Lighting preference profiles of users in an open office environment

Publication date: 1 May 2017
Source:Building and Environment, Volume 116
Author(s): Marija Despenic, Sanae Chraibi, Tatiana Lashina, Alexander Rosemann
Offices are transforming into multi-user, open space environments to stimulate interaction between people and optimize the usage of space. Due to design practices, lighting systems in these multi-user environments are implemented as a regular grid of luminaires that often does not match the furniture layout. Consequently, purely personal control over general lighting is not achievable in most cases. As a result, a single luminaire affects several neighbouring desks, creating shared lighting controls and conditions. Therefore, providing satisfying lighting conditions to everyone becomes a challenge. This paper proposes a first method for modelling lighting preference profiles of users based on their control behaviour and preference information. Based on objective measurements and subjective data obtained in two field studies, users can be profiled based on their control behaviour, regarding characteristics as activeness, dominance, lighting tolerance, and dimming level preference. The results show significant differences between lighting preference profiles of users. This paper also proposes a first method for discovering and triggering submissive users to express their preferences in order to derive their profiles as accurate as possible. This will help to secure users' comfort by offering satisfying lighting conditions to their preference. By knowing the lighting preference profiles of users, the probability of conflict between users can be predicted and minimized.