Green Strategy and Environmental Data Visualization for General Services Administration

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Message Green Strategy and Environmental Data Visualization The General Services Administration (GSA) is the largest landlord in the US, with occupants in more than 8600 buildings. Under executive order 13514, the GSA has a mandate to substantially reduce energy consumption across their building portfolio by 2015. To deliver on this promise, GSA leaders knew that they had to go beyond technology changes and enlist the help of building occupants. Designers at IDEO partnered with the GSA to develop a human-centered strategy for converting the government’s 8600 buildings into green, efficient, and productive workspaces. The six animated scenarios shown here outline ways in which the GSA can leverage data to engage multiple stakeholders. IDEO’s green strategy work led to further collaboration with the GSA to develop an innovative messaging tool for federal facilities. This tool, a dynamic video and data visualization wall that supports energy efficiency on a human scale, is currently being pilot-tested at the San Francisco Federal Building (SFFB). The SFFB was designed to be a cutting-edge model of civic sustainability that could lead to cost savings for the US government over time. The federal building consumes less than half of the power of a standard office tower, in part by incorporating natural ventilation features. However, occupants lacked information about the advanced building design and were unable to fully participate in the building’s dynamic ecosystem. To solve this problem, the GSA partnered with IDEO on a high-resolution data display centrally located in the building’s main lobby to raise awareness about the SFFB’s energy-efficient construction. The video wall now serves as a holistic source of information for tenants and supports environmentally sustainable behavior change. At the start of this design challenge, the team sought insight into the relationship between SFFB property managers and SFFB occupants. They discovered that occupants were unsure whether the building was operating as it was designed to operate, and and lacked resources to help them take advantage of the advanced features. The team also discovered that property managers found it challenging to introduce energy-efficient habit changes while maintaining overall satisfaction with the building. Though the technology was cutting-edge, GSA realized that they also had to address occupants’ values around energy efficiency and make the technology relevant to them. The SFFB video wall was designed to create a harmonious relationship between the building and its occupants by displaying three main areas of content: 1) The State of the Building: The main video display area presents a visualization of the building with real-time messages about outside conditions, how the building is responding to those conditions, and how that response relates to the occupants of the building. For example, a weather forecast for the week—with corresponding recommendations on what to wear—allows occupants to plan accordingly and feel comfortable, happy, and in control at work. 2) The Playlist: An area for relevant cultural and community highlights, the playlist presents transit schedules, news feeds, and special announcements. Modules can be expanded or collapsed as needed, creating a dynamic space for useful information. The playlist enables occupants to feel connected to the communities inside and outside the building, and encourages energy-efficient behaviors in daily life. 3) Animated Building Myths: Interstitial videos provide short stories about the unique workings of the building. They demystify deliberate design decisions or building features that might require additional explanation, such as natural ventilation. With this messaging tool, occupants get immediate, actionable information about how the building is operating based on outdoor conditions. Tenants can also quickly glean details such as when the next bus or train will arrive, allowing for a more seamless, sustainable transition between work and home through the use of public transportation. http://www.ideo.com/work/green-strategy-and-environmental-data-vis

The General Services Administration (GSA) is the largest landlord in the US, with occupants in more than 8600 buildings. Under executive order 13514, the GSA has a mandate to substantially reduce energy consumption across their building portfolio by 2015. To deliver on this promise, GSA leaders knew that they had to go beyond technology changes and enlist the help of building occupants. Designers at IDEO partnered with the GSA to develop a human-centered strategy for converting the government’s 8600 buildings into green, efficient, and productive workspaces. The six animated scenarios shown here outline ways in which the GSA can leverage data to engage multiple stakeholders.

IDEO’s green strategy work led to further collaboration with the GSA to develop an innovative messaging tool for federal facilities. This tool, a dynamic video and data visualization wall that supports energy efficiency on a human scale, is currently being pilot-tested at the San Francisco Federal Building (SFFB).

The SFFB was designed to be a cutting-edge model of civic sustainability that could lead to cost savings for the US government over time. The federal building consumes less than half of the power of a standard office tower, in part by incorporating natural ventilation features. However, occupants lacked information about the advanced building design and were unable to fully participate in the building’s dynamic ecosystem. To solve this problem, the GSA partnered with IDEO on a high-resolution data display centrally located in the building’s main lobby to raise awareness about the SFFB’s energy-efficient construction. The video wall now serves as a holistic source of information for tenants and supports environmentally sustainable behavior change.

At the start of this design challenge, the team sought insight into the relationship between SFFB property managers and SFFB occupants. They discovered that occupants were unsure whether the building was operating as it was designed to operate, and and lacked resources to help them take advantage of the advanced features. The team also discovered that property managers found it challenging to introduce energy-efficient habit changes while maintaining overall satisfaction with the building. Though the technology was cutting-edge, GSA realized that they also had to address occupants’ values around energy efficiency and make the technology relevant to them. The SFFB video wall was designed to create a harmonious relationship between the building and its occupants by displaying three main areas of content:

1) The State of the Building: The main video display area presents a visualization of the building with real-time messages about outside conditions, how the building is responding to those conditions, and how that response relates to the occupants of the building. For example, a weather forecast for the week—with corresponding recommendations on what to wear—allows occupants to plan accordingly and feel comfortable, happy, and in control at work.

2) The Playlist: An area for relevant cultural and community highlights, the playlist presents transit schedules, news feeds, and special announcements. Modules can be expanded or collapsed as needed, creating a dynamic space for useful information. The playlist enables occupants to feel connected to the communities inside and outside the building, and encourages energy-efficient behaviors in daily life.

3) Animated Building Myths: Interstitial videos provide short stories about the unique workings of the building. They demystify deliberate design decisions or building features that might require additional explanation, such as natural ventilation.

With this messaging tool, occupants get immediate, actionable information about how the building is operating based on outdoor conditions. Tenants can also quickly glean details such as when the next bus or train will arrive, allowing for a more seamless, sustainable transition between work and home through the use of public transportation.