Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
249191 | Building and Environment | 2007 | 6 Pages |
The thermal environment in an office is not always optimal from the viewpoint of energy-conservation and occupants’ comfort. The main reason is that air-conditioning systems are controlled without taking the occupants’ needs into account. In this study, we would like to propose a new system to control air-conditioning systems, lighting systems, etc. via occupants’ requests. This system collects occupants’ requests from their own personal computers and controls the air-conditioning system with logic that balances the needs of occupants and energy consumption. The control logic is referred to as “Logic for Building a Consensus” and can be adjusted according to operating strategies such as energy-saving or occupants’ satisfaction with their environment. Moreover, the variety of feedback motivates occupants to cooperate with energy-saving efforts.An interactive system to use occupants’ requests for controlling the air-conditioning system and providing a variety of feedback was developed. A series of cooling experiments were conducted in an open-plan office where about 50 people worked. The results show that this interactive system could save 20% more energy compared with controlling an air-conditioning system at a constant 26 °C.