People are influenced to behave in an energy efficient and sustainable manner when the physical and social/cultural environment they inhabit encourages or “selects” for such behavior. For building occupants, the environments we design and build for them must generally meet their varying physical, psychological and social/cultural needs or they’ll figure out a way to meet them on their own, often with negative energy and sustainable repercussions. And any direct or indirect messages intentionally crafted to promote desired behavior and decision making must be socially/culturally relevant to be effective – both the message content and means of conveyance. In addition, the quantifiable “soft” costs associated with productivity and health, as well as the “stories” of the occupants and O&M personnel, assist in creating an environment where the benefits of the actions needed to complete all of this are understandable and available to building owners, employers, developers and the general public. The behavioral sciences provide much of what is needed to help create, evaluate and maintain these efficiency promoting environments. In particular, the four major subfields of anthropology – cultural, physical, linguistic and archaeology – all provide methods (such as ethnography) and interpretive theoretical frameworks (such as evolutionary theory) for understanding human behavior and applying that understanding during programming/planning and design, commissioning and post occupancy evaluations. This paper will present specific research and case study examples the author has been involved with applying anthropology to design, retro-commissioning and post occupancy evaluations, as well as understanding sustainable human decision making in general.

1. Creating Environments That Promote
Efficiency and Sustainability:
Efficiency and Sustainability:
Anthropological Applications in the
Building/Construction Industry
Building/Construction Industry
8/16/2012
2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
Marcel Harmon, PhD, PE, LEED‐AP O+M
GENUINE | PROGRESSIVE | ADVOCATES

2. WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?
• Study of Humans
− Physical Form
y
− Societies/Cultures
− Environmental Manipulation
− Across Human History
Across Human History

3. ANTHROPOLOGY 101
Social/Cultural
S i l/C lt l Psychological
P h l i l
Physiological
Different factors provide the lens through which
we perceive the world around us

4. THERMAL COMFORT / CLOTHING
• Activity Levels
Activity Levels
• Clothing Insulative
Properties
• Air Temperature • Air Movement /
• Mean Radiant Velocity
Velocit
Temperature • Relative Humidity

5. APPLYING ANTHROPOLOGY
Behavioral Patterns Provide Insight Into:
− social/cultural norms present
p
− if occupant needs are being met
− impacts on productivity, health and
building performance
building performance
− how to improve situation

6. APPLYING ANTHROPOLOGY
Occupant Control

7. LIGHT SWEEP EXAMPLE
Communication, Education
and Buy‐In
Edward Gonzales Elementary
School Classroom

8. JUSTIFICATION
Conrad Duberstein U.S. Courthouse and Post Office’s Behavioral
Related Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) Total Cost and
Estimated Payback
Estimated cost Behavioral Behavioral Simple Behavioral Simple
of
of Related ECM Related ECM Payback Related ECM
Related ECM Related ECM Payback Related ECM Payback
Payback
Anthropological Estimated Total Estimated (Energy Estimated (Energy Plus
Related Services Implementation Annual Only) Annual Productivity)
Costs Energy Productivity
Savings Savings
$10,000.00 $384,777.00 $201,195.00 1.92 yrs $1,060,000.00 0.37 yrs

9. JUSTIFICATION
V. Sue Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, NM
• Lack of Adequate Daylighting Control
• South Facing Windows and Some East/West
South Facing Windows and Some East/West
Windows: Shades with relatively high openness
value.
• Remaining Windows: No shades curtains or blinds
Remaining Windows: No shades, curtains or blinds
• No Other Means of Daylight Control

10. JUSTIFICATION
V. Sue Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, NM
• Math Scores: ‐1.50%; Reading Scores: ‐0.91%
Percentage
Survey Question of Teacher
Responses
Reflected images of the windows/skylights appear on my work
surface, PC monitor, and/or on the smart board/white board/chalk
f d/ h b d/ h b d/ h lk
board. 49%
Windows/skylights create glare in my field of vision as I work. 37%
Direct sunlight falls on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or on the
smart board/white board/chalk board, washing it out and making
b d/ hi b d/ h lk b d hi i d ki
it difficult to see what I’m working on. 47%
Percentage
Top three reasons for closing blinds/shades (or covering windows
o
of
with paper for those without blinds/shades)
ih f h ih bli d / h d )
Responses
Direct sunlight falling on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or on
the smart board/white board/chalk board 42%
y , , /
Reflection of the windows on my work surface, PC monitor, and/or
on the smart board/white board/chalk board 24%
Distracting Views
22%

11. ETHNOGRAPHY
Systematic analyses of human interactions in a defined space
and time, with a focus on ritual (habits, processes, procedures,
and events), performance, and power.
d t) f d
Examining how the built environment influences the
interactions and performance of people and vice versa
interactions and performance of people, and vice versa.

12. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Interviews
Interviews Observations
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments

13. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Context:
The interrelated conditions within which something occurs or
exists – where the action occurs.
it h th ti

14. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Observations
Interviews Observations
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments

15. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
V. Sue Cleveland High School
• Unintended Benefits Discovered Through Observations
Interior Classroom
Windows
Facilitate Impromptu
p p
Teacher Discussions

16. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Interviews Observations
Surveys
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments

17. BUILDING ETHNOGRAPHIES
Space Condition Assessments
Interviews Observations
Space
Surveys Condition
Assessments

18. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
V. Sue Cleveland HS Thermal Comfort Ratings
• Teachers, Staff and Administrators: Spaces are only thermally
Teachers, Staff and Administrators: Spaces are only thermally
acceptable (ASHRAE definition) during the fall (ranges from
66% ‐ 75% for other three seasons)
• Students: Not thermally acceptable during any season (ranges
from 32% ‐ 51% for all four seasons).

19. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

20. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

21. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Messages using images,
graphics, text, student
generated videos displaying / Signage
promoting desired behavior
ti d i d b h i
Computers
T‐Shirt Logos
Spread using existing
school means or others – Flat
be creative and relevant to Screens
your audience
Smart Phones

22. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Goals, Competition and Transparency
Teacher /
Student Input
Trended Actual and
Trended Actual and
Setpoint Temperatures
Transparency in Temperatures
and Possibly Energy Usage
Potentially Via Dashboards

23. CONCLUSION