Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Using Software and Internet of Things Technology to Drive Behavioral Energy Savings in Commercial Buildings Using Building Orbs
EPA Contract Number: EPD16004Title: Using Software and Internet of Things Technology to Drive Behavioral Energy Savings in Commercial Buildings Using Building Orbs
Investigators: Shunturov, Vladislav
Small Business: Lucid Design Group, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: February 1, 2016 through January 31, 2018 (Extended to January 31, 2019)
Project Amount: $295,507
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2015) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Green Buildings Materials and Systems
Description:
Our research and development efforts all had the ultimate goal of driving energy savings in commercial buildings. We focused on researching how to make Building Orbs more effective as well as developing elements of a digital signage platform to engage building occupants. We accomplished several of our primary objectives and made significant progress on others.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
LIFX light bulb integration
The integration with LIFX light bulbs was improved and is much easier to use now. The light bulbs can be installed as usual and controlled via a BuildingOS integration.
Improved ambient feedback functionality for Building Orbs
Objective: Reduce the cost and increase the efficacy of applying psychological approaches to reducing energy use in commercial buildings through enhancements to Building Orbs.
We were able to adjust the ambient feedback functionality by developing two improved color spectrums that are intuitively understandable for electricity and water data types. A range of five colors on each 'resource scale' is used to convey levels of current use relative to typical use.
The color displays are used to encourage awareness and conservation of resource use.
Incorporate Building Orbs ambient feedback functionality into Digital Signage
Objective: Reduce the cost and increase the efficacy of applying psychology to reducing energy use in commercial buildings by incorporating ambient feedback into Digital Signage.
As we developed our digital signage platform, Storyboards, we incorporated ambient feedback into it through an HTML embed card. This card allows users to embed external links, like Building Blocks, into a Storyboard. Building Blocks is a BuildingOS application that displays real-time ambient feedback (partly designed through our EPA SBIR Phase I award).
Expanded pilot & rigorous research study
Objective: Expand the Digital Signage basic pilot into a research study to conduct an analysis on the ability of Digital Signage to produce statistically significant kWh and kW reductions.
This was shifted into research on Building Orbs instead of digital signage due to the technology availability. New orbs were installed in three buildings to test how they were perceived by staff in office environments. A broader study is being planned for a selection of Lucid customers across industries that will install Building Orbs to measure occupant responsiveness to them.
Conclusions:
Commercial viability
Consumption from behavior-driven miscellaneous electrical loads in commercial buildings is projected to increase dramatically, from 18% of electricity in commercial buildings in 2001 to as much as 38% in 2035. We expect that effectively using technology like Building Orbs and Storyboards will reduce electricity use in commercial buildings by providing ambient color-based feedback and/or direct numerical feedback to building occupants. Storyboards are commercially available through Lucid, and Building Orbs are fully functional but not commercially available.
SBIR Phase I:
Software Framework for Enabling Innovation in Behavior-based Energy Conservation in Commercial Buildings | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.