Qualidade do ar interior e conforto térmico : um estudo em espaços de estacionamento em Natal/RN

The recent tendency to utilize parking lots for other purposes has demonstrated that more time has been spent by visitors, mainly in great cities. Therefore, this paper investigates the thermal comfort and the air quality indoors in areas specifically used as parking lots by analyzing the direct relation between such environments and vehicular pollution. The thermal comfort and the quality of air indoors in parking lots with different architectonic typology (ground-floor and underground) are also studied, aiming to contribute to the proposition of suitable new areas designated to human usage. Field research was done, in two distinct periods within different weather conditions (January and July) in, two naturally cooled, parking lots located in Natal - RN. The internal environment agents were measured by using tools for air temperature, humidity, speed and direction; interviews with employees and visitors and chemical analysis through appropriate tools to analyze specific material, carbon monoxide and ozone. The results showed that chemical agents densely concentrate mostly in the closed parking space, aggravated by weather conditions, which dissatisfied the visitors. Still, it was shown that architectonic typology, alongside topographical aspects compromise internal environmental conditions, which increases the retention of pollution, leading to dissatisfactory thermal comfort levels and becoming less suitable for usage by visitors considering air and thermal comfort aspects. Consequently, they are not suitable for human stay due to the poor quality of the indoor air

Qualidade do ar interior e conforto térmico : um estudo em espaços de estacionamento em Natal/RN

The recent tendency to utilize parking lots for other purposes has demonstrated that more time has been spent by visitors, mainly in great cities. Therefore, this paper investigates the thermal comfort and the air quality indoors in areas specifically used as parking lots by analyzing the direct relation between such environments and vehicular pollution. The thermal comfort and the quality of air indoors in parking lots with different architectonic typology (ground-floor and underground) are also studied, aiming to contribute to the proposition of suitable new areas designated to human usage. Field research was done, in two distinct periods within different weather conditions (January and July) in, two naturally cooled, parking lots located in Natal - RN. The internal environment agents were measured by using tools for air temperature, humidity, speed and direction; interviews with employees and visitors and chemical analysis through appropriate tools to analyze specific material, carbon monoxide and ozone. The results showed that chemical agents densely concentrate mostly in the closed parking space, aggravated by weather conditions, which dissatisfied the visitors. Still, it was shown that architectonic typology, alongside topographical aspects compromise internal environmental conditions, which increases the retention of pollution, leading to dissatisfactory thermal comfort levels and becoming less suitable for usage by visitors considering air and thermal comfort aspects. Consequently, they are not suitable for human stay due to the poor quality of the indoor air

Proposta de método para avaliação do desempenho térmico de residências unifamiliares em clima quente e úmido

Nowadays, evaluation methods to measure thermal performance of buildings have been developed in order to improve thermal comfort in buildings and reduce the use of energy with active cooling and heating systems. However, in developed countries, the criteria used in rating systems to asses the thermal and energy performance of buildings have demonstrated some limitations when applied to naturally ventilated building in tropical climates. The present research has as its main objective to propose a method to evaluate the thermal performance of low-rise residential buildings in warm humid climates, through computational simulation. The method was developed in order to conceive a suitable rating system for the athermal performance assessment of such buildings using as criteria the indoor air temperature and a thermal comfort adaptive model. The research made use of the software VisualDOE 4.1 in two simulations runs of a base case modeled for two basic types of occupancies: living room and bedroom. In the first simulation run, sensitive analyses were made to identify the variables with the higher impact over the cases´ thermal performance. Besides that, the results also allowed the formulation of design recommendations to warm humid climates toward an improvement on the thermal performance of residential building in similar situations. The results of the second simulation run was used to identify the named Thermal Performance Spectrum (TPS) of both occupancies types, which reflect the variations on the thermal performance considering the local climate, building typology, chosen construction material and studied occupancies. This analysis generates an index named IDTR Thermal Performance Resultant Index, which was configured as a thermal performance rating system. It correlates the thermal performance with the number of hours that the indoor air temperature was on each of the six thermal comfort bands pre-defined that received weights to measure the discomfort intensity. The use of this rating system showed to be appropriated when used in one of the simulated cases, presenting advantages in relation to other evaluation methods and becoming a tool for the understanding of building thermal behavior

Adequação bioclimática para os espaços urbanos abertos do centro de Fortaleza, CE

This research presents a study investigating the correlation between the environmental-physycal charcateristics of cities and the formation of its micro-climates. The study was conducted in the central area of Fortaleza characterized as a stable and consolidated area, where the city originated and currently faces serious problems in its urban dynamics. The points of measurements were determined by the elaboration and analysis of topography maps, height of buildings, land use, type of surface coating and vegetation, following the methodology of Katzschner (1997). A zoning map was then determined, according to common morphological characteristics of the 12 measurement points, which were based on a set of Romero s (2001) bioclimatic criteria. Air measurements, temperature, humidity, intensity and direction of winds were made in transect form in two different circuits in the study area, with six points of data collection in each area, in three different times: 6:00 am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm, during two periods of the year: August 2008 and March 2009. The results verified the influence of different environmental-physical types in the behavior of the climatic variables that were collected. A verticalização tão condenada em algumas situações se bem equilibrada e controlada pode reduzir as temperaturas do ar através do sombreamento dos espaços urbanos e possibilidade de maior permeabilidade a ventilação natural. The highest average air temperature and lower humidity were recorded at the point I at all times. This situation may have been in result of the high density, poor vegetation and extended paving of the ground. According to the results, it s clear the positive influence vegetation has on easing air temperature. Another indicator observed that areas with a greater variation in building heights tend to present decreased average air temperature. High rise structure, planned in accordance to urban air quality parameters, can reduce air temperatures by the shading of urban spaces and the possibility of greater penetration of natural ventilation

Avaliação dos impactos ambientais gerados por uma industria cerâmica típica da Região do Seridó/RN

The present work deals with an evaluation of the environmental impacts arised from a typical ceramics industry located in the Seridó region of Rio Grande do Norte State. That region contains the largest State s producing basin of red ceramics. The district of Parelhas stands out as the largest producing nucleus. The studied company is located in the rural zone of Parelhas, it was selected as study object because it possesses a great part of the representative characteristics of the Region s ceramics park as a whole. Impacts produced at the implantation and operation phases of the Company had been evaluated, being this last phase subdivided in stages of the productive process. Among found adverse impacts, they are distinguished: losses in air quality, undesirable noises, microclimatic alterations, impoverishment of the ground, elimination of the vegetal covering, agricultural exodus, crisis in cattle agriculture and, superficial and underground water contamination, beyond risks ocupational diseases and industrial accidents. The Leopold s interactive matrix, that summarizes results of the work, was presented in form of 15 (fifteen) tables that display impacts classified in qualitative and quantitative way. Totally, 175 (one hundred and seventy-five) significant impacts produced by this Company had been identified, being 114 (one hundred and fourteen) negative, 38 (thirty-eight) positive and 23 (twenty-three) among mixed, indefinite and inert ones. In the work, before the evaluation of impacts properly said, it was constructed a diagnostic table of the ambient situation at a previous moment to implantation of the Company, elaborated on basis of inferences and historical researches. It was proposed still, mitigative steps for adverse impacts identified, as also elaborated a program to accompaniment and observing that the fulfilment of indicated mitigative steps guarantees. The final part of the work contemplates conclusions and suggestions that aim to influence positively the presented sight in terms of environmental management

Comércio internacional e meio ambiente: estímulo à produção sustentável ou mero protecionismo comercial a posição do Brasil em dois casos de litígio

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 1994 as a result of the Uruguay Round, and has as its principal aim advocate for the maintenance of free trade between nations. The preamble of its Constitutive Agreement specifically cites as an institution the goal of achieving sustainable development and the pursuit of protecting and preserving the environment, bringing into the sphere of world trade the idea that concern for the environmental cause is not restricted only the group of environmentalists, but rather has entered the economic landscape in a way not only ideological, but also pragmatic. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1947, part of the GATT 1994, contains a device that allows the adoption of trade restrictive measures, provided that such measures aimed at protecting the environment - Article XX. The Settlement Body (DSB) is part of the WTO and acts in dissolving disputes between the countries motivated by trade. It examines two cases where countries have imposed restrictive trade measures with environmental justification. The first case was closed in 1996, with award of damages given to Brazil, on the breakdown of U.S. environmental legislation imposed on imported gasoline from Brazil - and the second, begun in 2005 and closed in 2007, coming out victorious again Brazil is on the import ban on retreaded tires to Brazil. The objective is to answer the question: how the environment is treated in the midst of trade discussions - which is aimed at its protection or its use with economic objectives in disguise? For the preparation of this work, extensive documentary research was undertaken with the virtual site of the WTO to review the entire production of legal cases and subsequent analysis of the key issue for the work, and literature of authors who have studied the tense relationship between trade international environment. The first case, it could be seen that the political movement performed by the U.S. with the aim of achieving acceptable standards of air quality was an institutional effort to ensure the quality of air, and thus would be inappropriate to say that the regulation of gasoline was merely a disguised trade barrier.However, a careful analysis of the implementation and operation of gasoline regulation may reveal intentions disguised trade and U.S. environmental argument did not hold. The weight of this environment was relegated, since there were clearly outside interests to the environmental cause. The second case, it was realized that, despite clear attempts by the EC to promote ecological dumping, send when brought to Brazil, supposedly a country with weaker environmental structure on surveillance, a residue that, pursuant to internal policies, as could not be sent to their own landfills, the Brazilian discourse remained focused on the environmental cause, and this sort there was the existence of disguised trade barriers, but of importance, at least a priori, the discussion of foreign forces on the environment environment because there is no way to legally justify the reversal of the total understanding of the first judging body, the sight of all the arguments presented by Brazil and the nonsubmission of new facts upon appeal. Still, quite heartening to reflect on the role of trade liberalization on the environment in general, because, while they do not reach a definitive conclusion will reveal positions in both directions, both for and against, the that only adds to the discussions and makes this a very fertile topic for future research

Determinação da concentração de metais no material particulado (PM10 e PM2,5) do ar atmosférico em uma área urbana da cidade do Natal – RN

This study aimed to assess ambient air quality in a urban area of Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte (latitude 5º49'29 '' S and longitude 35º13'34'' W), aiming to determine the metals concentration in particulate matter (PM10 and PM2,5) of atmospheric air in the urban area o the Natal city. The sampling period for the study consisted of data acquisition from January to December 2012. Samples were collected on glass fiber filters by means of two large volumes samplers, one for PM2,5 (AGV PM 2,5) and another for PM10 (PM10 AGV). Monthly averages ranged from 8.92 to 19.80 g.m-3 , where the annual average was 16,21 g.m-3 for PM10 and PM2,5 monthly averages ranged from 2,84 to 7,89 g.m -3 , with an annual average of 5,61 g.m-3 . The results of PM2,5 and PM10 concentrations were related meteorological variables and for information on the effects of these variables on the concentration of PM, an exploratory analysis of the data using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed. The results of the PCA showed that with increasing barometric pressure, the direction of the winds, the rainfall and relative humidity decreases the concentration of PM and the variable weekday little influence compared the meteorological variables. Filters containing particulate matter were selected in six days and subjected to microwave digestion. After digestion samples were analyzed by with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations for heavy metals Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Copper, Arsenic and lead were determined. The highest concentrations of metals were for Pb and Cu, whose average PM10 values were, respectively, 5,34 and 2,34 ng.m-3 and PM2,5 4,68 and 2,95 ng.m-3 . Concentrations for metals V, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Cd were respectively 0,13, 0,39, 0,48, 0,45 and 0,03 ng.m-3 for PM10 fraction and PM2,5 fraction, 0,05, 0,10, 0,10, 0,34 and 0,01 ng.m-3. The concentration for As was null for the two fractions

Proposta de método para avaliação do desempenho térmico de residências unifamiliares em clima quente e úmido

Nowadays, evaluation methods to measure thermal performance of buildings have been developed in order to improve thermal comfort in buildings and reduce the use of energy with active cooling and heating systems. However, in developed countries, the criteria used in rating systems to asses the thermal and energy performance of buildings have demonstrated some limitations when applied to naturally ventilated building in tropical climates. The present research has as its main objective to propose a method to evaluate the thermal performance of low-rise residential buildings in warm humid climates, through computational simulation. The method was developed in order to conceive a suitable rating system for the athermal performance assessment of such buildings using as criteria the indoor air temperature and a thermal comfort adaptive model. The research made use of the software VisualDOE 4.1 in two simulations runs of a base case modeled for two basic types of occupancies: living room and bedroom. In the first simulation run, sensitive analyses were made to identify the variables with the higher impact over the cases´ thermal performance. Besides that, the results also allowed the formulation of design recommendations to warm humid climates toward an improvement on the thermal performance of residential building in similar situations. The results of the second simulation run was used to identify the named Thermal Performance Spectrum (TPS) of both occupancies types, which reflect the variations on the thermal performance considering the local climate, building typology, chosen construction material and studied occupancies. This analysis generates an index named IDTR Thermal Performance Resultant Index, which was configured as a thermal performance rating system. It correlates the thermal performance with the number of hours that the indoor air temperature was on each of the six thermal comfort bands pre-defined that received weights to measure the discomfort intensity. The use of this rating system showed to be appropriated when used in one of the simulated cases, presenting advantages in relation to other evaluation methods and becoming a tool for the understanding of building thermal behavior

Adequação bioclimática para os espaços urbanos abertos do centro de Fortaleza, CE

This research presents a study investigating the correlation between the environmental-physycal charcateristics of cities and the formation of its micro-climates. The study was conducted in the central area of Fortaleza characterized as a stable and consolidated area, where the city originated and currently faces serious problems in its urban dynamics. The points of measurements were determined by the elaboration and analysis of topography maps, height of buildings, land use, type of surface coating and vegetation, following the methodology of Katzschner (1997). A zoning map was then determined, according to common morphological characteristics of the 12 measurement points, which were based on a set of Romero s (2001) bioclimatic criteria. Air measurements, temperature, humidity, intensity and direction of winds were made in transect form in two different circuits in the study area, with six points of data collection in each area, in three different times: 6:00 am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm, during two periods of the year: August 2008 and March 2009. The results verified the influence of different environmental-physical types in the behavior of the climatic variables that were collected. A verticalização tão condenada em algumas situações se bem equilibrada e controlada pode reduzir as temperaturas do ar através do sombreamento dos espaços urbanos e possibilidade de maior permeabilidade a ventilação natural. The highest average air temperature and lower humidity were recorded at the point I at all times. This situation may have been in result of the high density, poor vegetation and extended paving of the ground. According to the results, it s clear the positive influence vegetation has on easing air temperature. Another indicator observed that areas with a greater variation in building heights tend to present decreased average air temperature. High rise structure, planned in accordance to urban air quality parameters, can reduce air temperatures by the shading of urban spaces and the possibility of greater penetration of natural ventilation