Existing studies show that occupants’ behavior contribute to fluctuations in energy consumption of residential units within the same building configuration. Window blinds are one of the interior design elements that the occupants use to control indoor environmental conditions. The way that occupants adjust their blinds could affect the energy performance of buildings. Thus, the purpose of this research was to identify spatial and temporal explanatory variables that correlate with occupants’ use of the blinds and determine whether those variables relate to building design and surrounding sites. Data were collected by observing how occupants in apartment buildings located in a multifamily residential complex adjust their blinds. Descriptive statistics were used to define the effect of floor level, window orientation, day of observation, the hour of observation, and weather conditions on the blind status. In addition, a generalized linear mixed model was used to predict the effect of floor level and window orientation on the occupants’ adjustment of blinds. The results revealed that occupants’ use of the blinds correlated significantly with spatial factors, such as the apartment buildings’ floor level and windows’ orientation. Interesting blind use patterns were related to temporal factors, such as the day and hour of observation.

This study aims to reveal the impact of Virtual Environment as a design tool on the interior architect's design behavior towards adopting sustainable residential interior design practices. This approach is guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a theoretical framework; the purpose as such would serve to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical implementation to promote sustainable design practices. Findings revealed that Virtual Environment is anticipated to assist the interior architect in integrating the complex sustainable residential design objectives, and thus positively affect the interior architect's behavioral performance towards embracing sustainable residential design solutions.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies, Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Virtual Environment; Residential Spaces; Sustainable Design; Theory of Planned Behavior

Occupant behavior is one of the factors that impact the buildings’ energy consumption. Occupants interact with building systems to adjust their indoor environmental conditions to meet their comfort levels. Occupants’ behavior to control those multiple conditions have been studied in isolation. Previous research highlighted the impact that contextual factors, such as interior design, have on occupants’ energy-related behaviors. This study focused on psychological, contextual, and environmental reasons leading to energy-related occupants’ behavior. It investigated the impact of spatial factors: orientation, floor level, space type, and furniture layout on occupants’ behavioral beliefs about operating windows and adjusting blinds. Results revealed a significant relationship between the spatial factors and occupants’ behavioral beliefs about operating windows and adjusting blinds. It is recommended to consider occupants’ behavioral beliefs related to the spatial factors in the preliminary stages of the design process to contribute to efficient space planning and thus enhance the building’s energy performance.

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