1 research outputs found
Bridging the gap between energy and comfort: Post-occupancy evaluation of two higher-education buildings in Sheffield
Recent technical guidance has suggested that comfort and energy efficiency should not be seen
as mutually exclusive [CIBSE, āTM54: Evaluating operational energy performance of buildings at the
design stageā, 2013]. Currently, however, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of energy
use during building operation and how it influences user comfort. Through comparison of the complex
relationships between energy, thermal comfort, and environmental strategy in two flexible highereducation
buildings in Sheffield, this paper demonstrates how designers can utilise aspects of active
and passive design to deliver more comfortable, lower-energy workspaces. Analysis of the authorsā
post-occupancy evaluation of each case study examines what lessons might be learnt and applied to
other institutional buildings in order to save energy without compromising occupant comfort.
The findings illustrate how perceptions of comfort can be improved by increasing the degree of
environmental control occupants have without necessarily increasing energy consumption. The paper
highlights the significance of occupancy patterns to a complete understanding of energy efficiency
and comfort, and speculates that the prediction and assessment of energy per occupant may have an
important future role to play in bridging the gap between energy performance and comfort