Language
Country/Area
No result found
Did you know why every new building should have a post-occupancy assessment?
With the acceleration of urbanization, new buildings are emerging one after another, but the use status of these buildings after completion is often ignored. Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) provides an important opportunity to review the actual use of the building. Such assessments not only help designers and architects understand the effectiveness of their designs, but also provide insight into their impact on user productivity and well-being.
Post-occupancy assessment is a systematic and rigorous process designed to evaluate how a building will perform after it has been occupied for a period of time.
Post-occupancy assessment has been around since the 1960s, with its roots going back to Scotland and the United States. According to relevant research, the main purpose of post-occupancy assessment is to improve the productivity and well-being of the building during use. The main reasons for conducting a POE include: reviewing construction quality, providing planning basis for new construction or renovation, and resolving occupancy issues such as change management or new work patterns.
Post-occupancy assessments provide us with feedback on how to evaluate the success of our work environment.
In the process of conducting POE, feedback from all stakeholders is particularly important. These stakeholders include employees, customers, construction professionals, managers, etc. Through collecting opinions through questionnaires, interviews and workshops, combined with objective indicators such as environmental monitoring and spatial measurement, post-occupancy assessment can provide a comprehensive observation of the architectural effect.
The value of POE lies in the specific observation of building design, use and operating conditions, thereby providing reference for the planning and design of future buildings.
As environmental awareness increases, post-occupancy assessments are increasingly incorporating elements of sustainable construction. Many building certification systems, such as LEED and WELL, are beginning to incorporate user surveys into their assessment criteria to ensure that buildings meet the needs of contemporary users. These assessments not only focus on energy and water use, but also on indicators such as indoor air quality and noise levels, paving the way for creating a more comfortable working and living environment.
Through post-occupancy assessment techniques and methods, we can gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between a building and its users.
Post-occupancy assessment is not only applicable to traditional office spaces, but can also be extended to various environments such as schools, hospitals, museums, and residential areas. It is worth noting that this assessment can be carried out at any time after the building is completed, not just during the immediate post-completion period. From a building life cycle perspective, post-occupancy assessments are often conducted six to twelve months after a building has been occupied to allow for ongoing monitoring of occupant experience.
Whether it is a school, hospital or general office, post-occupancy assessment can provide insight into the impact of the building on its users.
This assessment is usually carried out by an architect or professional with a background in social sciences or workplace consulting, and in some cases an independent assessment consultant is hired to ensure the objectivity of the assessment results. . Furthermore, these assessments often refer to the results of other building studies, such as energy audits, indoor air quality measurements, etc., to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the building's performance.
To sum up the above, the post-occupancy assessment is not only a review of the design and operation of the building, but also an important exploration of the improvement of the human living environment. As we pay more and more attention to the interaction between buildings and users, the design and operation of buildings in the future will be subject to more rigorous review and fuller consideration. In this case, should every new building undergo a post-occupancy assessment?
