Commercial office plug load energy consumption trends and the role of occupant behavior

This study evaluates the energy patterns of 137 individual plug loads (desktops, laptops, monitors, and task lights) collected in a California office building over two years, and the effects of a behavior-based intervention on a subset of these devices to reduce plug load energy consumption. An analysis of the data reveals that desktops consume the most power per person and demonstrate the widest range of power consumption, and that occupants are more likely to turn equipment off before a longer break from the office than overnight during the week. Much of the literature on reducing commercial plug loads is focused on technology-based solutions, while the literature on changing occupant behavior is focused on residential occupants. Multiple studies show that non-financial incentives, such as games, can motivate behavior change. An online sustainability game, Cool Choices, was initiated on-site with 30 occupants, where players competed on teams to earn points for completing resource-saving actions. The analysis revealed that because occupants were already engaging in relevant energy saving behaviors (e.g. turning equipment off at the end of the day), there was limited opportunity for further behavior-based reductions. This study highlights the need for additional research in commercial buildings examining how to motivate occupant behavior change through non-financial incentives.