Performance gap analysis case study of a non-domestic building

Abstract

Addressing the energy performance of buildings is key to achieving global emission reduction targets. Buildings account for 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. A barrier to increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is the energy use performance gap. This paper discusses the causes of the performance gap and focuses on the building-user interaction unique to non-domestic buildings. In particular, it analyses the conflicting desires of operators and occupants, which can occur in buildings that operate as part of a larger organisation and result in an increased energy demand. The nDeep framework has been developed, which outlines the relationships between contributory factors of the performance gap in a large organisation. In addition, a mixed methods approach is implemented that combines user response and in-use energy data. The proposed methodology is applied in a case study of a university building, which highlights the conflicts that emerge between meeting user needs and operating a building at maximum energy efficiency. The issue results from the tenant-landlord relationship between departments within the organisation. To resolve this conflict, the role of the organisation is considered and subsequent recommendations are made to reduce the user influence on the energy use performance gap.