This study investigates the impact of an active workstation on heating and cooling energy consumption in commercial buildings. The improved performance and health of office workers are well-known and supported by several surveys and studies. However, the preferred and revised indoor air temperature for different activities of the employees, such as standing and walking, directly impacts the energy consumption of the building. Therefore, this study systematically quantifies the impact of indoor environments on building energy consumption using a simulation tool. Based on literature reviews with multidisciplinary fields, revised setpoint temperature, metabolic rate, and required outdoor air rate due to the level of active workstation (standing and walking) are applied to EnergyPlus reference building models. The impact on heating and cooling energy consumption is analyzed by considering several representative cities in the United States. Their average sensitivity was found to be 7.28% lower and 14.28% higher for heating and cooling energy, respectively. The total increment of $13,887 represents approximately 0.16% of the total profit of the corporation. This increment can be justified given the benefits to workers’ health, which include lower insurance costs and improved performance. This suggests that it is economically desirable to deploy active workstations widely.

This study investigated the applicability of a tracking photovoltaic (PV) system installed in the roof area of a commercial building. Because PVWatts is the only PV module with a tracking feature in EnergyPlus, its electricity generation was validated through comparisons with detailed PV modules in EnergyPlus. The tracking PV system generated 26.8–35.5% more electricity annually than a fixed system in the climate of Incheon (S. Korea). The load coverage analysis of the tracking PV system was conducted with the reference commercial building model in EnergyPlus. Approximately 14% of the total building electric demand, including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning; lighting; and equipment, was met by one PV array. Finally, the life cycle cost analysis of the tracking PV system was conducted by considering the net present value, which includes the initial installation and operation costs. The initial investment was returned after approximately 8 years, assuming between two and six tracking PV arrays were installed. Moreover, up to 26.8% cost savings were achieved in 15 years compared to the case without any PV arrays.