People are influenced to behave in an energy efficient and sustainable manner when the physical and social/cultural environment they inhabit encourages or “selects” for such behavior. For building occupants, the environments we design and build for them must generally meet their varying physical, psychological and social/cultural needs or they’ll figure out a way to meet them on their own, often with negative energy and sustainable repercussions. And any direct or indirect messages intentionally crafted to promote desired behavior and decision making must be socially/culturally relevant to be effective – both the message content and means of conveyance. In addition, the quantifiable “soft” costs associated with productivity and health, as well as the “stories” of the occupants and O&M personnel, assist in creating an environment where the benefits of the actions needed to complete all of this are understandable and available to building owners, employers, developers and the general public.
The behavioral sciences provide much of what is needed to help create, evaluate and maintain these efficiency promoting environments. In particular, the four major subfields of anthropology – cultural, physical, linguistic and archaeology – all provide methods (such as ethnography) and interpretive theoretical frameworks (such as evolutionary theory) for understanding human behavior and applying that understanding during programming/planning and design, commissioning and post occupancy evaluations. This paper will present specific research and case study examples the author has been involved with applying anthropology to design, retro-commissioning and post occupancy evaluations, as well as understanding sustainable human decision making in general.
Creating Environments That Promote Efficiency and Sustainability: Anthropological Applications in the Building/Construction Industry
1. Creating Environments That Promote
Efficiency and Sustainability:
Efficiency and Sustainability:
Anthropological Applications in the
Building/Construction Industry
Building/Construction Industry
8/16/2012
2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
Marcel Harmon, PhD, PE, LEED‐AP O+M
GENUINE | PROGRESSIVE | ADVOCATES
3. ANTHROPOLOGY 101
Social/Cultural
S i l/C lt l Psychological
P h l i l
Physiological
Different factors provide the lens through which
we perceive the world around us
4. THERMAL COMFORT / CLOTHING
• Activity Levels
Activity Levels
• Clothing Insulative
Properties
• Air Temperature • Air Movement /
• Mean Radiant Velocity
Velocit
Temperature • Relative Humidity
7. LIGHT SWEEP EXAMPLE
Communication, Education
and Buy‐In
Edward Gonzales Elementary
School Classroom
8. JUSTIFICATION
Conrad Duberstein U.S. Courthouse and Post Office’s Behavioral
Related Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) Total Cost and
Estimated Payback
Estimated cost Behavioral Behavioral Simple Behavioral Simple
of
of Related ECM Related ECM Payback Related ECM
Related ECM Related ECM Payback Related ECM Payback
Payback
Anthropological Estimated Total Estimated (Energy Estimated (Energy Plus
Related Services Implementation Annual Only) Annual Productivity)
Costs Energy Productivity
Savings Savings
$10,000.00 $384,777.00 $201,195.00 1.92 yrs $1,060,000.00 0.37 yrs
10. JUSTIFICATION
V. Sue Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, NM
• Math Scores: ‐1.50%; Reading Scores: ‐0.91%
Percentage
Survey Question of Teacher
Responses
Reflected images of the windows/skylights appear on my work
surface, PC monitor, and/or on the smart board/white board/chalk
f d/ h b d/ h b d/ h lk
board. 49%
Windows/skylights create glare in my field of vision as I work. 37%
Direct sunlight falls on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or on the
smart board/white board/chalk board, washing it out and making
b d/ hi b d/ h lk b d hi i d ki
it difficult to see what I’m working on. 47%
Percentage
Top three reasons for closing blinds/shades (or covering windows
o
of
with paper for those without blinds/shades)
ih f h ih bli d / h d )
Responses
Direct sunlight falling on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or on
the smart board/white board/chalk board 42%
y , , /
Reflection of the windows on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or
on the smart board/white board/chalk board 24%
Distracting Views
22%
16. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Interviews Observations
Surveys
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments
17. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Space Condition Assessments
Interviews Observations
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments
18. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
V. Sue Cleveland HS Thermal Comfort Ratings
• Teachers, Staff and Administrators: Spaces are only thermally
Teachers, Staff and Administrators: Spaces are only thermally
acceptable (ASHRAE definition) during the fall (ranges from
66% ‐ 75% for other three seasons)
• Students: Not thermally acceptable during any season (ranges
from 32% ‐ 51% for all four seasons).