This document discusses occupant comfort in buildings and methods to gather occupant feedback. It summarizes findings from occupant comfort surveys conducted in the Research Support Facility at NREL. Survey results showed various levels of satisfaction regarding temperature, air movement, lighting, and other factors, depending on workspace location and access to windows. The document explores opportunities for occupants to provide quantitative comfort feedback through mobile apps to help improve building performance and link measurements to occupant perceptions.

1. 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

4. 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

9. Radiant Ceilings
Thermal Mass Walls
Operable Windows
Underfloor
Ventilation

11. 6 watt task light
50 fc
Ambient daylight
Ambient lighting with
daylight sensors for 25 fc

13. Concrete Walls
No Ceiling
Minimal Walls and
Partitions

21. 80%
10%

22. MANAGER TRAINING NEWSLETTER
MOVE MEETINGS
STAFF OPEN HOUSE
RSF EMAIL BOX
WEB PAGE

38. 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

42. Buildings are for people, so
where are they in the feedback
loop?

45. What is the
occupant’s role?

47. The Building Agent
app enables
occupants to
quantify and
communicate their
comfort levels to
the building.

49. • 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

50. • 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

51. Credit:MarjorieSchott(NREL)
Correlate local
measurements to
occupant feedback
“Phidgets” collect
temperature,
humidity, and light
readings through a
USB port on
occupant’s
computer
Temperature
Comfort
Humidit
y
Comfort
Lighting
Comfort
Glare
Comfort
Noise
Comfort
Air
Movement
Comfort
Temp
C°
Lighting
Lux
Humidity
%
Timestamp
Cold Dry Glare Noisy 23 354.0 28 05/23 17:13

52. What about
occupant comfort?

54. 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

55. NOISE LEVEL / PRIVACY

56. PINK NOISE

57. 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
NumberofPeople

58. WORKSPACE LIGHTING

59. 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
NumberofPeople
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

60. GLARE CONTROL

61. Comfort Feedback from January 10 –June 6, 2012

62. Comfort Feedback from January 10 –June 6, 2012

63. MEASURING TEMPERATURE

64. OPERATIONAL CONTROLS

65. CBE STUDY

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

67. WINDOW USE

68. WINDOW USE

69. 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

70. 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 than
indoors
To feel cooler
% respondents
N=35

71. South.window
South.no.window
North.no.window
North.window
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

72. Database
LEED
NREL
Mixed-Mode
Naturally Ventilated
Legend Mean value
-0.13
0.40
0.92
0.32
1.43
RSF
TEMPERATURE

73. AIR MOVEMENT
South.window
South.no.window
North.no.window
North.window
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

74. AIR QUALITY
South.window
South.no.window
North.no.window
North.window
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

75. AIR QUALITY
Database
LEED
NREL
Mixed-Mode
Naturally Ventilated
Legend Mean value
0.27
1.21
1.44
1.63
2.25
RSF

76. PRODUCTIVITY
Please 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

77. EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION