Adrian Leaman

Making feedback and post-occupancy evaluation routine 1: A portfolio of feedback techniques

Over forty years ago, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) published its Plan of Work for Design Team Operation (1963), which included Stage M – Feedback. In spite of this, designers, builders and sometimes even procuring clients do not engage closely with the performance of the buildings they have created. Hence, low-level, chronic problems tend to persist, innovations miss their targets, and true successes may be overlooked – even in some of the best buildings, as the Probe series of post-occupancy surveys revealed. This paper discusses how feedback, follow through from design and construction into occupancy, and post-occupancy evaluation could become a natural part of project delivery, and how this could improve the quality and sustainability of our buildings. It describes progress made since the Probe series of post-occupancy ended in encouraging the use of feedback, including a portfolio of established techniques, development of the Soft Landings technique, and setting up a charity to promote and support feedback. The results of tests with a user group are also discussed.

Evaluating housing performance in relation to human behaviour: new challenges

Nine years later, Building Performance Evaluation (BPE), in which POE plays a significant role, appears to be more established, with governments and their agencies recognizing the importance of finding out how well their building investments have performed against expectations. New schools, prisons, and hospitals are now being evaluated. Government offices are measured annually in order to benchmark and improve performance year on year. There is a growing archive of information on the performance of public and commercial buildings. But where is housing in this picture?

Dissatisfaction and office productivity

Examines the question of whether people′s productivity in offices is affected by environmental conditions, such as heat, lighting, ventilation and noise. Findings point to individuals′ perception that uncomfortable working conditions affect their productivity. However, difficulties in measurement of tasks and study being too small and unrepresentative lead to uncertain conclusions. Outlines features of best possible buildings and suggests they will contain satisfied and productive occupants.

Making feedback and post-occupancy evaluation routine 3: Case studies of the use of techniques in the feedback portfolio

Although there is increasing interest in building performance, the people who procure, design and construct buildings seldom engage closely with the performance of the buildings they have created. This paper outlines the results of 14 case studies where designers and their clients used one or more techniques chosen from a portfolio of ten to evaluate their buildings or processes at any stage in the life cycle of a project. It is revealed that considerable value could be obtained for relatively low effort, helping to improve both the performance of the building concerned and the skills and insights of the participants; and that there was value in using established techniques that were robust, cost-effective and had benchmarks available where appropriate. It proved easier to undertake a survey than to get people together to discuss their experience. However, after the procurement process had started, it proved difficult to incorporate feedback, because everyone was already committed to a particular mode of operation.

Building Design, Complexity and Manageability

Looks at complexity in office buildings and its consequences, desirable and undesirable. Draws on evidence from studies of comfort, control, productivity, health, energy efficiency and human satisfaction carried out in offices in the United Kingdom since 1985. From this work, it is known that many office buildings do not function as well as their designers originally intended. They are frequently uncomfortable for their occupants, especially in summer, and too often make people chronically ill. This results in lower human productivity – a substantial hidden cost to many organizations. Their energy consumption is often excessive and, consequently, so are their emissions of carbon dioxide, which is one of the causes of global warming.

Is Facilities Management a Profession

Argues that, although facilities management is not yet a profession, it has the necessary ingredients to become so. Describes how the business of managing buildings has become more “strategic”, long‐term and knowledge‐based, and how building‐related problems are assuming greater importance in organizations. Considers facilities management as bringing together the activities of design and management.

Productivity and office quality

Argues that the assumption that raising the standard of the work environment will automatically raise productivity is not necessarily the case. Considers the role of management practice within the relationship: good management begets good office design. Describes a body of research that supports this thesis. Provides an overall strategy for improving office environments.

Sick Building Syndrome

Investigates in depth Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and the means to deal with the problem. Shows that ignoring job stress can actually increase the incidence of SBS. Modern management control systems should aid in reducing discomfort and make for a healthier and more economical environment. Concludes that optimizing environmental quality and performance should be targets for senior operational managers.

Open‐plan Offices: Kill or Cure?

Describes how the communicational and economies‐of‐scale advantages of open‐plan offices are lost when working groups have to endure uncomfortable and uncontrollable environments resulting from lack of consideration of their needs at the planning stage and from management and maintenance deficiencies thereafter. Concludes that facilities managers who lack the resources to run the open‐plan system properly should kill it and go for shallow‐depth cellular offices with simpler services; cure it only if there is full understanding of, and resources to provide for, all the elements of its management.

What is a Building For?: Part II

A building should enable its occupants to function more effectively and efficiently but frequently this is not the case. The reverse can occur to the extent where the building inhibits rather than enables its occupants. Three causal factors identified are: (1) pace of organisational change; (2) the design process; and (3) building management. Considering these together creates a different way of thinking about buildings and what they are for. Each factor is discussed individually as a potential source of constraint and solutions are proposed. Part I this month looks at cultural change and design. Part II next month will discuss management.