Simulating air-conditioning use in Office Buildings by Modeling the Relationship between Psychological Factors and Occupants’ Behavior in Japan

This study explores the relationship between occupants’ awareness, behavior, and environmental factors in office air conditioning systems. It aims to create an analytical tool for understanding air conditioning usage in Japanese offices. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior and the DNAs framework, the research establishes a model linking occupants’ environmental awareness, age, and thermal preferences to their air conditioning behavior. Using agent-based modeling, key factors influencing air conditioning usage, including the impact of environmental awareness on air conditioning behavior were simulated. The results indicate that office occupancy rates and initial temperature settings significantly impact usage patterns. In conclusion, this study offers insights for improving energy efficiency in office air conditioning while maintaining occupant comfort. This study still has some limitations that real-world office buildings are more intricate than the model used, with factors like interpersonal influence and diverse job types impacting air conditioning usage differently. Future research aims to validate findings in actual office settings, collect additional data on usage factors, and expand simulations to explore energy-saving methods and occupant comfort enhancement beyond air conditioning behavior.