Quantifying HVAC Energy Savings Through Occupant-Centric Control: A Computational Simulation Approach | ||
| JES. Journal of Engineering Sciences | ||
| Article 13, Volume 54, Issue 3, May and June 2026 | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jesaun.2025.393323.1545 | ||
| Author | ||
| Ahmed Elfayoumy* | ||
| Lecturer - Department of Interior Architecture - King Salman International University. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Smart systems are a modern technology that positively affects building energy consumption and can significantly reduce the energy cost, especially for office buildings. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy reported that 23% of energy is saved by only automating HVAC and lighting. This study aims to investigate the possible energy savings by applying occupant-centric control (OCC) to the 5 Centerpointe Drive office building in Oregon, USA using Design Builder simulation tool. The computational approach bridges between the simulation software static capabilities and the dynamic reactive smart system that optimizes HVAC operations based on the occupants' presence. To capture these reactive smart system attributes, the simulation imitates the input of real-time occupancy through four occupation scenarios. Design-Builder simulates the building model and the HVAC system energy consumption before and after OCC implementation to determine the possible energy savings. The simulation results indicated that the OCC has achieved energy savings for heating in January by 19.85%, while it achieved energy savings for cooling in July by 37.49%. These results are consistent with previously published studies that focused on smart HVAC applications on four different building structures across 40 American cities. In conclusion, the computational approach approved its potential for quantifying energy savings achieved by OCC. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Smart Systems; Energy Efficiency; System Simulation; Building Information Modelling; Sustainable Architecture | ||
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