ANNEX 66

Definition and Simulation of Occupant Behaviour in Buildings

Energy related occupant behavior in buildings, for example adjusting thermostat for comfort, switching lights, opening/closing windows, pulling up/down window blinds, and moving between spaces, is a key issue for building design optimisation, energy diagnosis, performance evaluation, and building energy simulation due to its significant impact on real energy use and indoor environmental quality in buildings. However the influence of occupant behavior is under-recognized or over-simplified in the design, construction, operation, and retrofit of buildings.

Having deep understanding of occupant behavior and being able to model and quantify its impact on use of building technologies and energy performance of buildings is crucial to design and operation of low energy buildings. Annex66 aims to set up a standard occupant behavior definition platform, establish a quantitative simulation methodology to model occupant behavior in buildings, and understand the influence of occupant behavior on building energy use and the indoor environment. ABUD supports the project in the tool development phase, provides case-studies from Hungary and helps the market depletion process.