The document describes an experiment called RATS (Responsible Adults Temperature Study) conducted at the Mosaic Center for Community and Commerce. The experiment aimed to determine an acceptable thermal comfort range for staff. Staff used buttons to provide feedback on temperature, and it was found that males were comfortable between 16-23°C and females between 20-27°C. Relaxing dress standards and minimizing the indoor-outdoor temperature difference improved satisfaction and reduced costs. The results validated that industry comfort standards are more stringent than needed physiologically or economically, and that energy can be saved without affecting comfort by maintaining temperatures between 20-26°C.

1. The Rats Experiment
Achieving AMAZING reductions in Energy Use by Fostering
Sustainable Behavior

2. The Economist reports that “energy efficiency is good for
business”.
In a global survey of 423 senior executives from the buildings
industry, they discovered companies are linking energy
stewardship with financial performance and that clean, green
buildings give them a marketing advantage. [1]

3. Smarter use of Technology can
help!
BUT we also need to propagate
new norms in how we use our

4. How much more ENERGY can we save by
Fostering Sustainable Behavior?

5. For our project we wanted to demonstrate to that triple bottom line economics work for
commercial real estate. One area we decided to focus on was fostering sustainable
behavior so that we could minimize energy use and the capital cost of the PV panels
needed to achieve Net 0 energy use.
To determine an acceptable thermal comfort range for our staff, we decided to
conduct a Responsible Adults Temperature Study (RATS)
Dennis Cuku Mosaic Center for Community and Commerce
Canada’s first private commercial Living Building Challenge project

6. RATS Experiment
We had our staff provide feedback on comfort by hitting the red buttons when
hot or the blue buttons when cold. We discovered that the Males were
comfortable between 16 to 23 ºC and the females between 20 to 27 ºC.

7. We also determined that relaxing work attire standards based upon the seasons
can positively affect employee satisfaction, comfort and energy costs. According to
Occupational Health and Safety we need to minimize the temperature difference
between indoor and outdoor temperature. Warmer in the summer, cooler in the
winter. A win for the Planet and the Pocket book!

8. CONCLUSION
Staff working in a office environment would likely not
experience productivity decline or level of comfort
satisfaction for temperature ranges
From 20ºC to 26ºC

9. The RATS experiment helped to validate
that industry comfort standards are more
stringent than physiologically required or
economically feasible!
In an excellent strategic issues paper by Amory Lovins
of Rocky Mountain Institute we learn:
• Studies show we can still be comfortable at plus
9ºC plus or minus 7ºC
• We can achieve 10% to 30% energy saving without
affecting comfort
• There are 10 factors affecting comfort
• ASHRAE guidelines are too tight at 2.5 to 5.5ºC
[1] Air Conditioning Comfort: Behavior and Cultural Issues

10. How Much can we SAVE?

11. In just 2 Weeks
Courtesy of Lucid Technologies
A 55% reduction in Energy Use in a Campus Building Challenge

12. Cooling Savings of $1000/yr/DGC for a 140,000 sq.ft building
Retro-commissioning Pilot Project achieves
4% Saving with a 1 DGC change in cooling setpoint

13. • Benchmark energy use and set a 25%
energy reduction target
• Engage with your tenants and sell them on
sustainability
• Educate clients on thermal comfort
• Conduct a Energy Reduction challenge
• Establish seasonal global setpoints higher
in summer lower in winter
• Provide dashboards for direct feedback on
energy use
• Build your next building to Net 0
• Commission your buildings
• Install high performance equipment
Initiatives to Foster Sustainable Behavior

14. There are solutions that
provide excellent
returns & have a huge
impact.
Please take ACTION.
Thank you!

15. University of Winnipeg Science Complex
& Richardson College for the Environment
University of Winnipeg Science Complex
& Richardson College for the Environment
Let us know if you need any help with your Action Plan!
Murray Guy (aka @Lean_tobe_Green)
Ph: 306.222.5384
Email: mguy@i-designs.ca
www.i-designs.ca & www.eco-smart.ca
Dispelling the MYTH that High Performance Cost MoreBreaking Down Barriers to High Performance
If you want more information about the Mosaic Center
http://themosaiccentre.ca/
or the BLOG article on “Being Cool with Realistic Comfort
Expectations”
http://www.i-designs.ca/blog/high-performance-design/be-cool-
with-realistic-comfort-expectations!