Many new and emerging regulations and standards for buildings focus on climate change mitigation through energy and carbon reduction. In cool climates, such reductions are achieved by optimizing the building for heat retention. It is increasingly recognized, however, that some degree of climate change is now inevitable. New and existing buildings need to consider this to ensure resilience and an ability to adapt over time. In this context, the current approach to regulation that largely remains focused on the ‘point of handover’ may not be fit for purpose. This paper focuses on a ‘typical’ dwelling designed to a range of standards, representing current or emerging approaches to minimizing energy use, using a range of construction methods, where a number of adaptations are available to occupants. It considers, through the use of building performance simulation, how each configuration is likely to perform thermally over time given current climate change predictions. It is demonstrated that the current approach to assessing overheating risk in dwellings, coupled with the regulatory focus on reducing energy consumption, could result in significant levels of overheating. This overheating could, in the near future, present a risk to health and result in the need for significant interventions.

Purpose: This paper sets out to understand the impact of the ambient environment on perceived comfort, health, wellbeing and by extension productivity in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: The research combined an occupant survey considering satisfaction with the ambient environment, health and wellbeing and workplace behaviour with the monitoring of ambient environmental conditions. Findings: The paper demonstrates that the ambient environment can have a significant impact on occupant comfort, health and wellbeing, which in turn has implications for built asset performance. Within the ambient environmental factors considered, a hierarchy may exist with noise being of particular importance. Occupant behaviour within the workplace was also found to be influential. Research limitations/implications: The research was limited to a single commercial office building, and a wider range of case studies would therefore be of benefit. The research was also limited to the summer months. Practical implications: The findings show that an active approach to asset management is required, by continuously monitoring internal environment and engaging with occupants. This must carefully consider how ambient environmental factors and workplace behaviour impact upon occupants’ comfort, health and wellbeing to ensure the performance of the built asset is maximised. Originality/value: This paper demonstrates that both occupiers’ workplace behaviour and ambient environmental conditions can have an impact on occupant comfort, health, wellbeing and productivity. The paper strengthens the case for the active management of the workplace environment through environmental monitoring and behaviour change campaigns supported by corresponding changes to workplace culture.

As regulated energy consumption in buildings is reduced, the proportional importance of unregulated energy consumption increases. Reducing unregulated energy use in the commercial office requires an understanding of the factors that influence workplace behaviour. To date these factors have been assumed to be similar to those that influence behaviour in the home. However, the social dynamics of the workplace are different to those in the home. This study examines the degree to which theories of behaviour change generated largely in a domestic building setting could be used as the basis for designing interventions to reduce unregulated energy consumption in the workplace. It studies the unregulated energy consumption of 39 workers engaged in office-type activities in two separate locations. Following a 100-day monitoring period, three behaviour change interventions were developed and their impact measured over a 100-day period. Results from the study found, on average, an 18.8% reduction in energy use was achieved. Furthermore, by comparing pre- and post-intervention responses to an environmental questionnaire, it was evident that savings were realized without significant changes to pro-environmental attitude or perceived social norms, which may have implications for energy-saving interventions in the commercial sector.

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General office equipment can be responsible for a significant proportion of overall electrical energy consumption in UK offices and this is predicted to rise significantly over the coming years [Webber, C. A., Roberson, J. A., Brown, R. E., Payne, C. T., Nordman, B., & Koomey, J. G. (2001). Field surveys of office equipment operating patterns. Berkley: CA: Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory]. As a significant contributor to overall energy use, this equipment has a corresponding cost and carbon impact. The legally binding requirements of the climate change act [Department of Energy and Climate Change. ( 2008 Department of Energy and Climate Change. (2008). The climate change act. London : The Ministry of Justice. [Google Scholar] ). The climate change act. London: The Ministry of Justice] present a need to address the impact of office equipment, especially within the less-efficient existing building stock. In this study the range of energy consumption patterns observed across workstations in two typical UK, air-conditioned office spaces covering 90 desks and the potential effect of using feedback to encourage energy reduction through behaviour change are explored. The project monitored energy consumption over a four-month baseline period. Taking into account technical, behavioural and environmental influences this baseline established that a significant variation in consumption patterns exists between workstations providing the same function, in comparable locations and over the same period of time. Following the establishment of the baseline data further monitoring took place to assess the effect of behaviour change interventions through the provision of comparative feedback. The core driver behind the variation in consumption identified was found to be occupant behaviour over technical and environmental considerations. The study establishes that it is possible to reduce energy use, carbon emissions and cost associated with desk-level electricity consumption by up to 20% through behaviour change in typical UK office spaces. Further savings are possible through energy management and procurement policy, but behaviour change offers significant initial reductions for limited investment.