Application of the ecological valency concept to buildings' environmental control systems

Abstract

Buildings are typically equipped with a number of elements and devices (such as windows, blinds, luminaires, radiators, and fans) to control indoor environmental conditions. The availability, effectiveness, and usability of control devices and their human interfaces constitute arguably an essential aspect of built environments quality and performance. We refer to this aspect as buildings' indoor-environmentally relevant "ecological valency" (EV) or the "affordance". It can be interpreted as a descriptor of buildings' responsiveness toward inhabitants' needs and requirements. Despite its critical importance, there is currently a lack of systematic evaluation or certifications procedures for objective characterization of indoor environments' EV as related to the availability and effectiveness of control devices and their human interfaces. The present contribution explores thus the potential for designing and implementing formal procedures toward measurement and certification of indoor environments' EV.