Description

Praxis Resilient Buildings collaborated with the design team of Clínica Diagonal to address a common challenge in healthcare buildings: overheating during summer and ensuring thermal comfort in spaces with prolonged occupancy.

Using advanced dynamic thermal simulations with the DesignBuilder tool, we assessed the building’s performance under real climate and usage conditions. The study identified critical zones with overheating risks—such as corridors and waiting areas—and evaluated passive strategies to improve comfort without increasing energy demand.

Solutions explored included improved glazing, natural ventilation in the central atrium, and cooled supply air. The combination of these measures led to a significant improvement in thermal comfort, with temperature reductions of up to 9 °C in the most affected areas.

Our work helped optimize both the envelope design and the HVAC strategy, while also simplifying construction logistics through a unified glazing specification across the building.

This project highlights how rigorous analysis and simulation tools can deliver effective, sustainable solutions in complex environments like healthcare facilities.

Read our Blog article about the project here