Responsabilidade social empresarial: uma avaliação do Projeto Escola de Informática e Cidadania da Mineradora Y situada no Estado do Pará

The subject Responsibility Enterprise Social (RSE) is relatively recent in the half national academic and the world of the management businesses as practical. For the lack of socialization of experiences and clarity of concepts, shunting lines in the agreement of the subject and the conduction of the interventions occur. It was looked to inquire, in this research, the development of the project of Social Responsibility Enterprise ―School of Computer science and Citizenship‖ of a situated company in the State of Pará, objectifying to evaluate it and later to understand it. For this, one searched to describe the characteristics and structure of the School, to identify to the lines and lines of direction adopted for this Project and to identify to the influence and results of the same in the life of pupils, professors and egresses of the School. It is characterized for a study of case with qualitative boarding of descriptive character, carried through interviews structuralized in a sample of 21 divided members of the School between professors, pupils and egresses. It was used of the analysis of categorical content, having as axle for the interpretation of the data the Social Responsibility, the Digital Inclusion and the Education. The gotten results inform that the infrastructure has challenges to face, point disparities between the conception and practical of the categories characterized in the Politician-Pedagogical Project of the EIC and the influence that, exactly under limits, the life of the professors, pupils reaches and egress. One evidenced that Social action for damages of this company when come back toward this project, they had not been evidenced. For this prism, these actions had only remained in the assistencialist speech and not structural, being thus, the company is not fulfilling its paper of transforming element of the reality of its clientele and the population that lives in it s around

Círculos ao invés de linhas: em busca de valores e princípios estruturantes da gestão social. Projeto juventude, participação e autonomia (Instituto Universidade Popular - UNIPOP)

The organizations are characterized as dynamic spaces, they are being revisited and redefined, because they constitute structural human spaces and new vain outlines won expression. As it begins, of the non consensus in its conception, it is explicit the complexity degree that is identified in the plurality and diversity, brought by the people that compose them, characterizing it as accomplishment space, of happiness and also of conflict, of relationships of power and organizational limits and from birth and burial of faiths, values, norms, symbols, knowledge and rituals, therefore, deeply human. In that way, to know the administration of the organization is preponderant condition for the format of the human relationships to be delineated in its living. Like this the work makes an option in knowing the social administration, this work tries to know and analyze the values and beginnings of the social administration; revealling characteristics and specificities of the organizational performance of UNIPOP that contribute to the formation of the conception of Social Administration, it tends as source of the information the managers of the institution; to identify the formative values of UNIPOP that contribute to the youths' partner-political action in the community, tends for reference the current students of the organization and last to evaluate values structurates and supporting that interconnection between the organizational Administration, formation youth's program, participation and autonomy and attendance, starting from the existences gained by the exits, of that program. This way, the research will be qualitative, looking for understanding starting from their documents, the existence of those values

Os estilos de liderança nas organizações não governamentais da região metropolitana de Belém

This study aimed to analyze the leadership style adopted by managers of nongovernmental organizations in the metropolitan region of Belem on the theory of Hersey and Blanchard. This theory is called situational leadership ranks E1, E2, E3, E4 and the styles of leadership and maturity in parallel classes M1, M2, M3 and M4. This study examined the relationship of leadership styles with the maturity of work, identified the relationship of leadership styles as related to psychological maturity and job maturity and psychological maturity. The main objectives were to analyze and relate leadership styles with the maturity of the leaders and understand the phenomenon of leadership from the self-perception of those who lead the organizations studied. To achieve the objectives we used a questionnaire already validated the theory of situational leadership and applied in 320 non-governmental organizations in the metropolitan region of Belem The methodology was quantitative, descriptive and exploratory. The analysis was by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics for univariate and bivariate form, applying the chi-square, the V Crammer and Spearman correlation. The data analysis shows safety, attested to the frequencies, and average margin of error and after application of the tests it was found that a relationship between the leadership style of work with the maturity and psychological maturity. The managers of nongovernmental organizations practicing various styles of leadership and focus on the quadrant of high maturity. It was diagnosed when the manager uses only one style of leadership was the predominance of E3 "share or support", which represents 24% of the sample. As uses two styles of leadership is the predominance of E3 and E2, which represents 76%. So the managers of nongovernmental organizations in the metropolitan region of Belem, practicing a style of leadership support, sharing ideas for decision making using a democratic style

Comportamento do consumidor: um estudo do mercado imobiliário em condomínios verticais fechados na região metropolitana de Natal

The research in question looked for to establish the relation between the motivation (of the proprietor of apartment) to change itself of another one apartment, in closed vertical condominium (residential mobility) in the period of the recognition of the necessity, and the satisfaction with the apartment after consume. The universe or the population chosen for the development of the study was of proprietors of apartment in vertical condominiums located in the region metropolitan of Natal. The analysis of data was made using the techniques of linear regression and logistic regression between variables. The linear regression found relations between the motivations for housing change and the satisfaction in after consume with some attributes of the apartment. The logistic regression showed that relations between the motivations for change and the general satisfaction to the apartment exist as a whole, in the period after consumes. With regard to the motivation to change itself of a apartment for another one, some reasons shown more motivation them the others. The research found different degrees of satisfaction with certain characteristics of the apartment and degrees of no satisfaction with others. Finally the results of the research had contributed for the reply of the problem that guided the present study, therefore had obtained in such a way to find how much logistic not linear relations between the two periods purchase (recognition of the necessity and evaluation after consume) and had elucidated the process that goes since the choice the product until the satisfaction of the necessities

Projeto café do trabalhador como promotor de segurança alimentar e nutricional: avaliação da eficácia da unidade Natal-RN

The evaluation of public policies that promote Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) it s a multidisciplinary activity extremely relevant to the effectiveness of actions to legitimize the Human Right to Adequate Food (HRAF). This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the unit project Natal-RN Café do Trabalhador in promoting SAN to its users. The theoretical framework is based on the public and political and on the dimensions of the concept of FSN (quantity and quality-regularity). Through a qualitative approach, methodologically this was the work of an evaluation of efficiency of the unit Natal-RN of Café do Trabalhador project in light of the assumptions of the concept of SAN. Data collection was conducted through retrospective archival research in official documents of the project, semi-structured interviews with managers involved in its implementation (representative of the Secretary of State for Employment, Housing and Care of RN SETHAS and third party), socioeconomic questionnaire applied to the users of the unit, check the amount, regularity and quality of meals offered for 15 days (menu routine) using the descriptive form menu and form filling type checklist for verification of compliance with good practices . Methods of analysis, we used content analysis, descriptive statistics and compared to previously established parameters for the project. As categories of analysis were defined organizational arrangement, access, user, food quantity-regularity and food quality. The results show that, it was found in the category arrangement that will implement the project dismissed technical criteria for choosing the districts and the quantitative distribution of meals for each location. It was found that the valuation of the shares of the company outsources technical SETHA has not been performed. We observed in the access category, the unit has a strategic location, but lack of space in the refectory. The main obstacle to economic access for users is the lack of a register for the beneficiaries. In the category of users, it was identified that the clientele of the project it is predominantly men, with more than 51 years, low education, earning wages less 1 obtained through informal employment, which they move up through the unit transport collective, go to all days of operation due primarily to price. About the meals category quantity-regularity of food showed that the menu serves 95% of the desired needs, and that holidays and weekends are periods of disrupting the regularity of supply of meals. Regarding the category of food quality, it was found that the nutritional aspect on the menu are food sources rich in sodium, nitrates and low in fiber. In the aspect of hygiene and sanitation are the main limitations related to waste management, lack of exposure controls of food prepared and inadequacies of the physical structure. The results showed that in general and the institutional arrangement of the organs attached to the project should establish a systematic evaluation project is to establish as a promoter of and FSN overcome these obstacles

Os programas de incentivo à cultura e o processo de fomento às organizações culturais no rio grande do norte: o caso da Casa da Ribeira em Natal

Since the emergence of the first demands for actions that were intended to give greater attention to culture in Brazil, came the first discussions which concerned the way the Brazilian government could have a positive influence in encouraging the culture, as is its interaction with the actors interested and involved with the cause. During the military dictatorship, there were programs which relied on the direct participation of the State to ensure that right, from the viewpoint of its support and implementation of public resources in developing the "cultural product" to be brought to society in its various forms of expression - all this, funded by the government. It is an example of "EMBRAFILMES" and "Projeto Seis e Meia", continued until the present day in some regions of the country, though maintained by entities not directly connected with the administration or the government. However, it was from the period of democratization and the end of the dictatorship that the Brazilian government began to look at the different culture, under its guarantee to the society. Came the first incentive laws, led by "Lei Sarney" Nº 7.505/86, which was culture as a segment which could receive foreign assistance in order to assist the government in fulfilling its public duty. After Collor era and the end of the embargo through the encouragement of culture incentive laws, consolidated the incentive model proposed in advance of Culture "Lei Sarney" and the federal laws, state and local regimentares as close to this action. This applies to the Rouanet Law (Lei Rouanet), Câmara Cascudo Law (Lei Câmara Cascudo) and Djalma Maranhão Cultural Incentive Law (Lei de Incentivo à Cultura Djalma Maranhão), existing in Natal and Rio Grande do Norte. Since then, business entities could help groups and cultural organizations to keep their work from the political sponsorship under control and regiment through the Brazilian state in the form of their Cultural Incentive Law. This framework has contributed to the strengthening of NGOs and with the consolidation of these institutions as the linchpin of Republican guaranteeing the right to access to culture, but corporate social responsibility was the one who took off in the segment treated here, through the actions of Responsibility Cultural enterprises arising from the Cultural Organizations. Therefore, in the face of this discourse, this study ascertains the process of encouraging the Culture in Rio Grande do Norte from the Deviant Case Analysis at the Casa da Ribeira, the main Cultural Organization that operates, focused action in Natal in order to assess the relationships established between the same entity and the institutions which are entitled to maintain the process of encouraging treated in this study - Enterprise, from the viewpoint of corporate sponsorship and Cultural Responsibility and State in the form of the Laws Incentive Funds and Public Culture Incentive

Educação complementar e desenvolvimento humano: alcances e limites da estratégia socioeducativa do projeto OASIS de intervivência universitária

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Modelo de decisão multicritério para seleções interciclo das universidades novas: estudo na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The discussions wherein develop proposals for university reform in Brazil include, among other things, the conception of the university titled "New University", whose structural origin comes from the bill of higher education reform and unification of the foundations of education European upper (Bologna process). At its core, the Bologna process has imposed a series of transformations, among which, the promotion of mobility, as a stimulus to interinstitutional cooperation to enable an better and bigger qualification of the students. Nevertheless, what we see is that this point is one of the main points made flawed by Brazilian institutions that have adopted this model of higher education. An example is the Bachelor of Science and Technology - BC&T, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN, where there are problems of the internal order, represented by the problem of the reusing of the disciplines, such also of external order, in cases of transfers interinstitutional. Because of this, and knowing that this is a typical problem in which multiple criteria are involved, the aim of this study is to propose a multicriteria model for selection of interciclo of the BC&T of the UFRN which addresses the issue of mobility. For this, this study was of exploratory and study case nature, use as tools of data collection, the bibliographic and documentary research, as well as semi-structured interviews. For the elaboration of the model, were used the five phases most commonly used in the modeling of problems in operational research in a sample of 91 students of BC&T. As a result, we obtained a model that addresses the issue of internal and external mobility of the school and that, moreover, was also more robust and fair than the current model of BC&T and also what is used in other courses of the UFRN, taking into consideration the expected results by the decision makers

O Litoral e a metrópole dinâmica imobiliária, turismo e expansão urbana na região metropolitana de Natal-RN

The metropolitan regions of Northeast Brazil are being gradually included in a scenario of international investments, which are motivated by the restructuring of both touristic and real-estate sectors. The new capital, real-estate developers and space configurations that result from this process indicate the need for the creation and implementation of public tools which should, at least, allow the mitigation of the urban impacts and environmental losses resulting from this situation. The effects on landscape and on the socio-spatial configuration result from the intensification caused by the dynamism of the "real estate-tourism" sector. There is a regional integration as an expression of the urban expansion of the metropolitan area of Natal. This study investigates the uniqueness of the restructuring and territorial integration of coastal areas and the strategies of the circuit of capital accumulation formed by linking the real estate to tourism. It is intended to increase the understanding about the strategies of tourism, real estate and public policy agents involved in this territorial reconfiguration and in the fund-raising needed for the investments, to understand the existing social and environmental effects and their future trends and also to understand the forms of spatial production as results from the practices of approaching the land transformation and the tourism valorization of the landscape, in a synchronous manner, first in the Northeast region and, as a focal study, in the Metropolitan Area of Natal. Likewise, it is intended to apprehend the current processes of metropolization of the eastern coast of Rio Grande do Norte, in addition to indicate its physical-territorial transformation and the types of projects/developments promoted by the market in the recent period. Based upon analysis undertaken for the Metropolitan Region of Natal RN, this piece of work presents some considerations on possible legal instruments that can be adjusted to the municipalities which are experiencing the impact of this peculiar and recent phenomenon in the region, caused by the arrival of the real estate-touristic capital. It is also intended to point out basic proposals to the forms of public intervention, in a speculative way, starting from a Metropolitan Planning project within a medium and long term

Projeto em Áreas Consolidadas de Patrimônio Cultural: Propostas para a Construção de uma Metodologia de Ensino

Le thème du patrimoine culturel architectural et urbain continue d avoir une place importante dans le milieu technique et scientifique. Le concept s est élargi et aujourd hui comprend différentes procédures de projets d intervention. L importance accordée au thème amène à l inclusion de la matière de techniques rétrospectives et aux contenus qui en sont liés: conservation, restauration, restructuration et reconstruction d édifices et ensembles urbains, dans les parcours des cours d architecture et d urbanisme au Brésil établies par le Ministère de l Education Nationale (MEC) dans les années quatre-vingt-dix, postérieurement incorporés dans les directrices disciplinaires nationales. Nous partons des discussions théoriques et conceptuelles du Domaine du Patrimoine Culturel, ainsi que des principales théories pédagogiques d enseignements et d apprentissage articulées au projet. Dans ce contexte les objectifs principaux de cette thèse consistent à systématiser et à analyser les principales procédures méthodologiques contribuant pour la construction de méthodes d enseignement tournée vers des activités pratiques dans ce domaine. Pour cela, la recherche a été systématisée dans une approche à deux niveaux. En ce qui concerne le premier, basé sur des données secondaires, neuf cours d architecture et urbanisme ont étés identifiés entre institutions publiques d enseignement supérieur dont huit brésiliennes et une française, considérées représentatives en ce qui concerne les pratiques d enseignement de projet et de patrimoine culturel. Trente disciplines dédiées à la matière ont été également reconnues initialement, et postérieurement, cinq disciplines qui possèdent un emploi du temps dédié à la pratique de projet ont aussi été reconnues. Dans le deuxième cas, basée sur des données primaires, ont étés analysées les méthodologies et les stratégies d enseignement de projet basées sur les définitions des matières et des autres éléments des plans de travail avec des observations, des entrevues et des questionnaires en trois ateliers. Par rapport aux résultats nous avons constaté que toutes les écoles possèdent les contenus de la matière, mais peu d entre elles privilégient la relation du projet appliqué au patrimoine culturel. Nous avons constaté que les questions des projets dans ce contexte, même s elles sont considérées complexes, ont privilégié le listage et l analyse du site. L atelier qui intègre les fondements des théories de préservation, l histoire de l architecture et urbanisme et techniques anciennes et actuelles, est mis en valeur comme un modèle cohérent avec les propositions d intégration des connaissances théoriques et pratiques du projet appliqué à la discipline. Basé sur ces constatations il est possible de démontrer quatre étapes du projet appliqué au patrimoine culturel: 1ª) les fondements généraux qui concernent les bases théoriques sur la préservation, histoire et technique rétrospective, par exemple, l appropriation de lois et normes et la sensibilisation de l élève sur les questions de patrimoine culturel; 2ª) le contacte avec la réalité qui inclut l appropriation du problème à partir de ces acteurs, de ces échelles, de cette lecture de site et l analyse de l objet d étude; 3ª) le développement de la proposition qui inclut programmes (fonctions existantes et propositions), définitions du partit (types d intervention), conception (hypothèse et discussion) et définition de proposition; 4ª) la finalisation du projet qui consiste à développer la proposition avec sa représentation graphique et sa présentation finale. Nous concluons que le projet en Domaine du Patrimoine Culturel demande une attention spéciale et doit être présent dans les cursus considérant les principes généraux nécessaires à la formation de l élève. Le binôme projet / patrimoine signifie avoir dans le cursus universitaire les contenus et questions nécessaires les connaissances, les variables et possibilités existantes dans le projet appliqué au patrimoine culturel de façon à ce que ces connaissances soient incorporées dans l exercice de projet et n apparaissent pas comme un simple contenu théorique sans articulation avec la pratique. Naturellement ces conclusions n épuisent pas la réflexion sur la question. Nous espérons que les analyses faites contribuent à définir des méthodologies d enseignements capables d êtres vérifiées et testées dans la pratique en salle de cours, et puisse collaborer avec les nouvelles recherches surtout celles qui ont pour but des nouvelles théories pédagogiques d enseignement apprentissage du projet en Domaine du Patrimoine Culturel

"O que é que há? O que é que está se passando" nessas cabeças? : um estudo sobre a concepção de projetos recentes da arquitetura residencial unifamiliar em Natal

L étude se fonde sur la recherche du processus inhérent à la conception du projet par le biais de l approche architecturologique proposée par Philippe Boudon et al (2000) ; un modèle théorique qui sert de fondement à la construction d une connaissance de l architecture au moyen d une étude de la nature des opérations mentales de chaque architecte lorsqu il organise son travail de conception. La modélisation de l architecturologie concentre son étude sur le travail qui a lieu avant même la confection matérielle du projet (représentation graphique finale). De cette façon, douze projets furent analysés d architecture résidencielle unifamiliale; conçus récemment par six architectes « potiguares » pour Natal et sa région périphérique. Les résultats mettent en évidence un ensemble de modèles substrats (comme point de départ) et téléologiques (comme point d arrivée) adoptés par les auteurs au cours de la conception de leurs projets. Ces modèles, de façon générale, sont liés aux pertinences socio-culturelles (conventions, formes traditionnelles ou coutumes) du contexte pour lesquels ils sont conçus (lotissements privés de co-propriété des classes moyennes et moyennes-supérieures) et en même temps, ils sont le fruit de croyances, d idéologies et d expériences antérieures propres à l espace de la conception de chaque architecte

O projeto de arquitetura de espaços temporários com o uso de sistema construtivo remontável: um estudo exploratório

The purpose of this research is to study the portable or reassemblable architectures, which, different from conventional architecture (whose designs are of permanent buildings), corresponds to the designing of spaces with temporary purposes. The focus of the study is the architectural design of spaces that are produced from building systems that can to be moved to different places (process of assembly / disassembly / reassembly) in order to identify the types of spaces generated and the processes used in their design / projecting. The aim is to investigate relationships between the initial project conceived based on a Reassemblable Construction System (RCS) and its application in the architectural design of professionals and students in order to contribute to the understanding of the specificities of this type of design activity. To this end it was developed the exploratory research based on multimedia methods, which includes: documentary analysis, technical visits, interviews, surveys, academic exercise and documentation by images. Although the study is not conclusive, the results indicate significant differences between the point of view of the RCS´s designers and its users (architects and architecture students) since the users demonstrated to have some difficulty to access the features provided for the first group, in particular the students. It is also demonstrated that the use of RCSs seems to change the appreciation / hierarchization of the conditions of project design, since, unlike what happens in traditional architectural design, the designers who use them seem to be more concerned with constructive issues, especially the structural elements (support and covering), instead of functionality, aesthetics and even physical characteristics of the site

Permanências e perspectivas no ensino de projeto de arquitetura no Brasil: uma análise a partir da produção científica dos Seminários UFRGS (1985) e Projetar (2003-2011)

O objeto de estudo desta tese é o ensino de projeto de arquitetura no contexto acadêmico brasileiro. O trabalho procura analisar esse objeto nos aspectos relativos ao ensinar a fazer e ao aprender a fazer , por meio de uma perspectiva epistemológica e cognitiva, a partir da produção científica dos Seminários UFRGS (1985) e Projetar (2003-2011) sob o olhar de três estados constitutivos: conservação, permanência e transformação. A metodologia de investigação é qualitativa e seus pressupostos são investigad os por meio do método hipotético-dedutivo em busca de um conhecimento aproximativo. Dentro do universo pesquisado, as hipóteses conduzem: primeiro, à investigação e caracterização de estruturas que se conservam; segundo, à investigação e levantamento de valores e conceitos que permanecem adequados por sua capacidade de adaptação às mudanças e paradigmas; e, terceiro, por procurarem destacar práticas pedagógicas que indicam novos caminhos na maneira de agir e de se pensar o ensino de projeto de arquitetura. A pesquisa demonstrou que, embora em menores proporções, ainda se conservam ações e posturas pedagógicas que: valorizam os ideais funcionalistas e racionalistas da arquitetura; adotam posturas deterministas, caminhos prescritivos ou intuitivos no ensino da concepção arquitetural; não apresentam clareza metodológica na abordagem da problemática arquitetônica; os contextos urbanos são pouco explorados na experimentação; utilizam um sistema de concepção baseado em princípios estéticos canônicos e universais, sem problematizar as causas da transformação da arquitetura contemporânea e qual o seu papel numa sociedade complexa e diversificada. Com relação às novas perspectivas encontradas, a análise da produção científica demonstrou que a prática pedagógica do ensino de projeto de arquitetura no Brasil passa por transformações críticas valiosas. Essa constatação foi percebida, por meio, também, de reflexões e de práticas pedagógicas que valorizam a integração de conteúdos; que possuem um discurso crítico e conciliador com relação à necessidade de renovação de práticas, paradigmas, meios e conteúdos; que estão abertas às posturas cooperativas e às estratégias para a constituição de um corpo teórico-prático para o ensino do projeto que não se limite ao campo da arquitetura; que reconhecem a importância das novas tecnologias computacionais na concepção projetual e no ensino do projeto, assim como, as tecnologias e estratégias que atualizam as soluções projetuais no uso adequado dos recursos ambientais; que consideram o espaço acadêmico como um lugar propício para as experiências projetuais e pedagógicas; que manifestam um esforço em considerar a participação do usuário, assim como em realizar um processo de apreensão de contextos complexos como objeto de estudo, adotando uma postura de valorização do processo projetual. O trabalho conclui que a educação do arquiteto deve estar atenta aos aspectos relativos à inclusão da realidade sociocultural e ambiental como referência para o fazer arquitetural em detrimento da primazia dada à racionalidade técnica, uma vez que essa realidade permite a mediação, entre o ser e o mundo , como uma estratégia que supera qualquer antecipação programática e viabiliza a transformação e a construção do próprio ser e do mundo . Assim, se o aprender fazendo é necessário para a formação do arquiteto, que esse fazer seja refletido e retroalimente a prática

Yes, nós temos arquitetura moderna! Reconstituição e análise da arquitetura residencial moderna em Natal das décadas de 50 e 60

Brazilian architecture was recognized because of the consecration of the icons of the Carioca and Paulista schools which are represented nationally and internationally by names like Niemeyer, Lucio Costa and Vilanova Artigas, among others. Because of this, classic studies dedicated to the Brazilian case look to present the Southeastern region with the title of father of modern Brazil, at the cost of subjugating various other modern movements and peripheral sayings, whether their values are known or forgotten. On the other hand, there has been an effort, in the sense of registering and analyzing these regional productions of modern Brazilian architecture, an assignment that DOCOMOMO Brasil participates firmly through initiatives like the creation of a Library to aid in the documentation and registration of modernity in Brazil. Inside this context of insertions of the National-Modern scheme, this work has as its objective to present modern potiguar (northern Brazil) architecture through its contemporary residential examples, investigating specifically its constructive, formal aspects, that together that together demonstrate one more architectural emphasis of modern Brazilian architecture: the potiguar. This way, by contributing to the work of the register and the documentation of the Modern Movement and attributing to the modern architecture of Natal it s real worth, we can say: Yes, we have modern architecture

Utilização de um aplicativo de simulação computacional na avaliação de desempenho térmico de protótipo de habitação de interesse social (his)

This Masters Degree dissertation seeks to make a comparative study of internal air temperature data, simulated through the thermal computer application DesignBuilder 1.2, and data registered in loco through HOBO® Temp Data Logger, in a Social Housing Prototype (HIS), located at the Central Campus of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte UFRN. The prototype was designed and built seeking strategies of thermal comfort recommended for the local climate where the study was carried out, and built with panels of cellular concrete by Construtora DoisA, a collaborator of research project REPESC Rede de Pesquisa em Eficiência Energética de Sistemas Construtivos (Research Network on Energy Efficiency of Construction Systems), an integral part of Habitare program. The methodology employed carefully examined the problem, reviewed the bibliography, analyzing the major aspects related to computer simulations for thermal performance of buildings, such as climate characterization of the region under study and users thermal comfort demands. The DesignBuilder 1.2 computer application was used as a simulation tool, and theoretical alterations were carried out in the prototype, then they were compared with the parameters of thermal comfort adopted, based on the area s current technical literature. Analyses of the comparative studies were performed through graphical outputs for a better understanding of air temperature amplitudes and thermal comfort conditions. The data used for the characterization of external air temperature were obtained from the Test Reference Year (TRY), defined for the study area (Natal-RN). Thus the author also performed comparative studies for TRY data registered in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008, at weather station Davis Precision Station, located at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais INPE-CRN (National Institute of Space Research), in a neighboring area of UFRN s Central Campus. The conclusions observed from the comparative studies performed among computer simulations, and the local records obtained from the studied prototype, point out that the simulations performed in naturally ventilated buildings is quite a complex task, due to the applications limitations, mainly owed to the complexity of air flow phenomena, the influence of comfort conditions in the surrounding areas and climate records. Lastly, regarding the use of the application DesignBuilder 1.2 in the present study, one may conclude that it is a good tool for computer simulations. However, it needs some adjustments to improve reliability in its use. There is a need for continued research, considering the dedication of users to the prototype, as well as the thermal charges of the equipment, in order to check sensitivity