Shade Use Behavior

Prior field studies have concluded that occupants rarely adjust their shade: they lower it to address discomfort but forget to raise it later to admit daylight and to allow views. This behavior lowers the daylighting potential in buildings and results in a gloomy environment. To quantify the impact of shade use behavior on energy performance, LBNL has conducted field research to determine the causes for shade use and to develop predictive models based on measured data.

Typical shade use even on a cloudy day: sky glare causes shade to be lowered, which increases lighting energy use.  Image: Kyle Konis.