Develop a new approach to evaluate energy savings, thermal comfort and IAQ from occupant-centric building controls

Abstract

Occupant behavior is identified as one of the key factors influencing the energy use and indoor environmental quality of the building. Occupancy-centric control is famous for its potential to save building energy without sacrificing occupants' comfort. This study utilized two identical lab spaces, configured as typical open-plan offices, to investigate the performance of the occupancy-centric control in terms of energy-saving, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort. The results have demonstrated that occupancy-centric control could save around 28% total energy, including fan, cooling, and heating energy, with minimal impact on the air quality and thermal comfort.