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On the behaviour and adaptation of office occupants - ScienceDirect
Source: www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.cityu.edu.hk
Article summary:
1. Building simulation programs are limited in their ability to accurately predict human behavior and interactions with environmental controls due to a poor representation of stochastic variables.
2. A field survey was conducted to study the adaptive actions of office occupants in response to thermal stimuli, including the use of windows, blinds, fans, doors, cold drinks, clothing, and activity level.
3. Logistic regression analysis showed that indoor temperature had a significant influence on window opening behavior, while outdoor temperature had less of an impact. Other parameters may also need to be considered for more accurate predictions.
Article analysis:
The article discusses the probabilistic modelling of human behaviour in non-air-conditioned office buildings, with a focus on occupants' adaptive actions to suppress or diminish discomforting stimuli. The study is based on a field survey conducted in Switzerland during the summer of 2006, and the results are presented through logistic regression analysis.
One potential bias in the study is that it only considers non-air-conditioned office buildings located within a 50 km radius of Lausanne, which may not be representative of other regions or building types. Additionally, the study only focuses on thermal stimuli and does not consider other factors that may influence occupants' adaptive actions, such as noise or air quality.
The article presents some unsupported claims, such as the assertion that predictions of like buildings may vary by a factor of two due to poor representation of stochastic variables in building simulation programs. While this claim is attributed to Baker's estimation, no evidence or citation is provided to support it.
The article also lacks exploration of counterarguments or alternative perspectives. For example, while previous research has suggested that indoor temperature is a more consistent predictor than outdoor temperature for window opening behaviour, the article does not discuss any potential limitations or criticisms of this approach.
Overall, while the article provides interesting insights into occupants' adaptive actions in non-air-conditioned office buildings, it could benefit from more comprehensive and balanced reporting.
Topics for further research:
Limitations of logistic regression analysis in modelling human behaviour in buildings
Factors other than thermal stimuli that influence occupants' adaptive actions in buildings
Regional and building type variations in occupants' adaptive actions in non-air-conditioned buildings
Criticisms of using indoor temperature as a predictor for window opening behaviour
Stochastic variables in building simulation programs and their impact on predictions
Alternative approaches to modelling occupants' behaviour in buildings