In buildings where students have twenty-four hour access, the building systems must operate for maximum occupancy levels around the clock because the details of occupancy are currently unknown. Energy and money are wasted by operating these systems when it is not necessary to do so. By observing patterns of student occupancy and estimating when students are more likely to be in the building working, building operators may be able to adjust the lighting and HVAC systems to reduce wasted energy. To further examine the behavior of this population, this thesis case study closely examined the occupancy habits of a selected group of interior design students enrolled in a studio course at a major university during the spring and summer semesters. In addition, satisfaction surveys and group interviews were conducted to better understand the studio dynamic including occupancy behaviors, motivations, and classroom satisfaction. Guerin's Human Ecosystem Model served as a useful model to frame likely considerations for the perception and satisfaction of the built environment (1992). As part of the Guerin model, variables relating to the behavioral, physical and natural environments of the studio space were examined during the course of this case study. Results of the study indicated a noticeable increase in student occupancy patterns relating to project deadlines. During the periods of low usage between project due dates, energy could conceivably be saved by adjusting building systems to run less frequently. Furthermore, results from surveys and interviews discovered that students were satisfied overall with their studio space. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Interior Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 31, 2012. / ENERGY CONSERVATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, HUMAN ECOSYSTEM MODEL, INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO, STUDENT SATISFACTION, VARIABLE OCCUPANCY BUILDING / Includes bibliographical references. / Jill Pable, Professor Directing Thesis; Lisa Waxman, Committee Member; Jim Dawkins, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_185051 |
| Contributors | Dixon, Lindsay (authoraut), Pable, Jill (professor directing thesis), Waxman, Lisa (committee member), Dawkins, Jim (committee member), Department of Interior Design (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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