Conforto térmico de idosos em climas distintos na Paraíba

Abstract

The process of aging alters physiological functions, it reduces peripheral sensitivity, muscle mass, and metabolism, while also promoting the appearance of clinical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. The increased lifespan expectation of the general population impels the academy to perform various investigations, among which is the study of the relationship between aging and thermal comfort yet predictive models consider neither age nor a tropical climate. Thus the object of study of this research is the population which resides in horizontal condominiums built and maintained for the elderly in the cities of João Pessoa, Campina Grande, and Cajazeiras. Our objective was to investigate and understand the sensitivities, perceptions, and thermal preferences of the elderly in these naturally ventilated buildings. The three cities present differing climatic conditions, yet remain subject to the tropical macroclimate. The study (based on the concepts of aging and thermal comfort) involved measurements of internal air temperature (dry-bulb temperature DBT), global temperatures, relative humidity, and air-flow velocity. In the external environment, air temperature (DBT), relative humidity, air-flow velocity, and wind direction were also monitored in both summer and winter. Structured interviews were also conducted in parallel with the internal measurements. The treatment of the obtained data was performed using electronic spreadsheets and as laid out in ASHRAE 55 (2017), including application of equations for the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) indices, and a predictive model of adaptive comfort as applied to naturally ventilated environments. In addition, statistical inferences were made using specific software to verify comparisons, correlations, and regressions between the variables investigated. The data regarding thermal sensation, preference, and perception totaled a universe of 202 samples. Following descriptive and statistical analysis, it was possible to visualize the influence of the climate on the elderly’s opinions, their descriptions of heat mitigation strategies, and any similarities found between the situation in this study and the researched bibliography. It was observed that the PMV-PPD model, despite being recommended for controlled environments, also finds application in naturally ventilated environments and was close to the users' responses. Symptoms related to changes in blood pressure can interfere with the thermal perception of the elderly. In consideration of this, we sought to elucidate both how the elderly interact with their thermal environments, and which strategies might be used to achieve thermal comfort.