Window blinds improve comfort but increase energy consumption in offices.
Researchers studied how manually controlling window blinds and electric lighting in an office affects comfort and energy use. They found that using blinds near windows improved comfort by reducing overheating, but also increased heating energy. When both blinds and lighting were controlled manually, cooling energy decreased, but heating and lighting energy increased. This shows that manual control of blinds can make occupants more comfortable, but may lead to higher energy use for heating and lighting.