Enhanced deterministic occupant behavior modeling framework for energy efficient conceptual design

The integration of occupant behavior (OB) into building energy modeling remains limited in practice, particularly during the conceptual design stage, despite extensive research in this field. This gap is largely driven by the complexity, computational demand, and limited interpretability associated with existing OB modeling approaches. To address these challenges, this study proposes an enhanced deterministic occupant behavior modeling framework aimed at supporting energy informed design decision making during early design stages. The proposed framework extends deterministic modeling by incorporating dynamic and adaptive occupant behavior through scenario-based parameter variation and rule-based behavioral responses. Non adaptive behavior varies to represent temporal dynamics, while adaptive behavior is activated deterministically across consecutive time steps in response to changing indoor and outdoor conditions. To ensure computational efficiency and facilitate design interpretation, the framework integrates Latin Hypercube Sampling for structured exploration of the parameter space and regression-based sensitivity analysis to identify influential occupant-centric parameters. The framework is demonstrated through a residential building case study, illustrating its applicability in a realistic design context. Rather than prioritizing absolute behavioral prediction accuracy, the proposed approach emphasizes robustness of design decisions to occupant variability. The results highlight the ability of the framework to reduce computational effort while preserving interpretability, enabling practitioners to focus on the most impactful behavioral parameters during early-stage design. Although developed for the conceptual design phase, the modular and parameter driven structure of the framework allows it to be adapted to other design stages, building types, and occupant behavior definitions, offering a scalable and practical pathway for integrating occupant behavior into energy optimized building design.