Autor(es): Curado, António ; Nunes, Leonel J R ; Silva, Joaquim P ; Lopes, Nuno ; Azevedo, Rolando ; Lopes, Sérgio Ivan
Data: 2025
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/11110/3204
Origem: Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave
Assunto(s): Energy efficiency; Indoor air quality; Radon risk exposure; , Thermal comfort, Building ventilationCollaborative sensing
Energy Efficiency (EE) and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) are mandatory features in the rehabilitation of historical buildings. Even though it is challenging to manage both sides, EE demands are fundamental to increasing buildings´ thermal comfort, and IAQ requirements are essential for improving occupants’ wellness. There are, however, several constraints that limit the intervention in complex buildings, such as the installation of mechanical ventilation systems in heritage structures. This paper presents a case study where radon risk communication has been considered as a remediation measure in a highly constrained building—classified as National Architectural Patrimony—and whose recent retrofit had focused on EE improvement. Due to the intervention, the lack of significant air renovation can harm IAQ, and therefore, increase indoor radon concentration, which is a known problem in the building under study. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of proper radon risk communication in the actions undertaken to mitigate radon risk exposure. Moreover, it puts forward a conceptual framework that manages manual ventilation actions through collaborative sensing. Results have shown that under constrained retrofitting conditions, the fine-tuning between natural ventilation actions and thermal comfort can be the key to ensuring the building EE.
his research is a result of the project TECH - Technology, Environment, Creativity and Health, Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000043, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). L.J.R.N. was supported by proMetheus, Research Unit on Energy, Materials and Environment for Sustainability - UIDP/05975/2020, funded by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. António Curado co-authored this work within the scope of the project proMetheus – Research Unit on Materials, Energy and Environment for Sustainability, FCT Ref. UID/05975/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES
