Evaluation of Survey Procedures for Determining Occupant Load Factors in Contemporary Office Buildings.
Evaluation of Survey Procedures for Determining Occupant
Load Factors in Contemporary Office Buildings.
(1149 K)
Milke, J. A.; Caro, T. C.
NIST GCR 96-698; 24 p. September 1996.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Gaithersburg, MD
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB97-116222
Keywords:
office buildings; chairs; computers; evaluation; fuel
loads; furniture; interior furnishings; office
furniture; surveys
Abstract:
The development of survey methods for determining the
occupant load in office buildings (business occupancies)
is described. Considerations involved in formulating
the survey methods are presented. The type of data to
be collected and data collection techniques are
discussed. The two survey methods utilized to collect
the population counts within contemporary office
buildings are a building walk-through and a telephone
survey. Occupant load data obtained from the survey
methods applied in 23 office buildings located in the
Washington, DC area are presented. Data are presented on
the magnitude and distribution of the loads. The
building data is sorted according to the following
groups: open plan office designs versus
well-compartmented office designs, and government
(federal and county) versus privator sector tenants.
Statistical summaries of the data are presented.
Buildings that are primarily composed of open plan
office designs are found to have greater occupant load
factors than buildings composed of well-compartmented
office designs. County government office buildings are
found to be slightly greater occupant load factors than
federal government buildings. Federal government
buildings have lesser occupant load factors than private
office buildings. The mean occupant load factor found
in the study for all buildings is 248 ft2/person. The
telephone survey technique yielded a slightly greater
occupant load factor than did the building walk-through
technique. However, because the two survey approaches
yielded relatively similar results, both are considered
to be acceptable in assessing office building occupant
loads. The telephone survey requires substantially less
time and effort to complete, but is dependent on
building management's knowledge of the occupancy
characteristics. The walk-through approch required
reviewing building drawings and an on-site walk-through
of the building.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899