Experimental investigations concerning energy savings achieved in buildings with passive solar components (e.g. large south-front windows, sunspaces or Trombe walls) have already been effected under test conditions. Since, however, the influence was found to be a very strong one, the main purpose of the present project was to analyze inhabitants' acceptance and use of various components like shading devices, moveable heat insulation, manual ventilation, room temperatures, and heating systems.
Air quality and draught avoidance are fairly important to office staff; consequently, the occupant's perspective should be taken into account when assessing the relative merits of different methods of ventilation in office buildings. Environmental comfort ratings and a variety of other judgements were collected in interviews with 169 staff in two air-conditioned and three naturally ventilated office buildings.
This report summarises the IEA Annex 8 Study into the behaviour of occupants with regard to ventilation. It assesses the extent to which the actions of occupants can be modified in order to minimise energy use yet maintain adequate indoor air quality. Chapters cover observational techniques, energy loss due to window opening, reasons for window opening and the resultant energy savings from modified use of windows.
Annex VIII is a two year task sharing project, started offically in 1984. Although some research had already been done on the problem of inhabitant's behaviour with regard to ventilation, none had gone so far as to access whether and how the ventilation behaviour can be modified in order to save energy and by taking into account the conflicting requirements, energy conservation and adequate indoor air quality.
By means of interviews this document describes occupants' window opening behaviour and draws from this certain sometimes surprising information about their motivations.
An abridged version of the study carried out under the auspices of the Federal Office of Energy by the Institute for Building Research of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich.
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