Track: Sustainability and Green Systems

Abstract

In most countries, buildings consume about 50% of the total energy. High energy consumption is still addressed by stakeholders through traditional technical methods, such as design considerations. However, studies suggest that strategic actions achieve a zero net energy or low energy goal depending on the behaviour of building occupants. The objective of this study is to develop methods for modeling and evaluating occupant behaviour in green office buildings. Specifically, this paper aims to present the research questions and hypotheses for the main investigation and to identify the predictors of occupant behaviour in conventional and green buildings based on a literature review. The research found that the behaviour of building occupants in interacting with or using the building, such as using blinds, and curtains, controlling lighting, opening and closing windows, the way they dress, and the temperature of their drinking water to adjust the indoor environment to their needs or tastes, has a strategic impact on the energy performance and consumption of the building. The study also found that the building envelope, building services, natural ventilation, daylighting, artificial lighting, and thermal comfort are the most important predictors of occupant behaviour in green office buildings. User satisfaction with the building depends on user interaction with the building system and the extent of user adaptation and social value systems. It is found that the ontology of positivism and the epistemology of objectivism are the appropriate metaphysical orientations for the main research. The main research includes qualitative and quantitative data. The results suggest that performance surveys, simulations, experiments, case studies, and questionnaires are appropriate for the main research.