Conference Agenda

Despite technological advances and the development of standards (e.g. ASHRAE 55) and certifications (e.g. WELL) that aim to improve occupants' well-being at home, comfort remains a critical challenge for many households, especially vulnerable populations (e.g. low-income, elderly, remote areas, extremes climates, etc.). Various strategies are used to understand occupants' intentions better and to study the socio-energetic aspects of buildings - the most popular being the use of questionnaires and surveys. Some examples of these evaluate the occupants' interest in energy efficiency or their preferences and adaptive strategies to improve their indoor environment. This study presents a novel approach to assessing the impact of occupant actions on their comfort through a serious game. Serious gaming is a widely used tool for education and awareness, but its operationalization in the building industry has yet to be established. Serious gaming is a promising avenue to address the lack of empirical data on occupant behavior (OB), intentions behind actions, and decision-making. Designed as a proof of concept, the game simulates various indoor environmental quality (IEQ) challenges, allowing participants to make real-time decisions to control air quality and mitigate thermal and visual discomfort. Players of the game must navigate different daily scenarios that either reflect common residential building conditions or situations of severe discomfort. Available actions for the players include the choice of the heating and cooling temperature setpoints, clothing of inhabitants, opening of windows, and control of the blinds, mechanical ventilation system, and lights. Preliminary results discussed in the paper provide valuable insights into OB and decision-making processes. This approach highlights the potential of using serious games as an effective tool for research and education in building performance, indoor environmental quality and occupant-centric design. Finally, players provide insights and appreciation into their gaming experience.