ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental Sustainability Initiatives: Residential Planning

NSF Grant Proposal | 2021 | My role: Design Researcher for Post Occupancy Evaluation | Focus: Architectural Sustainability

Problem Statement

Buildings account for 52% of total energy consumption and 37% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Sustainable design strategies, such as passive solar techniques, can significantly reduce energy use and improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in healthcare and residential spaces.

However, their real-world effectiveness in occupied settings remains underexplored.

Aims & Objectives of Research

This study aims to evaluate the impact of passive solar design techniques on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability through post-occupancy evaluation (POE).

Assessing energy savings, thermal comfort, and air quality in a newly constructed sustainable housing complex.
Analyzing the effectiveness of passive solar elements (louvers, cavity walls, green roofs) in real-world conditions.
Evaluating resident comfort, satisfaction, and adaptation to sustainable building strategies.

Proposed Study Design

This study used a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to evaluate how passive solar design impacts energy efficiency and occupant well-being.
Conducted in an eight-story, 100-unit sustainable apartment complex in Austin, TX, the project was inspired by energy-efficient healthcare buildings that prioritize thermal comfort, air quality, and natural lighting.

The research was divided into two phases:

- Pre-Occupancy Assessment: Collected baseline data on building conditions, energy use, and spatial characteristics through on-site and virtual walkthroughs.
- Post-Occupancy Evaluation (3 Months):
  - Real-time environmental monitoring (air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, and lighting).
  - Resident feedback through surveys, interviews, and observations.
  - Weekly, biweekly, and monthly data collection to assess seasonal variations.

Data collection and frequencies

Quantitative Phase

Energy consumption (via utility bills & appliance monitoring).
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (air quality, temperature, lighting, noise levels).
Building performance (thermal regulation efficiency of passive design elements).

Qualitative Phase

Monthly interviews with residents on comfort and adaptation to passive design.
Web-based surveys on satisfaction with air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and noise control.
Photographic walkthroughs to document lived experiences and spatial use patterns.

Tools

IEQ Monitoring: Air Mentor Pro, HOBO Data Loggers, Wireless Sound Level Meters.
Surveys: Adapted from Center for Built Environment’s (CBE) Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) survey.
Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) for tracking appliance energy consumption.
Onsite Observations: Virtual and in-person photographic assessments.

Air Mentor Pro – Functions

HOBO MX1101 – Device overview

HOBO UX90-0020M, sensor and computer monitoring

Wireless Sound Level Meter (SLM), Convergence instrumentals

Budgets

Personnel & Travel: Researchers, data collectors, and consultation trips.
Equipment: Air quality monitors, thermal sensors, noise meters, and data loggers.
Software: IBM SPSS & NVivo for data analysis.
Participant Incentives: Compensation for survey/interview participation.

Note: Budget Calculations & Tables are not available for public access.

Back