CAREER: Multi-Level Occupancy Intervention, Simulation and Education for Energy Reduction in Existing Buildings

1349921（Menassa）。 尽管技术取得了重大进步，但现有建筑物仍然是能源的最大消耗者和有害温室气体的排放者。虽然有人认为教育和信息共享是适当的节能占用干预策略，但还没有进行实证研究来了解（1）不同建筑物占用者如何响应干预策略，（2）什么占用特征影响这种响应，（3）如何用其他策略补充教育以实现长期节能，以及（4）如何使用模拟来为建筑利益相关者开发功能和教育环境。该CAREER补助金的目标是解决研究和教育中的这一差距，以实现对占用特性和社会关系发挥关键调解作用的基本理解，以诱导建筑物中显著减少能源使用。研究人员将进行基础研究，设计适当的工具，并开发教育材料，以确保在建筑物的占用水平上有效实施节能干预战略。本研究的目的是导致根本性的贡献，以了解中介作用，建筑占用MOA（动机，机会和能力）和SNT（社会网络拓扑结构）在确定干预策略的有效性发挥。这是通过科学的方法来定量测量MOA和SNT的占用率来实现的。该项目的其他重要的有针对性的贡献是确定针对建筑物占用者的各种能源干预策略之间的关键基本差异，并建立这些策略的有效性和特定建筑群之间的相关性。这将显着减少所需的时间和精力来选择和实施能源干预策略，在建筑物中提供了一个基本的科学了解什么干预策略可以应用于给定的占用MOA和SNT特性。最后，拟议的研究目标是开发，测试和验证一个模型，使决策者了解如何减少能源在他们的建筑物是由建筑物的影响？入住MOA水平，SNT和适当选择干预策略。这种方法来理解和建模的中介作用，占用MOA和SNT在处理信息中包括在干预策略的目的是导致有效的，经济的和可持续的方法，以减少建筑物中的能源使用。通过不同媒体传播项目成果，将努力对决策者进行教育，使其了解选择何种干预战略，以实现建筑物长期有效的节能。作为该项目的一部分，研究人员将利用密歇根大学的现有资源，实现她的研究和教育活动的全面整合。这些资源包括：（1）工程学教学研究中心（CRLT-工程），（2）NSF资助的密歇根州路易斯斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟（MI-LSAMP），（3）工程推广和参与办公室（OEOE）和玛丽安萨拉帕克学者（MSP）计划，以及（4）本科生研究机会计划（UROP）。后三项合作将使调查人员能够指导STEM学科中代表性不足的少数民族，他们可能会继续攻读研究生学位。除了传统的教育，这项研究的结果将通过在线课程提供给执业专业人士传播。

1349921 (Menassa). Despite significant advances in technology, existing buildings are still the highest consumers of energy and emitters of harmful greenhouse gases. While it is argued that education and information sharing are appropriate occupancy intervention strategies for energy reduction, no empirical research has been done to understand (1) how different building occupants respond to intervention strategies, (2) what occupancy characteristics influence this response, (3) how to supplement education with other strategies to achieve long term energy reduction, and (4) how simulation can be used to develop a functional and educational environment for building stakeholders. The goal of this CAREER grant is to address this gap in research and education to achieve a fundamental understanding of what occupancy characteristics and social relationships play a key mediation role to induce significant energy use reduction in buildings. The investigator will perform basic research, design appropriate tools, and develop educational materials to enable effective implementation of energy reduction intervention strategies at the occupancy level in buildings. This research is targeted to result in fundamental contributions to understand the mediation role that building occupancy MOA (Motivation, Opportunity and Ability) and SNT (Social Network Topology) play in determining the effectiveness of intervention strategies. This is to be achieved through a scientific approach to quantitatively measure the occupancy MOA and SNT. Additional important targeted contributions of this project are to identify the key fundamental differences among various energy intervention strategies aimed at building occupants, and to establish a correlation between the effectiveness of these strategies and specific building clusters. This would significantly reduce time and effort required to choose and implement energy intervention strategies in buildings by providing a fundamental scientific understanding of what intervention strategies can be applied for given occupancy MOA and SNT characteristics. Finally, the proposed research targets to develop, test and validate a model that allows decision makers to understand how reducing energy in their buildings is influenced by the buildings? occupancy MOA levels, SNT and proper selection of intervention strategies. This approach to understanding and modeling the mediation role that occupancy MOA and SNT play in processing information included in intervention strategies aims to result in effective, economical and sustainable approaches to reduce energy use in buildings. The dissemination of the project results through different media will seek to have a significant impact of educating decision makers about which intervention strategies to choose to achieve long term and effective energy reduction in their building. As part of this project, the investigator will leverage existing resources at the University of Michigan to achieve full integration of her research and educational activities. These resources include: (1) The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering (CRLT-Engineering), (2) the NSF-funded Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP), (3) the Office of Engineering Outreach and Engagement (OEOE) and Marian Sarah Parker Scholars (MSP) Program, and (4) the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). The latter three collaborations will allow the investigator to mentor underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines, with them potentially moving on to pursue graduate degrees. Beyond traditional education, the results of this research will be disseminated through online course offerings to practicing professionals.