Post-occupancy evaluation: finding out if a building works

What it is

POE is a structured look at how a building performs in use, from the point of view of the people who use it and by measuring its technical performance. It asks: is the building comfortable, safe, efficient, easy to use and well-liked? Does it do what was intended? What would we change?

Why do it

• Learning. Designers rarely hear how their buildings work. POE closes the loop and improves the next design.
• Fixing problems. Early issues, such as overheating, poor acoustics, confusing layouts and faulty controls, can often be corrected in the first year.
• Performance gap. Many buildings use more energy than predicted. POE finds out why.
• Evidence. It builds a record of what works, which helps clients and the industry.
• Satisfaction. Asking people what they think shows respect and builds trust.

POE is a structured look at how a building performs in use, from the point of view of the people who use it and by measuring its technical performance.

When to do it

POE can take place at several points:

• Soon after handover to catch and fix early problems.
• After about a year, when the building has been through a full cycle of seasons.
• Later, to see how the building adapts to change.

Ideally, it is agreed at the start of the project and included in the appointment, so that time and fees are set aside.

What is looked at

• Technical performance. Energy, water, temperatures, air quality, daylight, ventilation, noise.
• Use. How spaces are actually used, which are busy and which are empty, and whether routes and facilities work.
• User views. Questionnaires, interviews, walk-around tours and workshops with a range of users, including staff and those who look after the building. See How to run a user workshop.
• Operations and maintenance. Whether the systems are understood and can be looked after.
• Compliance with design intent. Whether features are working as designed, such as shading, natural ventilation and heat recovery. See Airtightness and ventilation.

Methods

Simple POE uses a walk-through and a short questionnaire. More detailed work may add data logging, meters, thermal imaging and expert review. Choose the depth to suit the building and the budget.

Making it useful

• Be honest. The aim is learning, not blame. An open culture helps.
• Share results with the client, users, contractors, designers and, where appropriate, the wider industry.
• Act on findings. Make small adjustments, such as controls, signs and furniture, and record bigger lessons for future projects.
• Respect privacy. Handle people's responses properly and follow data-protection rules.

In short

Go back, look, listen and measure. Post-occupancy evaluation helps buildings work better, and designers learn from it.

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