**1. Introduction**

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This paper assembles the complete work of environmental design developed for the new research centre of the Brazilian Petroleum Company, Petrobras, in the tropical city Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil (latitude 22.53S). The main objective is to make clear the relationship between architectural solutions, environmental strategies and quality of space, by presenting the criteria and methods applied to the architectural concept and technical assessment of four complementary areas of environmental design: outdoors comfort, daylight and natural ventilation in buildings and, ultimately, the energy performance of air conditioned spaces.

Undertaken by members of the Laboratory of Environment and Energy Studies (LABAUT) from the Department of Technology of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of University of Sao Paulo (FAUUSP), the environmental design of the new research centre of Petrobras was a comprehensive project of research pro-design related to the environmental performance of contemporary buildings in one of the Brazilian's main cities, Rio de Janeiro.

The design project was the object of a national architectural competition held in 2004. The programme of activities is an extension of the existing research centre, including laboratory rooms, offices, a convention centre, restaurants, greenhouse spaces and other special facilities (e.g. energy generation and model testing of petroleum platforms).The total built area of the extension of the Petrobras Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro encompasses 66.700,78 m2, built on 193.290,65 m2 site at the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro (see figure 1),

© 2012 Goncalves et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2012 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

resulting in a plot ratio of 34,5% [1]. Completely built in 2010, this research centre is the first building complex of its size and complexity in Brazil to integrate environmental principles at the very early stages of the design. However, it should be noticed that the environmental agenda was not a particularity of the second phase of the Petrobras Research Centre. Comfort issues including thermal comfort were already regarded in the conceptual ideas of the architect Sergio Bernardes's for the first phase of the Petrobras research centre from the 1970s [2].

Environmental Design in Contemporary Brazilian Architecture:

The Research Centre of the National Petroleum Company, CENPES, in Rio de Janeiro 21

architecture of the winning design project, which was inspired in one hand by the local bioclimatic modernist architecture (specially from the period between 1930's and 1960's) and on the other hand, by contemporary environmental principles and methods as well as the

In terms of internal thermal environmental conditions the new buildings of the research centre encompassed totally naturally ventilated, mixed-mode and full-time air conditioned buildings as a function of buildings' use and the consequent environmental requirements. The naturally ventilated ones are the Operational Support Building and Utilities Centre all designed based on the architectural typology of the factory building. The main air conditioned and mixed-mode buildings are: the central Building (approximately 36.000 m2), the Laboratories (approximately 33.000 m2) and the Convention Centre (approximately 6.500

Apart from influencing the architectural design, the local climatic conditions also played an important role in re-establishing some of the basic environmental performance criteria, such as the definition of comfort parameters, energy consumption targets and daylighting levels, based on the warm-humid climate of Rio de Janeiro. As the architectural design progressed, environmental assessment evolved from the interpretation on principles and simplified analytical work to advanced simulation procedures, carried out over the first 9 months of the total design period which lasted 22 months (from November 2004 to September 2006), covering the integral part of the architectural design concept ). Construction began in

Looking at the first stages of the design of the winning project for the Expansion of the Petrobras Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro, design of the architectural proposal designed by Zanettini Arquitetura S.A., co-authored by Arch. José Wagner Garcia, and supported by a diversified consultancy team, this work presents the environmental concepts and some of its qualitative and quantitative performance aspects, highlighting the role of the Environment and Energy Studies Group of the *Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Universidade de São Paulo* (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São

The environmental studies of the expansion of Petrobras Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro had four main objectives: assess the thermal comfort in the open spaces created by the horizontal disposition of buildings on site; maximize the benefits of daylight, assess the thermal performance of free running buildings where natural ventilation was required as a function the programme; and finally assess the performance of architectural solutions for

The new buildings of the expansion were classified in two groups: one which the main the spaces had to be naturally ventilated, being these the *Operational Support Building* and *Utilities Centre*, and the other where the artificial control of the thermal conditions by means of active cooling systems was a design premise, being these the *Central Building* (an office building), the *Laboratories* and the *Convention Centre*. In addition, three other buildings of the

air-conditioned buildings, where active cooling was a design premise.

m2), being those three functions located at the core of the architectural composition.

possibilities of current construction technologies.

September 2006 and was completed in 2010.

Paulo).

**Figure 1.** Site location of the Petrobras Research Centre in the Guanabara Bay of Rio de Janeiro.

Alongside a series of functional requirements, the design brief aimed for environmentally responsive solutions related to the comfort of the occupants and buildings' energy efficiency, in which the use of daylight, natural ventilation and vegetation were mandatory. Moreover, the brief's environmental agenda included issues associated with water consumption and the environmental impact of building materials. A list of 10 items summarises the environmental brief, involving building's design and building services: 1. buildings' orientation according to solar radiation, 2. buildings' form according to principles of bioclimatic design, 3. appropriate materials to local environmental conditions, 4. window wall ratio (WWR) according to local environmental conditions and good use of daylight, 5. protection against solar radiation, 6. natural ventilation in buildings, 7. good use of daylight, 8. low environmental impact materials, 9. rain water harvesting and re-use of grey water and, 10. vegetation for local environmental benefits, such as ecological niches and biodiversity [1]. Those strategies had a rather generic approach, with no pre-established quantitative criteria or benchmarks, opening up the possibility for the creation of a bespoken environmental reference in the context of Brazilian contemporary architecture.

The winning architectural scheme was the proposal from Zanettini Arquitetura S.A., (coauthored by José Wagner Garcia), which was informed by creative contributions from the various complementary areas, including structural, mechanical and electrical engineering and landscape and environmental design, resulting in a truly conceptual holistic design proposal. The local warm-humid conditions of Rio de Janeiro had a major influence on the architecture of the winning design project, which was inspired in one hand by the local bioclimatic modernist architecture (specially from the period between 1930's and 1960's) and on the other hand, by contemporary environmental principles and methods as well as the possibilities of current construction technologies.

20 Energy Efficiency – The Innovative Ways for Smart Energy, the Future Towards Modern Utilities

1970s [2].

resulting in a plot ratio of 34,5% [1]. Completely built in 2010, this research centre is the first building complex of its size and complexity in Brazil to integrate environmental principles at the very early stages of the design. However, it should be noticed that the environmental agenda was not a particularity of the second phase of the Petrobras Research Centre. Comfort issues including thermal comfort were already regarded in the conceptual ideas of the architect Sergio Bernardes's for the first phase of the Petrobras research centre from the

**Figure 1.** Site location of the Petrobras Research Centre in the Guanabara Bay of Rio de Janeiro.

Alongside a series of functional requirements, the design brief aimed for environmentally responsive solutions related to the comfort of the occupants and buildings' energy efficiency, in which the use of daylight, natural ventilation and vegetation were mandatory. Moreover, the brief's environmental agenda included issues associated with water consumption and the environmental impact of building materials. A list of 10 items summarises the environmental brief, involving building's design and building services: 1. buildings' orientation according to solar radiation, 2. buildings' form according to principles of bioclimatic design, 3. appropriate materials to local environmental conditions, 4. window wall ratio (WWR) according to local environmental conditions and good use of daylight, 5. protection against solar radiation, 6. natural ventilation in buildings, 7. good use of daylight, 8. low environmental impact materials, 9. rain water harvesting and re-use of grey water and, 10. vegetation for local environmental benefits, such as ecological niches and biodiversity [1]. Those strategies had a rather generic approach, with no pre-established quantitative criteria or benchmarks, opening up the possibility for the creation of a bespoken environmental reference in the context of Brazilian contemporary architecture.

The winning architectural scheme was the proposal from Zanettini Arquitetura S.A., (coauthored by José Wagner Garcia), which was informed by creative contributions from the various complementary areas, including structural, mechanical and electrical engineering and landscape and environmental design, resulting in a truly conceptual holistic design proposal. The local warm-humid conditions of Rio de Janeiro had a major influence on the In terms of internal thermal environmental conditions the new buildings of the research centre encompassed totally naturally ventilated, mixed-mode and full-time air conditioned buildings as a function of buildings' use and the consequent environmental requirements. The naturally ventilated ones are the Operational Support Building and Utilities Centre all designed based on the architectural typology of the factory building. The main air conditioned and mixed-mode buildings are: the central Building (approximately 36.000 m2), the Laboratories (approximately 33.000 m2) and the Convention Centre (approximately 6.500 m2), being those three functions located at the core of the architectural composition.

Apart from influencing the architectural design, the local climatic conditions also played an important role in re-establishing some of the basic environmental performance criteria, such as the definition of comfort parameters, energy consumption targets and daylighting levels, based on the warm-humid climate of Rio de Janeiro. As the architectural design progressed, environmental assessment evolved from the interpretation on principles and simplified analytical work to advanced simulation procedures, carried out over the first 9 months of the total design period which lasted 22 months (from November 2004 to September 2006), covering the integral part of the architectural design concept ). Construction began in September 2006 and was completed in 2010.

Looking at the first stages of the design of the winning project for the Expansion of the Petrobras Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro, design of the architectural proposal designed by Zanettini Arquitetura S.A., co-authored by Arch. José Wagner Garcia, and supported by a diversified consultancy team, this work presents the environmental concepts and some of its qualitative and quantitative performance aspects, highlighting the role of the Environment and Energy Studies Group of the *Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Universidade de São Paulo* (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of São Paulo).

The environmental studies of the expansion of Petrobras Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro had four main objectives: assess the thermal comfort in the open spaces created by the horizontal disposition of buildings on site; maximize the benefits of daylight, assess the thermal performance of free running buildings where natural ventilation was required as a function the programme; and finally assess the performance of architectural solutions for air-conditioned buildings, where active cooling was a design premise.

The new buildings of the expansion were classified in two groups: one which the main the spaces had to be naturally ventilated, being these the *Operational Support Building* and *Utilities Centre*, and the other where the artificial control of the thermal conditions by means of active cooling systems was a design premise, being these the *Central Building* (an office building), the *Laboratories* and the *Convention Centre*. In addition, three other buildings of the

research centre had active cooling as a functional requirement: the two restaurants and the *Visualization Centre* (*Núcleo de Visualização e Colaboração*, NVC), (see figure 2) [1].

Environmental Design in Contemporary Brazilian Architecture:

The Research Centre of the National Petroleum Company, CENPES, in Rio de Janeiro 23

gains in buildings and improve thermal comfort both indoors and outdoors. Analysis were based in a reference climatic year, with hourly data, encompassing readings from 2000 to 2004 of the meteorological station situated at the International Airport of Rio de Janeiro, situated within 2Km from the site of the Petrobras Research Centre. Air temperatures were high, more than 29oC for 10% of the year, and below 20oC, for 10% of the year as well,

In this context, the search for adequate building environmental strategies started at the concept stage, addressing thermal comfort in buildings and open spaces, daylighting, acoustics and the specific issue of cooling demand. A horizontal architectural composition of multiple buildings derived from the core objective of creating meeting areas in semi-outdoor spaces, With buildings connected by transitional spaces, site planning and architectural form were defined to respond to need of protection from solar orientation, versus the exposure to natural ventilation and views towards the bay. Double roofs and various shading devices, high-level openings and open circulation routes are some of the defining architectural features which are found in all key buildings of the expansion of the Petrobras

At the masterplanning scale, the main environmental strategy was to position the different functions of the programme in separate low-rise buildings, keeping people at the ground level, or close to it and in contact with the external environment. As buildings were interspersed by transitional spaces on a predominantly horizontal occupation of the site, a series of open and semi-opened areas of different environmental qualities, including sunny and shaded areas (or partially shaded), exposed to various wind directions, as well as

The value of such transitional spaces to the overall design concept was primarily related to the possibility of comfortable outdoor spaces protected from the all year round inhibiting solar radiation of Rio de Janeiro, available for leisure, social interaction and working activities, in other words, introducing the outdoors experience in the daily routine of the occupants and visitors of the Petrobras Research Centre in the Guanabara bay. Furthermore, environmentally the transitional spaces also give the benefit of reducing the impact of solar gains in the thermal performance of buildings' internal spaces (being some of them artificially cooled). In summary, the main transition spaces of the complex are associated with the three main buildings: the terraces from the Central Building, the gardens between the wings of Laboratories and the central open atrium of the Convention Centre, which is

The building cluster formed by the main office building (the Central Building), the laboratories and the convention centre was conceived to be the core of the masterplan of the extension of the research centre (see figure 3) laboratories were allocated in parallel wings facing the north-south orientation, on the two sides of the main office building (which then

different landscape projects were created between, around and within buildings [5].

the main access to the expansion of the Research Centre.

looks at east and west towards the bay).

combined with high relative humidity rates, more than 70% in 66% of the year [4].

Research Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

**Figure 2.** CENPES site planning, including the 1st phase of the Research Center towards the south and the expansion with new buildings on the north part of the site facing the bay, as presented in the winning proposal.

The initial requirement for active cooling in all office spaces of the Petrobras research centre for all year round could be associated with the air-conditioning cultural of working spaces (artificial cooling is an unquestioned factor in commercial buildings in most Brazilian cities, being definitely a common practice in Rio de Janeiro), rather than a climatic driven need. Challenging the supremacy of air conditioning in the context of office spaces in Rio de Janeiro, the efficiency of natural ventilation and the introduction of the mixed-mode strategy were critically evaluated for the various typologies and conditions of working environments within the new buildings of the research centre, being ultimately recommended in some particular cases. Initially a simplified analysis of the local climate suggested the possibility of natural ventilation in a typical office space for approximately 30% of the working hours over the year, which justified a more detailed analysis of the mixed-mode strategy for the final design proposal [3].
