Human Behavior and Energy Consumption in Buildings: An Integrated Agent-Based Modeling and Building Performance Simulation Framework

Abstract

A framework is proposed to integrate Building Performance Simulation (BPS) and Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) using a regression surrogate model. Such integration helps overcome the limitations of BPS in modeling human behavior, and those of ABM in modeling building physics and energy systems. The framework is illustrated through a case study where the impact of uncertainty in human actions on the energy performance of a commercial building is quantified. Results indicate that the level of control given to occupants and facility managers over building systems highly influences the sensitivity of the building’s energy performance to uncertainty in human actions.