## 4 Methodology and Modeling
### Energy Model  
ASHRAE Standard 90.1, entitled \"Energy Standards for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings\" [34], determines the guidelines for constructing and simulating thermoenergetic reference models, or baseline models, applicable for all climatic regions. The standard defines the thermal parameters of surfaces, minimum efficiency of heating and cooling systems, lighting densities, and HVAC systems suitable for construction typologies, according to the floor area and their locations. The energy model of this study is developed and made available, in its entirety, by the United States Department of Energy [33], through the Building Energy Codes Program (BECP), which, together with other typologies, is widely used in several studies, being structured in compliance with the aforementioned Standard 90.1. The set of prototypes represents about 75% of the floor area of new buildings in all North American climates. This paper adopts the medium office building model (Figure 5). This typology generally has integrated projects and systems with a greater focus on the application of thermal comfort and energy efficiency measures; besides, due to the building's operation characteristics, it is subject to greater thermal loads during critical periods. The models used in both bioclimatic zones are identical regarding the type of air-conditioning systems, internal loads, and building operation, differing in envelope parameters and HVAC system details, complying with ASHRAE Standard 90.1 [34]. As a light steel-framed building, following the cited standard, it requires thermally insulated walls  
Figure 5: Building’s geometric model. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**City** & **Jan** & **Feb** & **Mar** & **Apr** & **May** & **Jun** \\ \hline Curitiba & 1977 & 1987 & 1977 & 1964 & 1993 & 2008 \\ Rio de Janeiro & 1989 & 1991 & 2017 & 1988 & 1981 & 1980 \\ \hline City & Jul & Aug & Sep & Oct & Nov & Dec \\ \hline Curitiba & 1980 & 1965 & 1986 & 2017 & 1977 & 1990 \\ Rio de Janeiro & 1981 & 2001 & 1987 & 1987 & 2001 & 1979 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Reference years of the climate files used to construct the typical meteorological years. and roof, where Table 4 lists the maximum thermal transmittance value (U-factor or just U) for this surfaces, according to the climatic regions. None of the mentioned parameters, with the exception of climatic conditions, are changed between simulations of the same bioclimatic zone. The office building has three floors with five thermal zones each. These are classified as perimeter (1 to 4) or core (5), with the same definition of internal loads per unit area. Through Figure 6, it is possible to visualize the model geometry in greater detail. The percentage of the opening area in all orientations is 33%. The building's HVAC system is a single-duct, multi-zone variable air volume (VAV) type, where a fan with variable speed blows the mixed air (outdoor and return) into the building thermal zones, and each thermal zone has another fan capable of modulating the conditioned airflow via dampers, respecting the zone's temperature setpoints. The cooling and heating system is story-centralized, with reheating units in the thermal zones. In detail, each of the floors is served by a self-contained rooftop unit (or PACU, Packaged Air-Conditioning Unit), where the machine has, contained in a single housing, the entire air supply and conditioning system (heating and cooling coils) to serve the floors. Cooling is achieved through a direct expansion system, while the heating system is through the natural gas furnace, systems with efficiencies of, respectively, 340% (COP) and 81%. Each thermal zone has an individual heating system with an electric resistance at the terminal airflow units, with unitary efficiency. Between the floors, there are return plenums for the air-conditioning systems that serve each of the respective floors and where, in practice, the ducts and fan boxes for each thermal zone are housed.