The International Building, seen in the background, is among the buildings on campus that staff, faculty, and students can provide feedback on how to operate more efficiently.
The following information is a publicity release from TRU Environment and Sustainability…
We are conducting a research study to examine building performance and comfort in your building. Together with you, we will learn how to operate our buildings more efficiently.
Matching building energy consumption more closely to meet your needs will make your building more comfortable and our campus more sustainable.
CONNECT USING LOCATION SPECIFIC SIGNAGE
Over the next month you will notice new signage around the building, asking for your input about what we can do to improve your experience in this building. Each sign will contain a QR Code, similar to the one below, which will allow you to comment on conditions at that location, or request that actions be taken. Please feel free to scan the code nearest you, and tell us how you feel about comfort and conditions in your workspace.
We want your ideas on improving the comfort and efficiency of our building. See below for each participating buildings and its twitter hashtag.
WIN AN iPAD 2
We would like to know about your satisfaction with the current performance of your building. We will invite you to take an online survey at the beginning of the study, then again near the end of the study period (December 2012).
By completing these surveys, and participating in the study as a registered participant, you will be entered in a draw, and eligible to win an Apple iPad 2.
VOTE ON COMFORT CHOICES
Throughout the study, participants will be asked to monitor their own comfort levels, and report (vote) their level of comfort daily. Reporting will be very simple, using either a Smartphone (scanning nearby signage) or from your web browser.
Everyone has different comfort thresholds, for different conditions in your workspace, and around the building. This study will help us understand what comfort means to you, and help us maximize comfort within our entire community. While some will find a workspace uncomfortably warm, others may find it too cool.
We will provide digital thermometers to selected participants to allow you to more accurately describe thermal conditions in your workspace, but we also would like to know how you feel about no thermal comfort issues including noise, smells, safety, security, or social issues.
Your level of comfort will be aggregated with others, to create an overall comfort rating for the building. This will be reported via TRU’s Energy Dashboard (and via e-mail, Facebook and twitter during energy reduction challenges and competitions).
Each time a participant votes, they will receive another draw entry for the iPad 2. The more you participate, the better your chance of winning.
TRANSPARENCY IS THE KEY TO ACHIEVING OUR GOALS
You can’t manage what you can’t measure, so daily energy and resource consumption will be reported throughout the study. You can monitor daily energy consumption for your building by visiting your building dashboard.
Through the building dashboard, or scanned signage, you can join the conversation and suggest ways to reduce waste, and improve your comfort and building performance. During events such as International Sweater Day or earth Hour you can monitor how much energy is being reduced in your building and how it affects you and your neighbors’ comfort level.
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EACH PARTICIPATING BUILDINGS AND ITS TWITTER HASHTAG
Brown Family House of Learning — #TRUHOL
Campus Activity Centre — #TRUCAC
International Building — #TRUIB
Culinary Arts Building — #TRUCA
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MORE INFORMATION
James Gudjonson
Energy and Sustainability Manager
250-852-7253
jgudjonson@tru.ca
