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Talks and Poster Presentations (with Proceedings-Entry):

A. Mahdavi, E. Kabir, A. Mohammadi, L. Lambeva, C. Pröglhöf:
"User Interactions with Environmental Control Systems in Buildings";
Talk: PLEA 2006 - 23rd International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland, 6-8 September 2006 - Clever Design, Affordable Comfort - a Challenge for Low Energy Architecture and Urban Planning, Genf, Schweiz; 2006; in: "PLEA 2006 - 23rd International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland, 6-8 September 2006 - Clever Design, Affordable Comfort - a Challenge for Low Energy Architecture and Urban Planning", R. Compagnon, P. Haefeli, W Weber (ed.); Genf, Schweiz (2006), ISBN: 3-540-23721-6; 399 - 404.



English abstract:
Buildings are typically equipped with components and systems that can act as control devices. Windows, shades, luminaries, radiators, fans, and other similar devices can be operated by building occupants with the intention of bringing about desirable indoor conditions. The design and operation of energy-efficient systems for indoor environment control (heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting) can benefit from reliable (empirically grounded) information on building occupants' needs and motives to bring about changes in the status of building control systems. Thus, multiple studies are being conducted internationally to collect data on building usersī interactions with building control systems and devices.
The present contribution is part of an effort to observe control-oriented occupant behavior in a number of office buildings in Austria. In each building we study in average 20 workstations. These workstations are typically equipped with desktop or laptop computers. In some cases task lights are used. In the course of the study, we register the type and number of user control actions as related to one or more of the following building systems: ambient lighting, shading, window ventilation, and heating. Simultaneously, indoor and outdoor environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, relative humidity, illuminance, solar radiation) are measured. The collected data is analyzed to explore hypothesized relationships between the nature and frequency of the control actions on one side and the magnitude and dynamism of indoor and outdoor environmental changes on the other side. Moreover, the implications of user behavior for buildingsī energy consumption are explored.

Keywords: user control actions, comfort, building systems


Related Projects:
Project Head Ardeshir Mahdavi:
People as Power Plant