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Designing Buildings
Post occupancy evaluation of completed construction works
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Post project review
3 Performance in use
3.1 Business objectives
3.2 Design evaluation
3.3 Assessment
4 Other services
5 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
6 External references
Introduction
Continual learning and dissemination of acquired knowledge holds the key to shaping the future of
projects and practices.
The Home Quality Mark One, Technical Manual SD239, England, Scotland & Wales, published by BRE in
2018, states that: 'Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is the umbrella term for the process of obtaining
feedback on the performance of a recently completed new building or refurbishment. Over time the
value of POE has been recognised not only as a one off evaluation of a recently completed project, but
as an ongoing assessment process for any building in use that should be conducted at regular intervals
over the building’s life cycle.'
Post occupancy evaluation can be used to evaluate a development to determine:
How successful its delivery was.
How successful the completed development is.
Where there is potential for further improvement
What lessons can be learned for future projects.
The concept originally surfaced in the 1970s, but the resurgence in POE today is being driven by tighter
environmental targets, new regulations and the focus on a more sustainable approach. It is central to
improving the performance of low- and zero-carbon building design, and vital for sustainable
construction.
The process of post occupancy evaluation can be visualised as part of the building lifecycle, where
information learnt from an operational (and occupied) project can be used to inform decisions at all the
stages in the design and operational life of a future building.
POE [Link]
[Image courtesy Buro Happold]
Post occupancy evaluation can be particularly valuable to repeat developers and may be a requirement
of some funding bodies. It may be carried out by a consultant, by independent client advisers, or by an
in-house team established by the client. It may also be part of a wider aftercare service such as that
outlined by the soft-landings framework.
However, as post occupancy evaluation is likely to take place after the main construction contract has
been completed, consultant team appointments may also be completed unless post-occupation services
were a specific requirement of the original appointments.
Ideally, the client should commit to carrying out post occupancy evaluation at the beginning of the
project so that appointment agreements and briefing documents include requirements to test whether
objectives were achieved.
Post occupancy evaluation may comprise two studies:
A post-project review to evaluate the project delivery process.
An assessment of performance in use.
Post project review
A post project review may begin during the defects liability period.
When the development is first occupied by the client, it is important to visit the site immediately to
identify any issues that need to be addressed quickly. It can be beneficial to establish a help-desk and
rapid response team to resolve issues as they arise.
A post-project review is undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the project delivery
process. To undertake a post-project review, it is important to seek the views of contractors, designers,
suppliers and the client about how well the project was managed. This may include assessments of how
well the delivery of the project performed against key performance indicators, such as:
The quality of briefing documents.
The effectiveness of communications.
The performance of the project team.
Quality issues.
Health and safety issues.
Certification.
Variations.
Claims and disputes.
Collaborative practices.
An evaluation can then be made of what lessons could be learned from the approach taken and an
assessment and lessons-learned report prepared.
See also: End of contract report.
Performance in use
Generally, performance in use assessments cannot begin until 6 to 12 months after occupation, as
operations may not be properly established and the building will not have operated in all seasons. They
may then be part of a continuous process.
An assessment of performance in use can include:
Business objectives
The achievement of business case objectives.
Whole-life costs and benefits against those forecast.
Whether the project continues to comply with the business strategy.
Whether operations have improved.
The resilience of the development and business to change.
Business and user satisfaction (including staff and user retention and motivation).
Design evaluation
The effectiveness of the space planning.
Aesthetic quality.
The standards of lighting, acoustic environment, ventilation, temperature and humidity.
Air-pollution and air quality.
User comfort.
Maintenance and occupancy costs.
Defects.
The balance between capital and running costs.
An assessment of whether the development is being operated as designed.
Environmental and energy consumption in use. NB: Regular evaluation of energy consumption is
mandatory for certain types of buildings under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and
Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations). See the article on energy certificates for more
information.
Assessment
The assessment should compare findings to the original targets set out in the business case (the original
targets may need to be updated to reflect; changes to the project brief during the design process,
inflation etc). It should also compare findings to other projects and industry standards and compare the
outcome of the project with the position had the project not taken place.
A report should be prepared that identifies issues, recommends remedies, and makes suggestions for
improvements in performance for future projects.
Other services
Other services that could be provided by consultants during this period might include providing advice
on:
Letting.
Rating.
Maintenance.
Energy consumption.
Insurance.
Tenants queries.
Facilities management.
The production of energy performance certificates.
BREEAM assessments.
Performance of exemplar buildings in use: Bridging the performance gap FB 78.
The preparation of tender documents for maintenance and operation contracts.
NB The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 defines post-occupancy evaluation as; 'Evaluation undertaken post-
occupancy to determine whether the Project Outcomes (both subjective and objective) set out in the
Final Project Brief have been achieved.'
See also: Post occupancy evaluation process.
