This section describes the inputs for the Case window.

Workstation

• Workstation Area
• Ceiling Height
• Screen Height
• Ceiling Reflectance
• Screen Reflectance
• Floor Type
• Ceiling Type
• Screen Type
• More than 50% of workstations have window

Environment

• Noise
• Speech
• Luminaire Type
• Lighting Design
• Magnetic ballast
• Individual control of lighting
• Ventilation system complies with ASHRAE Standard 62
• Individual control of ventilation

Settings

• Display Units

Workstation inputs:

Workstation Area
Enter area of the workstation (i.e. area enclosed by the workstation screens. If the layout has workstations of different size then use average area. (The calculation assumes all workstations have the same area, and are square.)

Value must be in range of 36 to 144 ft² (3.34 to 13.3 m²).

Ceiling Height
Enter the floor to ceiling height in the workstation area.

Value must be in range of 7 to 11 ft (2.13 to 3.35 m).

Screen Height
Enter the height of the workstation screens (partitions). If screens are not all the same height use average height.

Value must be in range of 30 to 78 in (0.76 to 1.98 m).

Ceiling Reflectance
Enter the light reflectance of the ceiling in percent. Values may be given by ceiling manufacturer. Typical values for ceiling tile are 80-85%. The lighter (brighter) the ceiling the higher reflectance.

Value must be in range of 75% to 95%.

Screen Reflectance
Enter the light reflectance of the workstation. This is primarily the screens, but the desktop surface should also be considered. Values may be avalable from the furniture manufacturer. If surfaces have different reflectances use an average. Light colored furniture materials would have values around 50%; dark surfaces would be nearer 20%.

Value must be in range of 15% to 55%.

Floor Type
Choose a floor material from the dropdown list. This choice determines the acoustic properties of the floor, which are used in the acoustic calculations. These properties are the sound absorbtance at each of 18 frequencies. This data comes from test measurements on the material and should be obtained from the manufacturer. If manufacturers data is not available you may choose a similar material from the list. However, there is no assurance that the acoustic performance will be the same.

Currently, only a few generic sample materials are provided in the database. These are available to all users.

In future, it will be possible for the user to define a new floor type.

Ceiling Type
Choose a ceiling material from the dropdown list. This choice determines the acoustic properties of the ceiling, which are used in the acoustic calculations. These properties are the sound absorbtance at each of 18 frequencies. This data comes from test measurements on the material and should be obtained from the manufacturer. If manufacturers data is not available you may choose a similar material from the list. However, there is no assurance that the acoustic performance will be the same.

Currently, only a few generic sample materials are provided in the database. These are available to all users.

In future, it will be possible for the user to define a new ceiling type.

Screen Type
Choose a screen (partition) material from the dropdown list. This choice determines the acoustic properties of the screen, which are used in the acoustic calculations. These properties are the sound absorbtance and transmission loss at each of 18 frequencies. This data comes from test measurements on the material and should be obtained from the manufacturer. If manufacturers data is not available you may choose a similar material from the list. However, there is no assurance that the acoustic performance will be the same.

Currently, only a few generic sample materials are provided in the database. These are available to all users.

In future, it will be possible for the user to define a new screen type.

More than 50% of workstations have window
Check this box if more than 50% of the workstations have direct access to a window.

The default for a new case is unchecked.

Environment inputs:

Noise
The calculation of speech intelligibility index (Sii) is sensitive to the level of background noise. A higher noise level will make it more difficult to recognize speech from adjacent workstations, hence a lower value for Sii. However, a high noise level also has a negative effect on satisfaction with acoustics.

Choose a noise level from the drop-down list. Although a wider range is available, we suggest a noise level no lower than 44 dBA and no higher than 50 dBA. (The default value for a new case is "Medium noise".)

Speech
The calculation of speech intelligibility index (Sii) is sensitive to the level of speech in adjacent workstations. Since speech level is not a parameter that can be controlled in office design, COPE-ODE does not allow you to change the speech level.

COPE-ODE will assume an "intermediate office" speech level which is appropriate for open plan offices.

Luminaire Type
Choose the luminaire type for lighting from the dropdown list. The choice of luminaire type will determine what choices will be available in the lighting design dropdown list (see Lighting Design).

Lighting Design

Choose a lighting design from the dropdown list. Note that the correct "Luminaire Type" must be selected (see Luminaire Type).

The available lighting designs are

Prismatic Lens:

• P11: 1'x4' single lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 5'x5' grid
• P22: 2'x4' 3 lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 8'x8' grid
• P32: 2'x2' 2 lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 8'x8' grid

Parabolic Louvers:

• L21: 1'x4' single lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 5'x5' grid
• L32: 2'x4' 2 lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 8'x10' grid
• L42: 2'x4' 3 lamp fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 8'x10' grid
• L32: 2'x2' 2 lamp fixtures recessed into celing on a 8'x8' grid

Indirect:

• I11: 1'x4' 2 lamp fixtures suspended from ceiling on a 5'x10' grid
• I14: 1'x4' 2 lamp fixtures suspended from ceiling in continuous rows 10' apart
• I22: 1'x4' 3 lamp fixtures suspended from ceiling in continuous rows 12' apart
• I33: 1'x4' 2 lamp fixtures suspended from ceiling on a 8'x8' grid
• I33: 1'x4' 2 lamp direct/indirect fixtures recessed into ceiling on a 8'x8' grid

Magnetic ballast
This checkbox should be checked if the lighting fixtures use magnetic ballasts, and unchecked otherwise (e.g. electronic ballast).

(The default for a new case is checked.)

Individual control of lighting
This checkbox should be checked if the occupant has dimmer control over the lighting in their workstation

(The default for a new case is unchecked.)

Ventilation system complies with ASHRAE Standard 62
The COPE study found that the workstation configuration has little effect on ventilation, providing that the ventilation system is well designed and operating properly.

This is not in fact an input; you can not uncheck the checkbox. It is there as a reminder that this is an assumption in the COPE-ODE analysis.

Individual control of ventilation
This checkbox should be checked if the occupant has control over the direction or flowrate of the ventilation air to their workstation.

(The default for a new case is unchecked.)

Settings:

Display Units
You may enter data in either metric or imperial units. You may change units at any time; existing input values will be converted to the new units. The selection of units will be saved, so when you load an existing case the units will be the same as when it was saved.

The default for a new case is determined by the units setting in the folder which contains the case.