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How natural lighting transforms the comfort and efficiency of your home Natural light is a powerful tool in interior design and architecture. It goes far beyond simply illuminating — it shapes how we perceive spaces, how we feel, and even how we live within our homes. When combined with principles such as thermal inertia  and energy efficiency , natural lighting can make a space healthier, more comfortable, and more sustainable — without compromising on beauty. The role of natural light in architecture 1. More health and well-being Numerous studies show that sunlight regulates the circadian rhythm, improves mood, and reduces stress levels. In well-lit spaces, people feel more energized, focused, and at ease. 2. Aesthetic enhancement Natural light highlights textures, color palettes, and volumes with a richness that artificial lighting can’t match. That’s why materials such as wood, stone, cement, and lime gain even more depth when naturally illuminated. 3. Visual comfort By using diffused light  (such as that entering through high windows or skylights), glare is reduced, creating a softer, more pleasant atmosphere — ideal for reading, relaxing, or socializing. How does thermal inertia fit into the equation? Thermal inertia  is the ability of a material to absorb heat, store it, and gradually release it over time. This characteristic can be used to keep indoor temperatures more stable throughout the day — reducing the need for heating or air conditioning. A simple yet powerful example Imagine a brick wall receiving morning sunlight. As the day progresses, it gradually absorbs that heat. When night falls and outside temperatures drop, the wall slowly releases the stored heat back into the room — helping maintain a cozy interior without the need for artificial systems. Natural lighting and thermal inertia: a powerful duo When these two elements are strategically planned together, they create spaces that better adapt to temperature variations, offering greater comfort throughout the year — and best of all, they do it with lower energy consumption and reduced environmental impact. Main advantages: Reduced heat peaks in summer Retained warmth during cold days Less need for artificial lighting More stable indoor temperatures between day and night Greater comfort with fewer resources Smart architecture strategies: it’s not just about big windows Large windows are visually appealing, but they don’t guarantee thermal comfort or energy efficiency on their own. The key lies in balance  — combining the right window size, orientation, solar protection, and material selection in the architectural project. Key considerations: Solar orientation:  south-facing windows capture more sun in winter; north-facing ones offer steady, soft light. Solar protection:  overhangs, brise-soleils, and landscaping help filter direct sunlight in summer. Thermal transmittance:  choose window frames and glass with good thermal performance. High thermal mass materials:  concrete, adobe, stone, and brick perform better than lightweight materials. Sustainability starts with light A project that integrates natural lighting and materials with good thermal inertia is inherently more sustainable because it: Requires less energy for heating and cooling Produces fewer CO₂ emissions Offers a more balanced lifecycle Responds better to seasonal and climate variatio In practice: how to apply this to your project Whether you're renovating or building from scratch, it’s worth rethinking your home’s relationship with the sun. Lot orientation , window placement , and material choices  all play a decisive role in performance and comfort. At Guedu Atelier, we approach every climate, client, and material with both technical precision and design sensitivity. The result? Spaces where light doesn’t just enter — it stays, warms, enhances, and transforms. Let’s use light in your favor. Get in touch and take the first step toward a smarter, more comfortable home. Written by Karolline Dutra Civil & Environmental Engineer | Interior Designer Specialist in Conservation & Rehabilitation of Buildings Cost Consultant & Project Manager Founder & CEO of Guedu Atelier Have questions about your project? I’m here to help. #gueduatelier #designdeinteriores #arquitetura #sustentabilidade #confortotérmico #eficienciaenergetica #interiordesign #interiorinspo #lighting #interiordesign #sustainability #residentialarchitecture #homedecor #energyefficiency #designinspiration #wellbeing #greenarchitecture #casacor #homedesign #dreamhome #remodelação 🔑 Keywords for this article:  iluminação natural; inércia térmica; conforto térmico; eficiência energética; arquitetura sustentável; orientação solar; materiais com massa térmica; janelas bem posicionadas; aproveitamento da luz natural; design de interiores sustentável

Agile Methodology has been increasingly talked about among the means related to project management. But everything changes when we talk about construction. Is this method suitable for this environment? Agile is an iterative approach to project management and software development that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster, delivering work in small, but consumable, increments, instead of delivering everything at once near the end. Instead, Predictive is the traditional, or waterfall project management, in which the scope of work and requirements for the project are clear and justify the detailed upfront planning, with a defined final project, where the team delivers it all in the end. As far as we know, construction is not a constantly changing environment. When you are building a house, you’re not going to do the plumbing and test it, and then do it again several times. You must install it once, as well the electrical system, among others. You don’t keep successively updating the pipes or the cabling, but do it the one time. By the way, changes cost a lot in construction, and after this, we have the Change Control Process to manage it. Thus, when building a house, you know what the end product is and all the tasks that need to be done in between. That is to say, in a Predictive environment, you generally perform the work once, even testing the work. You don’t repeat the work over and over again until getting it right. On the other hand, Agile works in a continuous change of work environment, in which you every 2 to 4 weeks have a new small project, which is known as Sprints. This way, Agile will be continually repaired while Predictive will be a well-understood project. I had my own experience trying a fully Agile Methodology on a construction project at a company I worked with years ago. We tested this model for a while, even did daily stand-up meetings and guess what? It didn't work very well, as this is a completely different environment for which Agile is not suited. In this experience, the daily rates did not make any sense because we didn't have to make changes to the construction site every day and to complement the schedule, it was already done from the beginning of the project. We are not talking about software development or mobile phone development which your requirements need to constantly be updated and your clients need to constantly change — which is a constantly changing business environment. However, a construction project is about a building that needs strong planning from the beginning to the end, with a final product defined. This does not mean that you can’t have weekly meetings or update your client about what is happening. Because of it, we have daily or weekly reports. But you can’t use the common Agile methodologies during a construction execution project for example, because you already have a defined project. However, we can adopt a Hybrid model, mixing the traditional plan-driven model (Predictive) and the change-driven model (Agile), from the initiation stage to the closure stage of the construction project management, and we even can use Lean Methodology, but this is a subject for an next article. Therefore, a fully Agile model is not going to work very well in a construction project because it’s not a constantly changing environment. As also it is not going to work very well in every industry, every situation. Do you have questions about the subject or do you want to get a good project management of your construction? Contact us for more information. #agilemethodology #predictivemethodology #gestaodeprojetos #hybridlifecicle #constructionprojectmanagement #agil #agile #construcao #guedu #gueduatelier About the author: Karolline Dutra is Civil and Environmental Engineer, Member of the Portuguese Engineers Order, Specialist in Conservation and Rehabilitation of Buildings, Project Manager, CEO & Co-Founder at Guedu Atelier.

You cannot start a construction project unless you know you will be able to finish it without wasting time and money. But how can you guarantee that this doesn't happen to you? Find out how a project manager can help you. One of the most costly problems a project can face is a delay that causes a delay in your current space, making you not able to move from your old space until the rental end date, whether it's a home or a business . Also in commercial buildings, the delay in the work can put your business at risk, preventing you from starting to receive the money back by investing in the allotted time. Once the viability study has been carried out and the project owner, that is, the construction owner, has the architectural design and project specialties in hand, it is necessary to choose a project manager to guide and give all the guidelines at the stage of pre-construction to closure. Sometimes the manager is hired only in pre-construction phase to ensure that the budget is well done and the work teams are well chosen, or halfway through, when this initial step has been carried out and the execution will need to be monitored until delivery. Of course, this way it is not totally guaranteed that will save time and money in your project, but it guarantees better results. Now we present you 6 ways a project manager can save your time and your money that proves why it is so important to you when it comes to building. 1. Pre-Construction Support Construction project managers are experts in building codes and regulations that will affect your project and are able to use this knowledge to look for complications that could result in your project accumulating costly setbacks in the future. When these problems appear in the middle of construction, there can be great losses. Therefore, having a project manager who can bring these issues forward during the decision-making process can lead to significant savings, both in terms of time and money. 2. Budget and Contractors Selection In a perfect world, every desired fixture and finish would fit into your budget. While this is rarely the case, a project manager is able to optimize your budget and achieve the overall desired effect of your project. Often times, this comes in the form of advising where to cut costs and value engineer solutions that will work in your real estate investment. Most construction projects follow the project-tender-build model. First, the project owner obtains the design from architects or engineers. Once the client has a blueprint and bill of quantities for construction, the next step is to select the general contractor through the tender process. The manager will select the best contractors with the best proposals according to what fits in the client's budget. 3. Market Connection The key to your connection to the market is the project manager. He/she is familiar with the market rates for each component of a building and will use their knowledge and relationships to help your company maximize value throughout the project. This may mean ensuring that the proposed rates for the work are competitive with market rates and that selected suppliers and contractors will provide quality work. This experience will help you get the maximum return on your investment throughout the project. 4. Construction Planning In the planning stage, project managers create detailed schedules that define delivery dates and milestones throughout the life of the project, along with defining tasks and resources, allowing progress to be tracked and thus identifying opportunities to avoid conflicts or setbacks . As soon as the project owner, ie the construction owner, has the drawings, budget, schedule, minimally chosen contractors and the site director, then execution can begin. 5. Site Supervision and Site Management Support The project manager will be your eyes at the time of execution. He will certify that the work is being done in accordance with the work drawings, as well as that it is on time and within budget. The manager will carry out the Change Control Process, that is, the control of any changes proposed by him or by the technicians, whether they are the site manager, architects, design engineers, among others. Minutes of meetings will be made with all the details of the new requirements and also budgets for work too few so that you don't have financial surprises. This professional will also be responsible for preparing a series of reports so that you can monitor the progress of the work, as well as organizing all the documents to be issued related to the construction. Repeatable processes are implemented for engagement teams and stakeholders to submit and manage documentation. This will help ensure that the team follows a constant flow of work so they can better track and manage documentation. 6. Project Delivery The project manager will ensure that the construction is delivered in compliance. Once construction is complete, he will certify that all requirements have been met and will normally provide a warranty period to make this agreement official and binding. From there, occupants can move or take ownership of the site. Conclusion The value of a construction project manager is immeasurable. From helping you choose the right space for building to managing all the other stages of construction, this professional can serve as an advocate for your interests. In addition to these reasons, there are countless others that prove why this professional will be so important to you in your dream project. Guedu Atelier can guide you through all stages of construction so that your time and money are saved in the best way, and the project is successfully delivered. Contact us for more information. #projectmanagement #gestaodeprojetos #constructionprojectmanagement #construction #planning #planeamento #planejamento #construiremportugal #construcao #economia #guedu #gueduatelier About the author: Karolline Dutra is Civil and Environmental Engineer, Member of the Portuguese Engineers Order, Specialist in Conservation and Rehabilitation of Buildings, Project Manager, CEO at Guedu Atelier.

The real estate sector has been accelerating more and more in Portugal and the country continues to be one of the best in the world for investing. But do you know if your project is worth investing in? Every project has a cost that must be addressed throughout its execution. An innovative idea needs care and attention to avoid wasting time and money. There are several investment analysis techniques to know if your project is viable or not. In an investment project, a detailed analysis is performed where three scenarios for the project are considered (bad, good and very good) and the possible risks that may arise during the project are considered. At the end of the analysis, the investor will obtain a more comprehensive overview of the project – the investments, necessary expenses and the return on investment – making it possible to implement their idea with greater objectivity and confidence. Depending on the investment analysis, the project costs are recalculated, the scenario is modified and, if necessary, the closing deadline is changed, so that the entrepreneur does not take risks that could cause financial damage. Almost every entrepreneur is concerned about risks, but not everyone is willing to take risks. Investors and entrepreneurs have become increasingly interested in developing business in Portugal, whether commercial or residential. Real estate investment has accelerated more and more in 2021. However, many of these individuals do not know if the project is viable or not. According to data released by JLL in Market Pulse, a quarterly study with analysis of real estate investment, the sector has been accelerating more and more in the country in this year of 2021. Investment in commercial real estate reached 1.173 million euros until September 2021 and could reach 2.500 million euros by the end of this year. However, in house market there is a high level of sales activity still in plant, which tells us that there is little supply in a context of strong demand. International buyers accounted for 52% of sales in the 3rd quarter, as part of the activity promoted by JLL. Therefore, the news proves that Portugal is one of the most sought after countries in the world to invest. However, these data are not enough to move forward with a project in Portuguese lands. Despite all the enthusiasm, strength and motivation, it is essential to analyse whether the investment is viable or not, be it commercial or residential. It is necessary to understand the market, the place of implantation, the interests, gather data under analysis, so that a decision can be taken. Do you want to know if your project is worth investing in? Contact us for more information. #investment #realestateinvestment #projectmanagement #investinginportugal About the author: Karolline Dutra is Civil and Environmental Engineer, Member of the Portuguese Engineers Order, Specialist in Conservation and Rehabilitation of Buildings, Project Manager, CEO & Co-Founder at TASK.