How do you balance the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS?

A building automation system (BAS) is a smart network of sensors, controllers, and actuators that can monitor and control various aspects of a building's performance, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security, and fire safety. A well-designed and operated BAS can improve energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance occupant comfort and satisfaction. However, achieving these benefits often involves balancing trade-offs between different goals and preferences. How do you balance the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS? Here are some tips and strategies to help you optimize your BAS performance and user experience.

1 Understand your building

The first step to balance the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS is to understand your building's characteristics, needs, and potential. You need to collect and analyze data on your building's energy consumption, occupancy patterns, environmental conditions, and user feedback. You can use various tools and methods, such as energy audits, benchmarking, metering, submetering, and surveys, to gather and process this information. This will help you identify the sources of energy waste, the areas of improvement, and the expectations and preferences of your occupants.

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Blair Cole

Project Manager - EcoPilot Canada
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The two most important factors of this sections “User Feedback” and “Preferences of Your Occupants” If you don’t keep the tenants comfortable and happy, you haven’t done anything. This doesn’t mean you can’t adjust things, but if you know your client’s expectations and preferences you can plan accordingly.

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2 Set your goals and priorities

The next step is to set your goals and priorities for your BAS performance and user satisfaction. You need to define what you want to achieve, how you will measure it, and how you will communicate it. You can use various frameworks and standards, such as LEED, ENERGY STAR, or WELL, to guide your goal-setting and benchmarking process. You also need to consider the trade-offs and constraints that may affect your decisions, such as budget, regulations, contracts, and stakeholder interests. You need to align your goals and priorities with your building's mission, vision, and values.

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3 Implement smart strategies

The third step is to implement smart strategies that can balance the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS. You need to select and apply the best practices and technologies that can optimize your building's performance and user experience. Some of these strategies involve scheduling and zoning, demand response and load shedding, as well as sensors and feedback. For instance, you can adjust your BAS settings according to the occupancy and usage patterns of your building, or participate in demand response programs that offer incentives for reducing energy consumption during peak periods. Additionally, you can install sensors that measure and adjust temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, occupancy, daylight, or motion in your building. You can also collect feedback from occupants through surveys or dashboards to express their comfort and satisfaction levels. This data can be used to fine-tune your BAS settings and improve user experience.

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4 Monitor and evaluate

The final step is to monitor and evaluate your BAS performance and user satisfaction. You need to track and analyze your energy consumption, savings, costs, emissions, and comfort indicators. You can use various tools and software, such as energy management systems (EMS), building management systems (BMS), or analytics platforms, to collect and visualize this data. You can also compare your results with your goals and benchmarks and identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement. You can use this information to adjust your BAS settings, strategies, and plans and ensure that you are balancing the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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William Martin

Maintenance Supervisor at Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC)
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Be careful with cooling and heating setpoints. People will tolerate mild discomfort when it comes to temperature but if you go too extreme they will seek ways to get back to comfort that are usually very inefficient from an energy management perspective. I have seen VAV actuators removed and locking pliers placed on the damper shaft and then duct taped the pliers to the VAV body holding the damper at 100% open. Chilled water valves overridden manually and supply fans in "Hand". These are just a few of the ways the tenants sabotage your energy management efforts. The clandestine overrides cause the equipment to run 24/7, your energy savings get cancelled out and in some cases you end up with higher energy usage than before.

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How do you balance the trade-offs between energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction in a BAS?

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1 Understand your building

2 Set your goals and priorities

3 Implement smart strategies

4 Monitor and evaluate

5 Here’s what else to consider

Building Automation

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