Tom Hootman, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

RNL, Director of Sustainability

Shanti Pless, LEED AP

NREL, Commercial Buildings Research Group

Michelle Slovensky, LEED AP BD+C

NREL, Senior Sustainability Manager

Heating 12.5%

Cooling 9.5%

Fans 2.8%

Pumps 1.5%

DHW 1.0%

Lighting 28.0%

Equipment 44.7%

DOE Commercial Reference Building: Large Office, Boulder, CO

Radiant Ceilings

Thermal Mass Walls

Operable Windows

Underfloor

Ventilation

6 watt task light

50 fc

Ambient daylight

Ambient lighting with

daylight sensors for 25 fc

Concrete Walls

No Ceiling

Minimal Walls and

Partitions

80%

10%

MANAGER TRAINING NEWSLETTER

MOVE MEETINGS

STAFF OPEN HOUSE

RSF EMAIL BOX

WEB PAGE

You have switches – use them

If you open a window – close it

If you are stuffy – open your window

If you have a glare issue – pull your shade

Turn on your power strip in the morning

Buildings are for people, so

where are they in the feedback

loop?

What is the

occupant’s role?

The Building Agent

app enables

occupants to

quantify and

communicate their

comfort levels to

the building.

• Four of the six thermal comfort

factors defined by ASHRAE

Standard 55 (ASHRAE 2004) are

addressed in the BA feedback

interface:

– Air and Radiant temperature

– Air speed

– Humidity

• Future versions of the app will add

methods to collect details on

occupant clothing and metabolic

rate, the two remaining comfort

factors

• The survey consisted of 65

questions based on LEED

requirements and examples

from the Center for the Built

Environment

• The app may be used to

disseminate other surveys in

the RSF or in other buildings

across the NREL campus

Cre

dit:

Marj

orie S

chott(N

RE

L)

Correlate local measurements to occupant feedback

“Phidgets” collect

temperature,

humidity, and light

readings through a

USB port on

occupant’s

computer

Temperature Comfort

Humidity

Comfort

LightingComfort

GlareComfort

NoiseComfort

AirMovement

Comfort

TempC°

LightingLux

Humidity%

Timestamp

Cold Dry Glare Noisy 23 354.0 28 05/23 17:13

What about

occupant comfort?

OFFICE EQUIPMENT

Laptop 30 Watts

LCD Monitors 30 Watts

LED task lights 6 Watts

VOIP phones 2 Watts

iGo Power Smart Towers

Shared Multi-function Devices 100 Watts (continuous)

Workstation Total 68 Watts

300W continuous power draw per person

NOISE LEVEL / PRIVACY

PINK NOISE

0

5

10

15

20

25

Bright Dark Too much variation over time Very bright Very dark

East

North

South

West

Of the 273 survey responders

workspace lighting

dissatisfaction was reported by:

26% of those facing east

29% of those facing west

44% of those facing north

51% of those facing south

Typical facing direction

in RSF layout

Num

ber

of P

eople

WORKSPACE LIGHTING

Of the 273 survey responders

glare was reported as a problem

for:

36% of those facing east

31% of those facing west

46% of those facing north

58% of those facing south

Typical facing direction

in RSF layout

Num

ber

of P

eople

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1 hour or less 1 to 4 hours More than 4 hours

East

North

South

West

GLARE CONTROL

Comfort Feedback from January 10 –June 6, 2012

Comfort Feedback from January 10 –June 6, 2012

MEASURING TEMPERATURE

OPERATIONAL CONTROLS

CBE STUDY

Which of the following do you personally adjust or control in your workspace?

WINDOW USE

WINDOW USE

9%

17%

9%

9%

43%

26%

20%

20%

89%

3%

54%

66%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Other:

Management requests that you open the window

A co-worker requests that you open the window

For nighttime cooling

To conserve energy

To experience the variety of the outdoor climate

To hear outdoor sounds

To let out indoor smells, dust, or other pollution

To let in fresh air

To feel warmer

To increase the air movement

To feel cooler

% respondents

N=35

WINDOW USE

REASON TO OPEN A WINDOW

WINDOW USE

REASON TO CLOSE A WINDOW

9%

54%

17%

29%

14%

57%

46%

17%

46%

60%

51%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

For safety or security reasons

To conserve energy

To keep out bugs

Management requests that you close the window

A co-worker requests that you close the window

To reduce outdoor sounds

To keep out outdoor smells, dust, or other pollution

To reduce the air movement

To feel warmer

The outdoor temperature is getting warmer thanindoors

To feel cooler

% respondents

N=35

So

uth

.win

dow

Sou

th.n

o.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.no.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.win

dow All

All

2nd

3rd

4th

61%

18

67%

15

71%

7

75%

16

65%

62

50%

8

71%

7

100%

1

83%

6

70%

23

100%

3

100%

4

100%

3

75%

4

87%

15

57%

7

25%

4

50%

2

67%

6

50%

22

Satisfaction with Temperature

−3 −1 1 3

Value

Color Key

TEMPERATURE

Database

LEED

NREL

Mixed-Mode

Naturally Ventilated

Legend Mean value

-0.13

0.40

0.92

0.32

1.43

RSF

TEMPERATURE

AIR MOVEMENT

So

uth

.win

dow

Sou

th.n

o.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.no.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.win

dow All

All

2nd

3rd

4th

78%

18

60%

15

43%

7

69%

16

68%

62

75%

8

43%

7

0%

1

83%

6

65%

23

100%

3

100%

4

67%

3

75%

4

87%

15

71%

7

50%

4

50%

2

50%

6

59%

22

Satisfaction with Air Movement

−3 −1 1 3

Value

Color Key

AIR QUALITY

So

uth

.win

dow

Sou

th.n

o.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.no.w

ind

ow

No

rth

.win

dow All

All

2nd

3rd

4th

78%

18

60%

15

71%

7

81%

16

73%

62

75%

8

71%

7

100%

1

83%

6

78%

23

100%

3

75%

4

100%

3

75%

4

87%

15

71%

7

25%

4

50%

2

83%

6

64%

22

Satisfaction with Air Quality

−3 −1 1 3

Value

Color Key

AIR QUALITY

Database

LEED

NREL

Mixed-Mode

Naturally Ventilated

Legend Mean value

0.27

1.21

1.44

1.63

2.25

RSF

PRODUCTIVITYPlease estimate how your productivity is increased or decreased

by the environmental conditions in this building (e.g., thermal,

lighting, acoustics, cleanliness):

76% of the respondents felt that their productivity

was improved by the IEQ conditions in the building

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION