Investigation of Energy Consumption of Office Spaces with Active Workstations

Jinhyung Park, Kwangwon Choi, Abu Talib and Jaewan Joe ()
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Jinhyung Park: Department of Smart City Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Kwangwon Choi: Department of Smart City Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Abu Talib: Department of Smart City Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Jaewan Joe: Department of Smart City Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: active workstation; building energy simulation; reference models; preferred indoor environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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