IEA EBC Annex 66: Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings

Abstract

More than 30% of the total primary energy in the world is consumed in buildings. It is crucial to reduce building energy consumption in order to preserve energy resources and mitigate global climate change. Building performance simulations have been widely used for the estimation and optimization of building performance, providing reference values for the assessment of building energy consumption and the effects of energy-saving technologies. Among the various factors influencing building energy consumption, occupant behavior has drawn increasing attention. Occupant behavior includes occupant presence, movement, and interaction with building energy devices and systems. However, there are gaps in occupant behavior modeling as different energy modelers have employed varied data and tools to simulate occupant behavior, therefore producing different and incomparable results. Aiming to address these gaps, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy in Buildings and Community (EBC) Programme Annex 66 has established a scientific methodological framework for occupant behavior research, including data collection, behavior model representation, modeling and evaluation approaches, and the integration of behavior modeling tools with building performance simulation programs. Annex 66 also includes case studies and application guidelines to assist in building design, operation, and policymaking, using interdisciplinary approaches to reduce energy use in buildings and improve occupant comfort and productivity. This paper highlights the key research issues, methods, and outcomes pertaining to Annex 66, and offers perspectives on future research needs to integrate occupant behavior with the building life cycle.

Occupant behaviour modelling in domestic buildings: the case of household electrical appliances

“…Characterising the stochastic nature *Corresponding author. Email: s.yilmaz@lboro.ac.uk of occupant behaviour has proved to be non-trivial and previous researchers have identified several constraints to progress including the lack of a common modelling approach, the lack of a rigorous model validation framework, the lack of experimental designs and the lack of suitable monitoring data with which to develop models (Yan and Hong 2014;Yan et al 2015).…”

“…Occupant behaviour in buildings can be defined as both the occupant presence and the occupant actions that may influence the building environmental conditions and the building energy consumption (Yan and Hong 2014). These include the occupants' operation of windows, air conditioning systems and heating systems (such as window opening, timer settings and choice of thermostat set-points) that affect hygrothermal conditions, indoor air quality, light, noise and temperature (Guerra Santin, Itard, and Visscher 2009;Hoes et al 2009;Schweiker et al 2012).…”

Synthesizing building physics with social psychology: An interdisciplinary framework for context and occupant behavior in office buildings

“…Together with a pool of researchers in the context of the International Energy Agency Annex 66 "Definition and Simulation of Occupant Behavior in Buildings" activities [31], the study explored and combined theories and insights from the technical and social dimensions of human-building interactions to support research in the fields of building and social sciences to better quantify the influence of occupant behaviors on building energy performance [8]. The proposed research framework is based on social cognitive theory (Section 2.1), the DNAS framework for energy-related behaviors (Section 2.2), and the theory of planned behavior (Section 2.3).…”

A critical review on questionnaire surveys in the field of energy-related occupant behaviour

“…However, there are still very limited data to help understand occupant behaviour and its impact on building performance quantitatively. The International Energy Agency's Energy in Buildings and Communities Program (IEA EBC) Annex 66 project, definition and simulation of occupant behaviour in buildings (Yan et al 2017), aims to collect more data on the topic, set up a standard occupant behaviour definition platform, and establish a quantitative simulation methodology to model occupant behaviour in buildings.…”