Using Human Factors to Establish Occupant Task Lists for Office Building Simulations

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to establish an in-depth understanding of task-related occupant behaviors to serve as the basis for the design of an occupant-building interaction interface. Building simulations are frequently used to design buildings and predict energy performance. Yet, all of these assumptions are related to occupant behavior and interactions with the building. In an occupant-controlled environment, an understanding of the occupant decision-making process must be represented in the simulation task lists. Current task lists assume general occupant behaviors based on averages, and lack the details required for this understanding. This paper looks to strike a balance between simplicity and complexity in the generation of task lists to establish a process for developing an understanding of occupant behavior at a greater level of detail than current practice. A contextual task analysis questionnaire characterizes occupant behavior to provide the link between the building, occupant, and task. Generation of a sample task list demonstrates how a detailed understanding of task-related occupant behaviors can be effectively used as the basis of an occupant-building control scheme.