Rethinking building energy use from the occupant aspect

The causal relationship between occupants and building energy use is a critical part of sustainable building design and management. However, occupant-related factors are often oversimplified and overlooked in building energy simulations. This study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to characterize occupant behaviours and occupancy patterns based on Wi-Fi connection data and an on-site survey. The energy simulation results are compared with meter data to analyse the impact of occupant-related factors on energy use. By introducing 'realistic' occupancy schedules into the building energy simulation, the deviation between simulation results and meter data can be reduced from 24% to 5%. This study reveals the importance of reliable occupancy data for accurate predictions of building energy use during the operational stage. Besides, the study explains the intricate relationships between the number of occupants and energy use, suggesting that designers should prioritize improving the utilization of shared spaces during the design development phase. © 2024, The Architectural Science Association and Griffith University, Australia.