envelope in summer, and the final classification of the HUs by the water heating system; the results for the entire multi-family building were analyzed. These results provide data that will contribute to an efficient policy for the housing industry and to future studies on the incorporation of measures that promote energy efficiency.