User and Occupant Controls in Office Buildings

Abstract

Summary Modern control and energy management systems promise to im-prove individual comfort and reduce energy consumption at thesame time. However, fully automatic control is only part of the an-swer: the user interfaces also need to be better understood. BREstudies have revealed that:i Control systems need to be matched more closely to the wayin which buildings are actually used and managed, particularly inmulti-tenanted buildings. Otherwise systems tend to be left onjust in case, causing considerable energy waste, particularlywith air-conditioning.ii Individual occupants require systems not only to provide com-fortable conditions but also to respond rapidly to alleviatediscomfort when it is experienced. Air-conditioned buildingstend to be short on the latter, which may help to explain whyoccupants often seem less satisfied with them than one mightexpect.iii With suitable management, today’s controls can already deliverhigh levels of comfort and energy-efficiency. However they andthe systems they control are often too complex for the averageuser, and need to be designed for better and easier manageabil-ity.BRE will be taking these studies further and using their findings todevelop design guidance.