How Do We Measure It? Assessing Environmental Well-being in Architectural Spaces in the Face of Climate Change

This workshop proposes an applied, interdisciplinary experience focused on analyzing environmental comfort from occupants’ perspectives, taking local climatic characteristics into account. Within the framework of the RESET Conference 2025, the workshop will bring together students, professionals, and researchers from Latin America and Europe with experience in energy transition, sustainable design, post-occupancy evaluation, and environmental health, to explore key tools, variables, indicators, and adaptation strategies related to indoor environmental quality (IEQ).

During the workshop, participants will apply environmental measurement instruments (temperature, humidity, air speed, CO₂, lighting, acoustics) and user surveys with a local case study. Comparative analysis methods will be used to contrast objective data and subjective perceptions, based on international standards such as ASHRAE 55 and the CBE Thermal Comfort Tool. This experience will make it possible to understand thermal, luminous, and acoustic comfort conditions, as well as the adaptive strategies employed by occupants.

In a context marked by climate change and the intensification of extreme events such as heat waves, heavy rains, or longer winters, the workshop aims to generate reflections on climate vulnerability in built spaces and to promote passive adaptation strategies from the standpoint of environmental comfort. This experience will make it possible to understand hygrothermal, luminous, acoustic, and air-quality conditions, as well as the adaptive strategies employed by occupants.

There is currently an accelerated process of unsustainable urbanization in cities that is generating serious environmental, energy, and social problems. This leads to severe inequalities and situations of exclusion and vulnerability in some sectors of society. For this reason, a just energy transition of our cities through efficient and sustainable urban models is necessary. Various urban solutions pursue this goal as their main objective, such as smart cities, energy communities, or Positive Energy Districts. However, their implementation requires consideration of a number of challenges.

This workshop aims to identify possible improvement measures that facilitate the just energy transition of cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. To this end, a multi-phase workshop is proposed. In a first phase, the current situation, sustainable urban models, and their objectives are defined. In a second phase, the key aspects and challenges that arise in the just energy transition process are identified. In a third phase, a group dynamic will be carried out through several working tables that will address these topics and possible solutions. Finally, each working group will present the conclusions obtained from the group dynamics.

Diagnosis is a vital component for addressing energy poverty and requires measuring and monitoring its various dimensions. Indicators play a crucial role in this process, as they provide valuable information to identify and assess the vulnerability of populations experiencing energy poverty. This workshop aims to deepen and broaden the measurement of energy poverty by exploring multiple dimensions related to the phenomenon, in order to equip policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with a set of tools that enables more comprehensive approaches and a more structured understanding of the problem.

Just transition and energy communities: Integrating renewable energies to alleviate residential energy poverty

This workshop proposes an applied, interdisciplinary experience focused on understanding energy poverty and mitigation strategies from the perspective of renewable energies, considering their performance under local climatic and social conditions. Within the framework of the RESET Conference 2025, the workshop will bring together students and researchers with experience in energy transition, renewable energies, and bioclimatic architecture; enabling discussion of tools, variables, and key indicators for designing solutions based on generation from renewable sources and local energy communities.

During the workshop, participants will apply quantitative tools to analyze the energy poverty of a specific case study, as well as the capacity to integrate renewable energies to alleviate this issue. Climate analysis software will be used to project residential energy consumption needs to achieve thermal comfort and to explore the technical potential of community energy solutions in vulnerable territories.