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A. Mahdavi, A. Mohammadi, E. Kabir, L. Lambeva:
"An empirically-based approach toward user control action models in buildings";
Talk: cib - 24th W78 Conference Maribor 2007 & 14th EG-ICE Workshop & 5th ITC@EDU Workshop, Maribor; 2007-06-26 - 2007-06-29; in: "Bringing ITC knowledge to work - 24th W78 Conference Maribor 2007", D. Rebolj (ed.); Eigenverlag, (2007), ISBN: 978-961-248-033-2; 573 - 579.

In most buildings, occupants operate control devices such as windows, shades, luminaries, radiators, and fans to bring about desirable indoor environmental conditions. Knowledge of such user actions is crucial toward accurate prediciton of building performance (energy use, indoor climate) and effective operation of building service systems. This paper describes an effort to observe control-oriented occupant behavior in three office buildings in Austria. Thereby, user control actions as related to one or more of the building systems for ambeint lighting, shading, window ventilation, and heating were monitored together with indoor and outdoor environmental parameters. The collected data is being analyzed to explore relationships between the kinds and frequency of the control actions and the magnitude and dynamism of inddor and outdoor environmental changes. Moreover, implications of user actions for building performance (e.g. energy consumption) are studied.

Department Building Physics and Ecology

Project Head Ardeshir Mahdavi:
People as Power Plant