Demand Responsive Buildings

Objectives

To evaluate how occupants respond to ramps (steady changes) in indoor environment conditions, particularly degradation of conditions from prevailing recommended practice. To better define the limits of reducing building peak energy use during periods of electrical grid stress (load shedding).

Background

When electricity demand exceeds supply, brownouts or blackouts may occur unless utilities import additional capacity or switch in peak-capacity generators. A third option is for end-users to respond to the peak power difficulty by reducing their demand. In this context, it is increasingly likely that buildings will need to curtail their grid electrical usage during peak periods by temporarily shedding load. Many load-shedding scenarios involve adjusting building systems. For example, lighting may be dimmed, chillers switched off, and ventilation fan speeds reduced. While these adjustments may degrade the indoor environment, such practice may be a reasonable alternative to a brownout or blackout. NRC-IRC’s focus in this project is to gain a better understanding of occupants’ tolerance for such degradation. How quickly they detect the changes, and the effects on their mood, satisfaction and performance will be key outcomes.

Statement of Work

This work was carried out in three parts:

1. A literature review of previous research
2. Two laboratory studies investigating the response of occupants to steady changes in temperature and lighting away from recommended practice 
3. A field study to demonstrate load shedding using commercial dimming lighting control systems at an office and a community college.

Outcomes

Results demonstrated that the following changes in indoor environment conditions may be imposed without substantial hardship to occupants, assuming the starting point is typical recommended practice conditions:

• A smooth increase in air temperature by ~1.5 oC over a 2.5 hour period
• A smooth decrease in electric lighting by 20% over 10 seconds in a non-daylit space; further dimming by an increment of 20% is possible in spaces close to windows, and if the dimming is enacted over a much longer period (e.g. 30 minutes)

Note that such changes should only be enacted to alleviate temporary grid stress problems that occur infrequently, and are expected to prevail for a few hours at most, and that conditions should be returned to normal thereafter. There is abundant evidence to suggest that current recommended practice conditions are appropriate to ensure long-term occupant satisfaction.

Partners

• Public Works and Government Services Canada, Panel on Energy Research and Development, Natural Resources Canada
• Lighting Research Office, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) with the support of the J.H. McClung Lighting Research Foundation
• Canada Revenue Agency, e-Lumen International Inc., Encelium Technologies Inc., Georgian College, Lutron Electronics Co. Inc., SNC - Lavalin ProFac Inc.

Start/Completion Dates

The project began in 2004 and was completed in 2008.

Publications

Demand- responsive lighting: a field study
Newsham, G.R. Birt, B.
Leukos, 6 (3)
pp. 203-225. 2010-01-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Energy savings from photosensors and occupant sensors/wall switches on a college campus
Birt, B. Newsham, G.R.
Lux Europa 2009, 11th European Lighting Conference (Istanbul, Turkey, 2009-09-09)
pp. 731-738.
[Full citation / Référence complète]

The role of dimmable lighting in demand-responsive buildings
Newsham, G.R.
Lighting design + application : LD + A., 39 (4)
pp. 30-32, 34, 36. 2009-04-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Control strategies for lighting and ventilation in offices: effects on energy and occupants
Newsham, G.R. Mancini, S. Veitch, J.A. Marchand, R.G. Lei, W. Charles, K.E. Arsenault, C.D.
Intelligent Buildings International, 1 (2)
pp. 101-121. 2009-01-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Detection and acceptance of demand-responsive lighting in offices with and without daylight
Newsham, G.R. Mancini, S. Marchand, R.G.
Leukos, 4 (3)
pp. 130-156. 2008-01-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

The Potential for demand responsive lighting in non-daylit offices
Newsham, G.R. Mancini, S.
Leukos, 3 (2)
pp. 105-120. 2006-10-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Study looks at maintaining an acceptable indoor environment during electrical load reduction
Newsham, G.R.
Construction Innovation, 11 (3)
pp. 8-9. 2006-09-01
[Full citation / Référence complète]

The effect of ramps in temperature and electric light level on office occupants: a literature review and a laboratory experiment
Newsham, G.R. Donnelly, C.L. Mancini, S. Marchand, R.G. Lei, W. Charles, K.E. Veitch, J.A.
Proceedings of the 2006 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings (Pacific Grove, California, 2006-08-13)
pp. 4-252 to 4-264.
[Full citation / Référence complète]

Related Information

Institutes:

• NRC Institute for Research in Construction