Natural ventilation in Brazilian homes: depicting perceptions, usage patterns and motivations in a questionnaire survey

Natural ventilation is a default conditioning strategy in the Brazilian residential sector, while fans and air conditioners are complementary strategies. However, climate change and the increasing air conditioning penetration in this sector threaten the prevalence of natural ventilation and the potential wind-driven (breeze) performance on households’ thermal comfort. A questionnaire survey launched across Brazil assessed multiple aspects of natural ventilation at home: perceptions, usage patterns and motivations behind its use or avoidance. Data analysis methods were multinomial logistic regression and contingency tables of categorical data. The findings indicated that households’ preference for a conditioning strategy related to income and energy-saving concerns (economic aspects). The frequency of use of natural ventilation showed a decreasing trend towards the higher income level and preference for air conditioning. In contrast, the frequency of use of natural ventilation tended to increase as households considered it more positively. Moreover, participants who preferred to use natural ventilation at home expressed less dissatisfaction with the oscillation and unpredictability of the breeze from natural ventilation. The survey outcomes highlight the benefits of a favourable scenario for natural ventilation at home, potentially impacting households’ preferences and routines.