Post-occupancy Evaluation Research Articles

Use of Customer Satisfaction to Measure Performance of Systems and Contractors: Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) Method

A roofing manufacturer wants to differentiate themselves from other roofing manufacturers based on performance information. However, construction industry has revealed poor performance documentation in the last couple of decades. With no current developed performance measurement model in the industry, two roofing manufacturers approached the research group to implement a warranty program that measures the performance information of their systems and applicators. Moreover, the success of any project in the construction industry heavily relies upon the capability of the contractor(s) executing the project. Low-performing contractors are correlated with increased cost and delayed schedules, resulting in end-user dissatisfaction with the final product. Hence, the identification and differentiation of the high performing contractors from their competitors is also crucial. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe a new model for measuring manufacturer performance and differentiating contractor performance and capability for two roofing manufacturers (Manufacturer 1 and Manufacturer 2) in the roofing industry. The research uses multiple years of project data and customer satisfaction data collected for two roofing manufacturers for over 1,000 roofing contractors. The performance and end-user satisfaction were obtained for over 7,000 manufacturers' projects and each contractor associated with that project for cost, schedule, and quality metrics. The measurement process was successfully able to provide a performance measurement for the manufacturer based on the customer satisfaction and able to identify low performing contractors. This study presents the research method, the developed measurement model, and proposes a performance measurement process that entities in the construction industry can use to measure performance.

Home Balconies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Future Architect’s Preferences in Lisbon and Warsaw

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns altered people’s perception of the relationship between indoor and outdoor living spaces, pushing the home balcony concept into new levels of ambiguity. Particularly in European contexts, people’s perspectives on its existence, functions, features, and borders are now unclear territory. Therefore, our study intends to assess the balcony design features and activities during pandemic times through the lens of selected key informants’ preferences in Lisbon and Warsaw, resorting to a post-occupancy evaluation of an online survey and a subsequent statistical analysis using a Mixed Model Analysis of Variance. Differences in cultural/social background, climate, and geography appear to be irrelevant during the pandemic, as both locations’ respondents show similar outcomes concerning balcony preferences. Activities previously practised elsewhere are now preferential to occur on balconies, such as having meals, gathering people, or reading and writing. The study concludes that the importance of home balconies increased during the pandemic, demanding an update of its design features to accommodate the newly rediscovered activities with direct implications on its users’ health and life quality.

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.

Apartment Living and Community Care: Experiences of People With Intellectual Disability, Their Families, and Support Staff

Understanding how the design of urban infrastructure influences the independence and autonomy of people with intellectual disability has far-reaching implications for community inclusion and participation. This article explores how urban design elements of an apartment complex influence how a person with an intellectual disability receives support and participates in the wider community. The study reports on the post-occupancy evaluation of an Australian development of over 400 apartments in Sydney, where 25 people with intellectual disability received 24-hour support. Fifty-three interviews were conducted with people with intellectual disability, their families, and disability support staff. Participants with intellectual disability described what living in their new apartment was like and appreciated the outdoor gardens. However, they also explained that wayfinding was more difficult than in their previous homes—all free-standing group homes. Disability support staff discussed how providing community care for people with intellectual disability in an apartment differed from a suburban free-standing house. Findings were translated into design suggestions for improving service provision to people with disability through the urban design around multi-tower sites of mixed-tenure apartments. The article concludes with recommendations for urban design features to support safe, efficient, and quality care in a high-density urban setting. When viewed through a lens of social infrastructure, the results show how urban design has the potential to influence the collective independence and provision of care to diverse communities in urban centres and cities and is relevant to people with disability, older people, and other community groups who rely on community-care support to remain living independently at home.

Constructing Education: a framework for participation to support the effective planning and use of new school spaces.

The purpose of this reflection paper is to present a new framework to guide the process of investment in education infrastructure through participatory planning, and to consider its application to the development of innovative spaces. Financing education infrastructure provides an opportunity to innovate to support student learning, but for this to happen infrastructure and education investments need to be conceived from the beginning as a single, intertwined process. The Constructing Education framework is based on research evidence about the effects of educational environments and theoretical understanding of change. It draws on the issues identified in a series of in-depth reviews carried out in the cities of Espoo, Finland, the department of Seine-Saint Denis, France and Malmö, Sweden, to explore the links between construction and education during the investment process. The intention of the framework is that collaborative actions undertaken at individual, structural and cultural levels ensure a better alignment of design and use so that school spaces built, refurbished or reorganised can be better contributors to students’ learning. This participatory approach to guide investments in infrastructure embeds an education perspective within the standard architectural phases guiding construction. The framework identifies the individual and organisational activities relating to education that need to take place in parallel to the architectural brief, construction, hand-over and post-occupancy evaluation phases, and proposes including the cost of these educational activities in the total costs of the infrastructure project. It proposes for example, that in parallel and in coordination with the development of the brief, the educational vision of the school be developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders, so that the spaces designed reflect the vision of learning endorsed. The construction time can be used to get teachers ready for the new spaces, providing them with the opportunities to test new furniture and practice new approaches in prototype classrooms. The moving-in phase that accompanies the hand-over is conceived as a time to develop the ownership for the new spaces, to ensure they reflect school and community values. Finally, the framework proposes that opportunities for reflection and adjustment in the use of the spaces be promoted all along the life of the building, alongside and then beyond, the architectural post-occupancy evaluations that are conducted to inform the next phase of investments. In the paper, we explain our conceptualisation of the issues and challenges that the framework addresses, discussing these particularly in relation to innovative learning environments. We then reflect on the sufficiency of the framework to respond to differences between nations in the organisation of education systems and their understandings of education.

Measurement and rapid assessment of indoor air quality at mass gathering events to assess ventilation performance and reduce aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

To assess risk factors for COVID-19 transmission and address the closure of mass gathering events since March 2020, the UK Government ran the Events Research Programme (ERP), following which it reopened live events in sports, music, and culture in July 2021. We report the rapid post-occupancy evaluation of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and associated long-range airborne transmission risk conducted in the Environmental Study of the ERP. Ten large venues around the UK were monitored with CO2 sensors at a high spatial and temporal resolution during 90 events. An IAQ Index based on CO2 concentration was developed, and all monitored spaces were classified in bands from A to G based on their average and maximum CO2 concentrations from all events. High resolution monitoring and the IAQ Index depicted the overall state of ventilation at live events, and allowed identification of issues with ventilation effectiveness and distribution, and of spaces with poor ventilation and the settings in which long-range airborne transmission risk may be increased. In numerous settings, CO2 concentrations were found to follow patterns relating to event management and specific occupancy of spaces around the venues. Good ventilation was observed in 90% of spaces monitored for given occupancies. Practical applications: High-resolution monitoring of indoor CO2 concentrations is necessary to detect the spatial variation of indoor air quality (IAQ) in large mass gathering event venues. The paper summarises COVID-19 ventilation guidance for buildings and defines a methodology for measurement and rapid assessment of IAQ during occupancy at live events that can be implemented by venue managers. Comparisons of the CO2 concentrations measured during the events identified the spaces at high risk of long-range transmission of airborne pathogens. Building operators should be mindful of the ventilation strategies used relative to the total occupancy in different spaces and the occupant's activities.

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Sports Parks during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Taking Sports Parks in Beijing as Examples

China fully built a wealthy society but faced a serious COVID-19 epidemic together with the rest of the world. The emergence of the epidemic highlights the importance of sports parks for physical activity. By reviewing national fitness policies and identifying several types of sports parks, this paper investigates urban dwellers’ usage and preferences in sports parks by means of a questionnaire, with behavioural observation and interviews as complementary research methods. Taking the Beijing Olympic Forest Park, Sun Park, and Huilongguan Park as examples, this study reveals that participants present a high overall satisfaction with the sports parks. The factor analysis indicates that Sports Facilities and Maintenance & Management are the first and second most significant factors influencing residents’ willingness to use sports parks. This research can guide the planning and construction of sports park in the future.

Residential satisfaction of vertical urban settlements in Hong Kong

Purpose Vertical urban settlements are becoming the predominant form of contemporary urban design in response to population increase and rapid urbanization. These developments are, however, perceived to be poorly designed and incongruent with the users’ needs. The purpose of this study was to present a resident satisfaction assessment of Hong Kong’s vertical settlements. Design/methodology/approach A review of the literature was conducted on the concept of vertical urbanism, residential satisfaction and postoccupancy evaluation. Fifty performance indicators were classified into three groups including indoor environment, safety and maintenance; furniture, utilities and spaces; and privacy, appearance and city life. These indicators were used to develop a Web-based questionnaire administered to residents in the three administrative regions of Hong Kong. Ninety-eight respondents participated in the study, and the results were analyzed using the resident satisfaction index and the overall satisfaction index. A multilinear regression analysis was also made to develop a model describing the most relevant performance indicators for determining the overall residential satisfaction. Findings The results revealed that residents expressed dissatisfaction with performance indicators, including “level of noise generated from outside the building (neighboring buildings, traffic, noise, etc.),” “variation and stability of indoor temperature,” “sustainable design of the building’s environment (cyclability, walkability, electric charging stations, etc.),” “availability and capacity of car parking,” “size and adequacy of spaces for social interaction” and “considerations for occupants with special needs (disabled, aged people, children, occupants with a medical condition, etc.).” The results also revealed that some indicators such as the maintenance of elevators, adequate interior space and surrounding areas were considered as significantly influencing residential satisfaction. Similarly, the building height and wind-induced motion were not significantly influencing residential satisfaction. The results also revealed that a multilinear Regression model with five variables and an adjusted R2 value of 93% could estimate the overall residential satisfaction. Originality/value The concept of vertical urban design is the new paradigm in the shaping of future cities. The originality of this study is its adoption of post-occupancy evaluation to assess occupants’ residential satisfaction. As well as the determination of factors that should inform the planning, design and management of vertical urban settlements. Thus, the study has significant implications for research in vertical urban development, as well as the professional practice of building and urban planners, designers and managers.

The impact of lighting trespass on nearby buildings and their inhabitants which derives from municipal stadiums. Early results from a post occupancy evaluation survey

Outdoor lighting has a more significant environmental influence on flora and fauna than humans mainly because of the shortest time period that they may be spending outdoors. Yet, light trespass has an equally important influence on people since it may affect the living conditions in their everyday life, and consequently, their prosperity. The present study investigates houses with facades in front of municipal stadiums with no audience and affected by their lighting. The prevailing visual atmosphere caused by the lighting levels and its improper direction is definitely intrusive separating the indoor and outdoor environment. This anthropocentric research, conducted via the Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) methodology, aims to detect the visual and psychological effects and consequences of the visual surrounding caused by light pollution because of outdoor night lighting in an urban environment.

Transformações habitacionais e seus impactos no bem-estar dos residentes

Abstract Housing transformations have been studied over time. Numerous Post-Occupancy-Evaluation (POE) studies reveal user-initiated alterations occurring in Brazilian Social Housing (SH). These transformations have specific objectives, such as additional space, refurbishment, and improvement, or upgrading. However, results of transformations are not always positive, and may affect dwellers’ well-being through losses in environmental comfort. A critical investigation using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method analysed forty-seven studies to understand what needs and requirements stimulate SH projects' upgrading and how transformations impact well-being. In addition, an in-depth analysis was made to assess aspects of environmental comfort, safety, design, layout and economic aspects that affect people’s well-being, and improve their quality of life. Results contribute to supporting upgrading processes of existing SH and to guide the improved design of new SH projects based on the desires and well-being requirements of low-income families.

A machine vision–based, quantitative method of capturing spatiotemporal activity for post-occupancy evaluation research

Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a user-focused evaluation method, centered around understanding how dwellers occupy and use built environments. Collecting big data on user behavior has become essential for POE. In this paper, the limitations of current POE protocol data adoption and analysis methods are analyzed, and a quantitative research method based on machine vision (MV) to quantify users’ spatio-temporal behavior for POE is developed, which can acquire high-resolution data more efficiently and accurately than the common methods in this field. In particular, the method of calculating user activity using frame difference algorithms fills the gap of quantifying user activity in POE research. The outdoor space of a kindergarten and the indoor space of a university library are selected to validate the method. After analyzing 4.5 million frames of data accumulated over 50 consecutive hours in the outdoor space, and 8.82 million frames of data accumulated over 98 consecutive hours in the indoor space, our method successfully analyzed usage of indoor and outdoor spaces and generated multiple quantitative indices of POE from high-resolution spatiotemporal behavior variables. The robustness, convenience, and practicability of this method in practical applications are verified. This method is simple to use, can adapt to a variety of built environments, and has a low cost. It has potential competitiveness for large-scale application. Quantitative POE research methods enhance the flow of information from space usage to spatial design and provide a data-driven basis for improving spatial sustainability, planning, design, and decision making.

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.

Energy consumption and indoor environmental quality evaluation of a cooperative housing nZEB in Mediterranean climate

A cooperative housing is a more democratic and affordable alternative that could contribute to ecological sustainability in local context. The paper evaluates the cooperative housing La Borda (Barcelona) from two points of view: energy consumption at building and household level and indoor environmental quality of six representative households. The evaluation aims to investigate how this housing alternative may contribute to reduce the energy impact of the building providing comfortable conditions to the users. A post-occupancy evaluation has been performed where energy consumption, environmental data and user perception have been gathered to make a qualitative and quantitate analysis. The paper wants to investigate how thermal comfort can be characterized in depth, analysing only air temperature, relative humidity and outdoor conditions. Furthermore, it has been paid especial attention to the overheating analysis and the impact of the relative humidity in the thermal comfort satisfaction of the occupants. The paper demonstrates that La Borda is a model that contributes to reduce the energy impact of the building, which can be related to some of the characteristics of the cooperative housings: sharing goods and resources; community support; training initiatives; strong involvement during the design of the project; and sustainable design of the building. The thermal comfort evaluation combines different tools (adaptive comfort model, Givoni psychometric chart, Heat Index and surveys) to achieve a good understanding of the thermal behaviour of households and comfort perception, achieving satisfactory results; However, some discrepancies have been found between the different indicators and qualitative perception of the users.

Strategies to evaluate the quality of hospital design with clinical data.

Strategies to evaluate the quality of hospital design with clinical data.

Evaluation of the Aesthetic Quality of an Industrial Building after Renovation

Industrial buildings occupy large areas and are one of the main city-forming elements of the urban environment. In recent decades, the renovation of industrial buildings has become a special and widespread creative direction for designers. The aesthetic features of the industrial facilities renovation process are of great interest not only for designers but also for users of buildings and citizens. The results obtained by evaluating the aesthetic aspects of the renovation of a large industrial building in Kazakhstan are presented in this article: the Almaty Cotton Mill (ACM). Three large buildings of the former industrial site have been converted into a commercial facility. The study is based on an assessment of new use from the point of view of users and citizens. The study's methodology is based on conducting a sociological survey to analyze the aesthetic qualities of the interiors and exteriors of ACM buildings. Interior spaces were analyzed using the Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) method. The exterior assessment will be based on the theory of visual perception of the city according to the method of K. Lynch. The result of the study is the final concept of a sociological survey and recommendations for improving the aesthetic characteristics of the interiors and exteriors in

Post occupancy evaluation of indoor environmental quality of sports buildings at hot and humid climate from the perspective of exercisers

This study conducted a post occupancy evaluation (POE) of indoor environmental quality of five sports buildings in hot and humid climatic conditions. The objective was to investigate their indoor environmental quality in terms of public use. Objective environmental indicators like thermal environment, acoustic environment, light environment, and indoor air quality and 324 exercisers' valid responses to a subjective survey questionnaire were examined. The results found that air temperature and relative humidity in the sports buildings was high, with the average value of 31.6 °C and 68.5%, respectively. The exercisers found the thermal environment to be the least dissatisfying, with dissatisfaction rates of 22.6%, 21.9%, and 11.9% for temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity, respectively. Additionally, multiple linear regression indicated that thermal environment and the corresponding satisfaction were critical requirements affecting the indoor environmental quality. Moreover, the survey results of objective and subjective indicators were not simple linear correspondences but were affected by the interaction of indicators. Furthermore, the satisfaction values and range of objective indicators based on subjective satisfaction deviated from the relevant standards, primarily due to physical activities, sports building façade types, and regional climate. This study enhances knowledge about post occupancy evaluation of indoor environmental quality in naturally ventilated sports buildings. It could offer potent guidance to improve control and regulation of indoor environmental quality, thus contributing toward exercisers’ satisfaction and comfort.

Stakeholder experiential knowledge as evidence in redesigning health-care facilities for improved usability

PurposeEvidence-based design (EBD) is traditionally limited to using empirical research findings based on randomized controlled trials. The purpose of this study is to explore stakeholder experiential knowledge as alternate credible evidence in redesigning health-care facilities for improved usability.Design/methodology/approachThis research, based on critical participatory action research, involved a case study of redesign and post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of an emergency department (ED) at Holy Family Hospital, Techiman, Ghana. Observation, interviews and document analysis were used to collect data in the redesign and POE. The data was analyzed through directed content analysis.FindingsFindings indicate that the redesign interventions, generated from stakeholder experiential knowledge, led to improved effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in the ED. This presents stakeholder experiential knowledge as alternate credible evidence in EBD. Furthermore, the POE revealed that open and flexible spatial arrangement, zoning care areas according to severity, and providing staff-support amenities are some redesign interventions for improving ED usability.Practical implicationsCompared to the hard and controlled nature of experimental research knowledge, the soft and fluid experiential knowledge of stakeholders could be more useful for health-care redesign process, especially in iteratively structuring design thinking and making choices.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to theory by validating and illustrating stakeholder experiential knowledge as credible evidence for EBD. Practically, it provides strategies, based on POE findings, for designing EDs to improve usability.

Modern market housing and deprivation of happiness

On the example of modern development of multi-apartment residential complexes, the article studies the quality parameters of the living environment depending on the planning characteristics of the apartments, the number of rooms in the apartment and the percentage ratio of small-sized one-room apartments and studios in relation to multi-room apartments in the complex. Negative characteristics of the layout of apartments are identified on the basis of the POE (post-occupancy evaluation) concept. Taking into account the efficiency coefficient of apartments, the most optimal layout options are determined. The article studies the qualitative parameters of the residential environment associated with a certain degree of risks. It analyses and proposes the parameters of the optimal percentage ratio of different types of apartments in the complex for the formation of a sustainable housing system.

Concepts of performance in post-occupancy evaluation post-probe: a literature review

ABSTRACT Building performance is a widely held goal in the architecture, engineering and construction industries, driven by a shared pursuit of the triple bottom line. This research paper re-examined the term ‘performance’ and its characterization in post-occupancy evaluation (POE) literature using a semi-systematic review of 160 articles published since 2008. The review identified how performance parameters have been defined, what the dominant attributes of studies are and what metrics have been used to measure them. A thematic content analysis found that many new priorities had emerged in recent years, problematizing Preiser et al.’s 1988 construct of the concept. The main contribution of this paper is a new expanded definition of ‘performance’ in terms of three interrelated domains: building, people and organization, and the development of subcategories for more nuanced analysis. This definition builds on the building performance-people performance paradigm first established by the UK’s PROBE initiative and responds to several shifts in thinking the review results revealed, including a shift from deterministic thinking towards a more bidirectional understanding of the person-environment relationship. Results were further distilled into recommendations to be used by researchers, practitioners and policymakers to identify performance areas of interest and develop more adaptive, integrated approaches to POE work.

Post-Occupancy Evaluation's (POE) Applications for Improving Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ).

To improve buildings and their characteristics, the feedback provided directly by users is generally fundamental in order to be able to adapt the technical and structural functions to the well-being of users. The post-occupancy evaluation (POE) fits perfectly into this context. The POE, through qualitative and quantitative information on the interior environment, makes it possible to identify the differences between the performances modeled in the design phase and the real performances experienced by the occupants. This review of 234 articles, published between 2006 and 2022, aims to analyze and compare the recent literature on the application of the POE methodology. The aim was to provide both a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the main factors that comprise the indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The study highlighted the factors that comprise the quality of the indoor environment, as well as the variables that are usually analyzed to describe the well-being of the occupants. The results suggested which are the most common approaches in carrying out POE studies and will identify the factors that most influence the determination of the good quality of an indoor environment.