Post-occupancy Evaluation Method Research Articles

How to assess a university campus planning — a case study based on students’ spatio-temporal behavior

ABSTRACT The planning of university campus directly impacts students’ quality of study and living, and there is a considerable amount of research on campus planning assessment, most of which uses post-occupancy evaluation methods. This paper tries to propose a new comprehensive assessment method for campus planning, which collects spatio-temporal behavioral data of students in their daily life through GPS software, then assesses the actual effect of campus planning comprehensively by analyzing the spatio-temporal behavioral characteristics of students. This paper also verifies the reliability of the student behavior characteristics analysis through questionnaire and explores the possible biases. The results indicate that, in addition to significant advantages in reliability, accuracy, and comprehensive judgment, the proposed method can visually reflect specific issues existing within tangible campus spaces and their impact on student behavior. Therefore, it can provide practical and reliable evidence for the practice of campus planning renewal. This method used in this paper is also applicable to other fixed group living spaces within a certain scale, like communities and neighborhoods.

Country Park Landscape Quality Evaluation and Optimization Strategies Based on the AHP-TOPSIS-POE Model: A Case Study of Four Country Parks in Shanghai

To clarify the differences in the landscape environment quality of urban country parks, we used the analytic hierarchy process method (AHP) and the approaching ideal solution method (TOPSIS) to build a criterion layer from four points of view: ecological environment, visual landscape, service facilities and humanistic landscape. We selected 21 evaluation factors to form an index layer to evaluate the landscape quality of four country parks in Shanghai. The AHPTOPSIS evaluation system was validated using the post occupancy evaluation method (POE) to verify the accuracy and appropriateness of the system. We proposed landscape improvement strategies based on the evaluation results. The results showed that the combined AHP-TOPSIS-POE model can be used to effectively assign weights to evaluation indexes when evaluating the landscape quality of country parks and to avoid the one-sidedness of single-factor decision making and the errors caused by human subjective factors. The AHP-TOPSIS-POE model provides a new framework for evaluating the landscape quality of urban country parks.

Exploring the Use of the AEDET Hospital Evaluation Toolkit to Create a Better Healing Environment for Cancer Patients beyond the Global North

Today, numerous studies have shown that the physical environment in hospitals can significantly influence patients’ well-being, comfort, and recovery. However, this is currently neglected in hospitals in the Global South. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase awareness to make it more applicable worldwide. Thus, this study focuses on improving the healing environment standards by exploring the impact of evidence-based design and patient-centered care in hospitals for cancer patients, particularly the architectural space quality, on patient health outcomes as well as hospital staff health and well-being. In Global North countries such as the UK, the achieving excellence design evaluation toolkit (AEDET) is used by their National Health Services to assess the effectiveness of various environmental attributes. However, these toolkits have not been designed for and do not work well within Global South countries, such as Northern Cyprus. To examine and compare the effectiveness of different physical environmental attributes and to evaluate user responses, the post-occupancy evaluation method and the AEDET toolkit were used in this study. These were applied to both public and private hospitals in Northern Cyprus, involving cancer patients, staff, and professionals (n = 220). The findings reveal the strengths and weaknesses in terms of environmental comfort based on the aspects of the evidence-based design of the hospitals such as natural light, air quality, noise, view, infection control, etc., to create a more optimal physical environment for better psychological outcomes. They also reveal that these toolkits are not fit for purpose for Global South contexts and require adaptations. This is the first study to propose an adaptation of the AEDET toolkit to assist architects in designing healthcare facilities that are responsive to the requirements of hospital patients and staff and to promote the quality of a healing environment for improved health and well-being outcomes.

The Five Controversies of Market-Driven Sustainable Neighborhoods: An Alternative Approach to Post-Occupancy Evaluation

The increased involvement of the private sector in building sustainable communities is often met with skepticism from sustainability experts and academics. Although environmental experts and engineers may wish to focus on the technical design features and green rating of such projects to validate their sustainability, data are sometimes lacking, and social scientists may criticize projects’ social impacts and portray them as greenwashing sustainability. More holistic and evidence-based attempts are needed to understand post-occupancy performance in a way that targets the core obstacles to sustainability. This paper investigates the fundamental challenges of the market model of sustainable neighborhoods by using a qualitative post-occupancy evaluation method. We map core controversies through the lenses of different actors and ask how such challenges can be addressed in future developments. We interviewed 46 actors in The Sustainable City—a 590-unit residential development in Dubai. Through inductive analysis, we mapped five central controversies: The Branding Controversy; The Innovation Controversy; The Behavior Controversy; The Governance Controversy, and The Market Controversy. Such controversies appear fundamentally associated with the performance of privately developed sustainable neighborhoods. We present recommendations to resolve such controversies in future developments, including the clearer communication of goals and behavior expectations to residents, the ongoing education of residents, careful testing of technologies, the necessary steps by developers and local municipalities to promote affordability and equity, and resident representative committees in order to enhance civic agency.

A post-occupancy evaluation of in-house facilities management service quality and user satisfaction in multi-tenanted office buildings in Ghana

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore user satisfaction with in-house facility management (FM) services in multi-tenanted office buildings in Accra, Ghana using a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) approach.Design/methodology/approachThe study assessed user satisfaction with FM service quality by using a POE of their perceptions about the attitude and courtesy of the FM personnel, the reliability of the FM services they provide, the responsiveness and the competence of the service providers. The study used walk-throughs and questionnaire surveys as the POE methods. One hundred and twenty-one users from 22 multi-tenanted office buildings, who have actively used the FM services for at least a year, were purposively sampled. The data was collected via a survey using a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis in version 25 of statistical package for the social sciences.FindingsThe study revealed that users were dissatisfied with the quality of in-house FM services across all 15 services The results also showed that users’ satisfaction with the services is not affected by the differences in their age, gender, educational level, job role and number of years in the buildings. The results further demonstrated that the most critical factors that resulted in users’ dissatisfaction were electric facilities, building fabric maintenance, emergency coordination, waste management and the decoration of the buildings during festive seasons.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study based on POE to assess user satisfaction with FM services for multi-tenant office buildings has, presumably, not been tackled before in Ghana. The results of the study are very essential to the owners of the buildings and facility managers in decision-making concerning the delivery of FM services. Building industry-wise, the results demonstrate the need for in-house FM managers in multi-tenanted office buildings in Ghana to adopt FM service delivery methods that increase user satisfaction. The results also call for further research into user satisfaction with outsourced FM services in multi-tenanted office buildings and further research on the use of the in-house strategy on other types of buildings to ascertain whether the dissatisfaction with FM is due to other factors such as the choice of FM strategy, the property type etc.

Innovating digital POE platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of co-production in Brazilian social housing

This paper deals with digital POE methods focusing on their reached potential in facilitating the face-to-face experiments demanded by the project. Recognized as a set of methods and instruments applied in environments during use, Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) can help manage the project process, providing diagnoses and recommendations that feed new projects and interventions in environments in use. POE approaches have been continually restructured in the face of new environmental, social, economic and especially technological demands. In early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns and quarantines made it challenging to continue to apply traditional face-to-face POE-based tools and techniques. Simultaneously, the MORA Housing Research Group was carrying out a research project in the city of Uberlândia (Brazil) focusing on the understanding of the relationship between the incidence of arboviruses in the case study social housing neighbourhood, the occupants’ practices, and the built environment management, through POE. The social distancing measures applied during the Covid-19 pandemic led the research team to transform methods from face-to-face to hybrid ones, comprising digital and physical approaches to co-produce durable solutions against dengue. The work comprises a five stage method using on-shelf digital platforms and designing other 2 specifically for the project’s purposes. By introducing the digital/physical hybrid POE format, the use of social networks and messaging applications significantly reduced the number of necessary visits by researchers to the neighbourhood from 20 to 5 in the first stage of the work, saving a lot of time and effort. The new tools were easy to use for all users. Users reported finding it pleasant to participate in activities with digitally remote researchers. The findings from this project indicate that the incorporation of new digital tools to facilitate physical POE research as a novel hybrid approach provides a successful alternative approach to standard POE processes that are based on face-to-face participation.

Research on BIPV in Office and Public Utility Buildings in Aesthetic and Utility Context

The idea of the article is to examine the perception of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) by users of buildings in which BIPV has been applied. The study aims at determining the acceptance degree as well as problem areas related to the use of BIPV within façades in the aesthetic and utility context. The article includes survey research conducted among 232 employees working in six office and public buildings with BIPV in Poland. The buildings were selected so that the PV modules within their façades were visible both outside and inside the building. For this reason, two groups of buildings were chosen for the study: those with PV modules as external glazing and with an external PV shelves (three buildings each). The research results indicate differences in the perception of the aesthetic, semantic, and functional roles of BIPV depending on the aforementioned BIPV application method, the observation place (outside or inside the building), and employee characteristics, i.e., groups divided regarding such aspects as their age and time spent in the room with BIPV. The research novelty is in examining the influence of BIPV on users’ reactions in their workplace in terms of aesthetic and utility issues. The research includes post-occupancy evaluation method (POE), which is for the first time used in relation to BIPV in office and public utility buildings. The research can prove useful for investors and designers at the planning and design concept stage. The outcomes constitute a practical source of knowledge for BIPV manufacturers.

Exploring the Factors Affecting User Satisfaction in Poverty Alleviation Relocation Housing for Minorities through Post-Occupancy Evaluation: A Case Study of Pu’er

Ex-situ poverty alleviation relocation is a vital poverty alleviation measure implemented by the Chinese government. However, studies concerning design evaluation and poverty alleviation relocation houses for minorities are still scarce. Therefore, based on the post-occupancy evaluation method, this work constructs the evaluation index set of the satisfaction of ethnic minorities with their relocated houses, and takes Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, as an example for empirical research. Through correlation analysis and regression analysis, this work discusses their living satisfaction and its influencing factors. The results show that local residents have a high level of satisfaction with infrastructure and building safety. At the same time, residential design, architectural durability, regional characteristics, and other indicators significantly affect the overall satisfaction, and the satisfaction also has population differentiation relating to social and demographic characteristics. Finally, this article puts forward some suggestions to improve the living environment based on two aspects—“residential unit” and “community environment”—which provide references for the improvement and design of ESPAR communities.

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility audit. A post-occupancy evaluation method to help design the buildings of tomorrow

Notwithstanding the increased number of regulations there is a general lack of awareness about Inclusive Design among building industry professionals. This is partly due to the scarcity of available tools to evaluate occupancy feedback on inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.How can we implement a tool to evaluate occupancy feedback on inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility that works for the building industry?This study aims to inform the development of a post-occupancy method to evaluate Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) in the built environment.This article reports the results of a multifaceted Delphi study which culminated with co-designing the IDEA audit, a post-occupancy evaluation method to collect data on people's perceptions of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.With the IDEA audit, researchers, building owners, design teams, developers, facility managers, tenants, and organisation leaders can achieve a baseline of understanding of what people feel in regard to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, clearly identify pockets of inconsistency and use data to decide how to address challenges and points of exclusion.

Study on restoring abandoned mine lands to economically usable state using the post‐occupancy evaluation method

AbstractAbandoned mine lands are a common element of the contemporary landscape. In administrative practice, they are rated low, yet they are of interest to informal users and scientific and cultural communities. The aim of our research was to identify the possibilities of using qualitative research methods, applied in architecture, to create friendly, urban spaces with a universal character in the areas of abandoned quarries. The study was conducted in the Sadowa Góra quarry area in southern Poland, using the post occupancy evaluation (POE) method. The results of the conducted analysis confirm the effectiveness of the POE method in restoring abandoned mine lands to an economically usable state by surveying users' opinions on accessibility, functionality, and visual quality. The applied methodology was used as effective support for the transformation process of post‐mining areas and as a tool to optimize the costs of their reclamation and maintenance.

Improving Cycling Environment in a Green Park Based on the Post-Occupancy Evaluation Method

Nowadays, urban cycling activities in China are developing rapidly, and the number of cyclists has also increased dramatically. The improvement of urban cycling environment design in cities has positive significance for improving the quality of living environment. However, the related research about the environmental design theory is relatively scarce in China. This paper tries to apply the Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) method to evaluate the cycling environment in a green park. This study investigates the problems of the cycling environment of a park in Qingdao and then proposes some methods for improvement. The evaluation model is established by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to assess the cycling environment. POE has been carried out by collecting data through questionnaires. The low score of POE has shown the shortcomings of the green park cycling design. Furthermore, this study proposes some principles of systematization, people-oriented, refinement and ecological economy to optimize the cycling environment of the green park. This paper creates a new method of designing the cycling environment, namely “POE - behavior analysis - design optimization”, which provides a theoretical reference for cycling environment design of the green park.

REDESAIN MA'HAD BAKKAH MARTAPURA DENGAN PENDEKATAN ARSITEKTUR PERILAKU

Ma'had Bakkah is a Salafi boarding school in Martapura that has grown organically sporadically following the need for space and land acquisition. Sporadic developments resulted in the inefficient arrangement of building masses and counterproductive circulation of the daily activities of students so the area needed to be redesigned. The redesign of Ma'had Bakkah uses a post-occupancy evaluation method by making student behavior the main study. The initial stage of post-occupancy evaluation is to collect data on existing assets and behavior on a macro and micro basis. The data obtained are the existing site, function, form, and the counterproductive level of the existing circulation based on three variables; steps, duration (seconds), and lines of reading the Qur'an. The set data was analyzed to produce the concept of the site, function, form, and value of the existing efficiency of Ma'had Bakkah. The results are redesigned concepts on-site, function, and form with the acquisition of post-redesigned circulation efficiency of 48% of the pre-redesigned circulation in the variable meter, steps, duration (seconds), and lines of reading the Qur'an.

공공도서관 수직정원의 이용 후 평가를 통한 관리방향 도출- 완주군립도서관을 대상으로 -

This study was conducted to suggest the effectiveness and management direction of vertical garden by identifying users' perceptions and preferences for vertical gardens created in public libraries. This study investigated the effectiveness, preference, behavior, and management of vertical garden for 80 public library users by using the post occupancy evaluation method. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS program for the collected data. Overall, the library is frequently used, the residence time is long, and the library is used for studying purposes. Satisfaction with the library environment is high, and environmental satisfaction is determined by stability, comfort, and safety. The components and overall satisfaction of the vertical garden are high, and the factors affecting the overall satisfaction are the size of the installation and the maintenance status. With the creation of a vertical garden, the effect of improvement in the environmental aspect was high, followed by the positive effect in the emotional aspect. It is recognized that the frequency of library use increases due to the creation of a vertical garden, which will positively affect the use of the library. On the other hand, compared to the satisfaction of the vertical garden, the management seemed to be passive, and management by the public was preferred. The vertical garden of the library has high satisfaction in terms of the effectiveness of environmental improvement, and the improvement of the emotional aspect has a positive effect on the use of the library. vertical garden management should also be carried out continuously for the effectiveness of the vertical garden and activation of use. To this end, it is required to establish a long-term plan for maintenance and management budget and inducing user participation. In addition, applying IoT-based smart maintenance technology will help improve management efficiency. 본

Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) theory room of SMK in Bantul assessed from lightning and ventilation

This study Post-Occupational Evaluation (POE), aims to determine whether the natural lighting and ventilation openings in theoretical rooms at SMK XYZ have met the standards or not. The review of technical aspects focused on lighting and ventilation issues. This research is descriptive, evaluative, with the POE method at the investigative level, making 13 theoretical rooms as research objects and 156 students or 12 students per class as research subjects. The research instrument is a measuring instrument plus a questionnaire as data to strengthen the study results. Data collection techniques with observation and recording of primary data and secondary studies. The data analysis technique used descriptive quantitative. The condition of the theoretical space at SMK XYZ for the KBM process does not meet standards, such as natural lighting of the theoretical room in 11 of the 12 existing rooms; inlet and outlet area, the elevation of ventilation holes at the inlet throughout the theory room.

Analysis of The Effects of Open Place Performance on Users Satisfaction Using Post-Occupancy Evaluation

Purpose The current article aimed to investigate the effects of functional, social, and perceptual performance dimensions of coastal open place environmental attributes on place satisfaction. In this context, it aimed to develop suggestions for increasing the place performance levels in order to improve the place satisfaction. Design/Methodology/Approach The general framework of the research design was determined by evaluating the functional, social and perceptual features of the place by the users (using post-occupancy evaluation method) and determining the place performance and place satisfaction. Survey questions within this scope; It is structured under two main headings: functional, social and perceptual features of the place and place satisfaction. Each item was measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Participants were randomly selected from the Arsin coastal park users. The surveys were conducted with 243 people on weekdays and weekends. Findings The study findings demonstrated that there was a positive and significant correlation between the spatial performance level and place satisfaction using the developed model. It was observed that the environmental factors that affected the place satisfaction included functional, social, and perceptual factors, respectively. It was determined that socio-demographic factors did not affect place satisfaction, while the frequency of occupancy had a positive impact on place satisfaction. Research Limitations/Implications The present study focused on the functional, social, and perceptual dimensions of environmental properties. Thus, considering the diversity of environmental properties, it could not be claimed that the present study methodology and findings revealed all environmental dimensions that affect satisfaction. Social and Practical Implications In the present study, spatial performance data were obtained with post-occupancy evaluation and the factors that affected the satisfaction levels with Arsin Coastal Park (ACP) were investigated. Thus, the present study findings could be considered as very important for urban designers, planners, and administrators. Originality/Value There are studies in the literature that evaluated urban open place satisfaction. However, there are no studies that investigated the effects of open place performance criteria on place satisfaction using the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) method. Keywords: Urban open place, place attributes, place satisfaction, post-occupancy evaluation

Post-occupancy evaluation based on occupant behavior aspect

Building performance can be improved by investigating and evaluating previews of occupant behavior. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a design analysis method used to direct and evaluate the physical and social elements of inhabited buildings. In recent years, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing grants student dormitory building to several Indonesian universities. In 2017, Institut Teknologi Sumatera (ITERA) Bandar Lampung Indonesia has been granted two of those student facilities. The building has been operated for three years. The student dormitory considered has one type of building that has a high capacity occupation. This research aims to measure user satisfaction and evaluate building facility and its implication to student learning effectively using the POE method, specifically human behavior aspects. During this time, POE is more focused on building physical behavior that includes energy and thermal aspects. In this study, the author tries to raise aspects of human behavior as an essential element supporting the sustainability of the building. The survey conducted using eight variables: territoriality, privacy, interaction, perception, crowdedness, adaptability, durability, and comfortability. This research focuses on measuring only female student dormitories. One hundred eighty-two respondents were involved in the survey. The result shows that the majority of respondents feel quite satisfied with all the variable measure. This finding can be a reference to improve the design consideration for future student dormitory design.

Gap theory based performance analysis: A case study of an Indian hostel building with passive architectural character

Meeting diversified expectations of users is a constant challenge. Only limited studies examine the perception as expectation and satisfaction of hostel building indoor environments, especially in India. This identified research gap is addressed in this study to propose a systematic indicative post-occupancy evaluation method using gap theory under the SERVQUAL model. Through site visits and focus group meetings, six main performance aspects of the hostel’s facilities were identified: visual comfort, thermal comfort, aural comfort, fire safety, hygiene, and communication. Further, a perception survey had conducted for 234 users. The thermal and hygiene aspects had shown the least expectation and satisfaction, while fire safety was the highest. This gives the idea of the preconception of users on aspects. Further, the perceptions were evaluated based on user subgroups such as gender (male and female), room type (single and double), academic year (1 and > 1), and course (UG and PG). The results show that females, single rooms, academic year > 1, and PG hold expectations higher. The service gaps range from -0.09 (fire) to -1.05 (hygiene), where this gap can be reversed. Cubic regression models were used to explain the proportion of users against change in performance gap under the aspects. This could be used for benchmarking for similar projects. This methodology can be adopted for hostel buildings for perception studies.

Development of a Building Occupant Survey System with 3D Spatial Information

This paper summarizes the recent post-occupancy evaluation (POE) method studies and latest literature reviews. According to the research trends, data visualization of an occupant’s feedback is an important perspective and surveys through POE methods have provided a quick and cost-effective approach for gathering and analyzing an occupant’s feedback. Therefore, the objective of this study is to establish a web-based building occupant survey system that incorporates new approaches based on a geographic information system (GIS) tool and open-source spatial information. This paper reports the following to provide the detailed system framework: (1) development requirements from literature reviews; (2) integration of collected data and 3D (three dimensional) spatial information; (3) system processes and user-friendly functions; and (4) pilot test and data visualization. The difference between the proposed platform and existing online survey systems is that in the former the survey responses are linked to the 3D spatial information of the buildings on a map. Thus, the results provide more intuitive insights for building managers and occupants to identify specific performance issues related to the building.

Explainable Post-Occupancy Evaluation Using a Humanoid Robot

The paper proposes a new methodological approach for evaluating the comfort condition using the concept of explainable post occupancy to make the user aware of the environmental state in which (s)he works. Such an approach was implemented on a humanoid robot with social capabilities that aims to enforce human engagement to follow recommendations. The humanoid robot helps the user to position the sensors correctly to acquire environmental measures corresponding to the temperature, humidity, noise level, and illuminance. The distribution of the last parameter due to its high variability is also retrieved by the simulation software Dialux. Using the post occupancy evaluation method, the robot also proposes a questionnaire to the user for collecting his/her preferences and sensations. In the end, the robot explains to the user the difference between the suggested values by the technical standards and the real measures comparing the results with his/her preferences and perceptions. Finally, it provides a new classification into four clusters: true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative. This study shows that the user is able to improve her/his condition based on the explanation given by the robot.

Performance Evaluation of Pontianak Kapuas Indah Market from Architecture and Behaviour Aspect

The Government of Pontianak City efforts in carrying out the mission of creating quality and representative urban infrastructure are a program to improve and assets development of public facilities. It formed of infrastructure and are currently functioning for public service facilities. One of the assets of this public facility is the 40-years-old Pontianak Kapuas Indah Market, located right on the edge of the Kapuas River. This market in its past is known as the Kapuas Indah Shopping Center, it experienced decreasing of quality or function shifting, along with the development of cities that grow the new economic areas that are more modern and millennial. At present, this market is still functioning but only limited to certain consumer market segments. Therefore, it is necessary to have repairing and developing in order to be able functioning optimally as the city public asset. In order to improve and redevelop the facilities in this market, the post-occupancy evaluation method needs for market physical facilities and infrastructure, this steps for developing physical facilities meet more targets in the future. This study uses qualitative exploratory methods with an investigative approach to analyze the aspect of behavior users of buildings and it functions of the Kapuas Indah Market and from these results of the analysis determined the problem handling strategies in it. The results of this study are strategies and recomendations for improving functional performance with regard to compatibility or suitability, namely the concept of statements about the quality of the relationship between user activities and the physical building of the Kapuas Indah Market. Second, adjustments related to human activities in the room, behavior related to equipment and possibilities of adaptation to the demands of building physics and the natural environment around the Kapuas Indah Market. Keywords: behavior; function; performance