Feedback and adaptive behaviour in green buildings

The article explores how feedback is provided in the design and delivery of two green Canadian office buildings and how this shapes the knowledge and adaptive behaviour of occupants. A central theme is whether occupants are treated as passive or active in establishing the comfort conditions of their immediate environment. In this exploration, the authors define feedback acting on a number of timescales/processes as a key element of occupant engagement. The available metrics of feedback and engagement are tested through a comparative post-occupancy evaluation of the two buildings, showing that occupants draw on a range of sources to form opinions about how well they know a building, how ‘green’ it is and whether or not it is comfortable. Results suggest that occupants can only truly be active participants if they receive effective feedback on their adaptive behaviour (engaging with building controls and complaints). Lack of effective feedback can render occupants passive participants, whose adaptive behaviour rather than improving their understanding of how the building works and overall comfort levels can have the opposite effect. Findings underscore the many challenges in interpreting occupants' subjective statements about knowledge, comfort and engagement with a building.