This is a presentation from USGBC Colorado's Rocky Mountain Green Conference. The featured project is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Research Support Facility and the groundbreaking occupant engagement strategies that helped the building achieve net zero energy.

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

3. Heating 36.2%
Cooling 5.3%
Fans 10.6%
Pumps 1.5%
DHW 2.8%
Lighting 21.9%
Equipment 21.7%
RSF Baseline Model
Without Data Center

8. Radiant Ceilings
Thermal Mass Walls
Operable Windows
Underfloor
Ventilation

10. 6 watt task light
50 fc
Ambient daylight
Ambient lighting with
daylight sensors for 25 fc

12. Concrete Walls
No Ceiling
Minimal Walls and
Partitions

20. 80%
10%

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

35. You have switches – use them
If you open a window – close it
If you are stuffy – open your window
If you have glare – enable electrochromics
Turn on your power strip in the morning

38. What is the
occupant’s role?

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

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

44. • 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

45. • 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

46. 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
Humidity
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

47. What about
occupant comfort?

49. 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

50. NOISE LEVEL / PRIVACY

51. PINK NOISE

52. 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

54. GLARE CONTROL

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

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

57. MEASURING TEMPERATURE

58. OPERATIONAL CONTROLS

59. CBE STUDY
Adaptive Comfort in Mixed-Mode Buildings:
Research Support Facility, National Renewable Energy Lab
Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman
April 2013
Center for the Built Environment (CBE) University of California, Berkeley
LINK: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/9fd5k28h

60. Which of the following do you personally adjust or control in your workspace?
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

61. WINDOW USE
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

62. WINDOW USE
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

63. 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
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

64. 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
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

65. 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
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

66. Database
LEED
NREL
Mixed-Mode
Naturally Ventilated
Legend Mean value
-0.13
0.40
0.92
0.32
1.43
RSF
TEMPERATURE
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

67. 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
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

68. AIR QUALITY
Database
LEED
NREL
Mixed-Mode
Naturally Ventilated
Legend Mean value
0.27
1.21
1.44
1.63
2.25
RSF
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

69. 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
Credit: CBE (Gail Brager and Margaret Pigman)

70. EMPLOYEE
SATISFACTION