How ARC assesses building performance¶
How ARC judges a building: monitored environmental data against a humidity-modified adaptive comfort model, by climate category.
ARC gauges building performance based on the humidity-modified adaptive-comfort model described later this document. We use environmental condition data from monitoring buildings to investigate whether or not thermal comfort has been achieved in the whole building, parts of the building or even individual rooms - and whether designated areas within the building can operate safely as a thermal refuge during extreme heatwaves. Results are relevant to each specific climate category, based on the Koppen-Geiger climate classification. The ARC website provides a global map of the climate regions, as well as locating useful projects and people.
ARC Guidance
The guidance promotes building design and specifications that result in performance more likely to be maintained over the longer-term, factoring in rapidly changing climates.
It helps establish and articulate for building owners clearer building management, investment and improvement pathways, whilst anticipating increasingly extreme weather events including disruption to electricity supplies – focusing specifically on heat and humidity inside buildings.
ARC considers more realistic socio-economic contexts and scenarios, which for new and existing buildings tend to favour smaller, phased building investment and measures. Typically, this means incremental, room by room improvements over time - as required and when finances allow. The overall aim is to collaborate to develop solutions for uptake at ‘pace and scale’.
- Educational material promoting understanding of building science, specifically for hot, cooling-dominated climates
- A practical ‘pattern language’ library, sharing co-created design solutions
- Sharing exemplar projects to inspire and inform.
Source: ARC Technical Criteria - 48
Overview · confidence medium · Imported 2026-09-12, not yet reviewed · next review 2026-12-12
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