Communication breakdown: Energy efficiency recommendations to address the disconnect between building operators and occupants

Ruiz, Shelby N.; Day, Julia K.; Govertsen, Krissy; Kane, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.erss.2022.102719

Title: Communication breakdown: Energy efficiency recommendations to address the disconnect between building operators and occupants

Journal Article · 10 July 2022 · Energy Research and Social Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2022.102719 · OSTI ID:1882681

Ruiz, Shelby N. ^[1]; Day, Julia K. ^[2]; Govertsen, Krissy ^[3]; Kane, Michael ^[3]

Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States)

As technology advances, progressive building performance goals are met with ease and occupant behavior plays an increasingly significant role in preventing building operators from achieving those goals. However, removing occupants from participating in building control and operation is counterintuitive to the purpose of building operation. Occupant-centric control (OCC) has been suggested as a means of incorporating the occupant while simultaneously reducing the negative impact their behavior can have on building performance. As a result, operators are now tasked with incorporating OCC into their daily operation. The relationship between building occupants and operators is a critical component to OCC, and balancing occupant comfort and building performance. In this paper, we present findings from an international qualitative study of building operators with a focus on the operator and occupant relationship. This paper identifies the role operators play in OCC, how these relationships develop, and how these relationships impact building operation through two key research questions: What factors influence the quality of relationships between occupants and operators? How can the relationships between operators and occupants be improved? Subsequently, these questions revealed this relationship becomes strained when building performance is prioritized over comfort, occupants are ignored or uneducated, and feedback is negative or sparse. In short: there is a disconnection between operators and occupants. Here we propose several solutions including modifying job requirements to prioritize occupant comfort, educating occupants to make autonomous decisions that are not detrimental to operation, and creating effective communication channels for instances where operator intervention is required.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1882681

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5500-83776; MainId:84549; UUID:72ea3f74-8695-47a9-b8f1-8b22ee9e2eb3; MainAdminID:65138

Journal Information:: Energy Research and Social Science, Journal Name: Energy Research and Social Science Vol. 91; ISSN 2214-6296

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Communication breakdown: Energy efficiency recommendations to address the disconnect between building operators and occupants

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