IN-24-C006 - Towards Occupant-Centric Building Retrofit Assessments: An Integrated Protocol for Real-Time Monitoring of Building Energy Use, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Enclosure Performance in Relationship to Occupant Behaviors PDF

The existing residential building stock plays a significant role in global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Dramatically improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings through retrofits is a crucial step to addressing climate change, offering additional advantages such as improved thermal comfort and healthier indoor environments for occupants. However, there are still technical challenges to overcome. Recent studies documenting building retrofit implementation demonstrate that the actual energy performance and thermal comfort of retrofitted buildings deviate from predicted performance. The causes could stem from poor technical performance of the envelope parts, such as failures in thermal insulation, leaks, unforeseen thermal bridges, substandard workmanship, or inadequacies in the delivered products. Discrepancies might also manifest in the functioning of building service systems and control. Ultimately, the impact of occupant behavior can be equally influential, if not more so, compared to technical factors associated with building products. Despite the well-established importance of energy retrofits, current assessment protocols do not adequately capture the various interconnected aspects of the pre- and post-retrofitting conditions in occupied residential buildings. To better predict the performance of building retrofits, there is a critical need for real-time monitoring of energy consumption, thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), enclosure hygrothermal conditions, and weather data, in relationship to occupancy and activity. This study presents an integrated protocol for measuring and monitoring multiple performance factors in pre- and post-retrofit assessments. The protocol was implemented for the pre-retrofit assessment of two occupied residential buildings in Syracuse, NY. The buildings were instrumented with power meters and various sensors to measure environmental characteristics that include air temperature, Relative Humidity (RH), concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5, PM 10. Sensor packages were installed for measuring envelope performance characteristics, including heat flux, surface temperature RH, and local air temperature and RH. Occupant behaviors were monitored through motion sensors and door/window opening/adjustment counts. This paper presents details for sensor installation, operation, and use cases of this protocol, including methods for integrating the analysis of the occupant behavior factors for a more holistic and accurate assessment of existing building conditions. Challenges and considerations for future implementation are also discussed. This study's impact extends beyond immediate retrofit applications, offering valuable insights for the development of more effective and occupant-centric energy retrofit strategies. Ultimately, it contributes to the creation of sustainable and comfortable living environments.