BREEAM Post occupancy evaluation

[edit] Aim and benefits

Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is a way of providing feedback throughout a building’s lifecycle from initial concept through to occupation. The information from feedback can be used to inform future projects, whether it is on the process of delivery or technical performance of the building. The short term aims are to:

• Identify and find solutions to problems in buildings;
• Respond to user needs;
• Improve space utilisation based on feedback from use;
• Understand the implications of change whether it is budget cuts or working context;
• Inform decision making.

In the medium term, POEs can bring benefit by:

• Building-in capacity for building adaptation to organisational change and growth;
• Finding new uses for buildings;
• Bringing accountability for building performance by designers.

The longer term benefits of POE include:

• Long-term improvements in building performance;
• Improvement in design quality;
• Strategic review.

The greatest benefits from POEs come when the information is made available to as wide an audience as possible, beyond the organisation whose building is evaluated. Information from POEs can provide insights into problem resolution and useful benchmark data with which other projects can be compared. This shared learning resource provides the opportunity for improving the effectiveness of building procurement where each institution has access to knowledge gained from many more building projects than it would ever complete.

[edit] When to consider

This issue is not RIBA stage dependent.

[edit] Step by step guidance

The POE will take place one year after the building is substantially occupied but a commitment to commission the report is required at design stage. The client or building occupier will commits funds to pay for the POE in advance.

An aftercare review meeting with nominated building users helps identify the positives and negatives encounterred since project completion and assists in focussing on areas of concern.

Topics usually covered in the meeting include:

• Internal environmental conditions (light, noise, temperature, air quality ventilation and relative humidity)
• Control, operation and maintenance
• Facilities and amenities
• Access and layout
• Other relevant issues
• User interviews to determine positive and negative aspects of performance

Any data, results or findings are collated into a composite report to form the basis of a final review meeting with the client.

[edit] Questions to ask while seeking compliance

If a POE is available from previous schemes, the ‘lessons learned’ should be fed back to the design team and any adjustments incorporated into the proposed scheme.

[edit] Tools and resources

RIBA guidance on POE

The BCO guide to Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE), British Council for Offices, 2007

[edit] Tips and best practice

A POE should be used as part of the stakeholder consultation at the briefing stage for a new building or the refurbishment of an existing one, in cases where the building occupants are the same.

The POE report should be circulated to the original design team to highlight lessons that could be taken forward in the design of any new projects.

[edit] Typical evidence

Evidence of the appointment of an independent party and schedule of responsibilities which fulfils the BREEAM criteria are acceptable to demonstrate compliance.

[edit] Applicable Schemes

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See this document for further guidelines.

• BREEAM UK NC 2018

BRE Global does not endorse any of the content posted and use of the content will not guarantee the meeting of certification criteria.

--Multiple Author Article 16:26, 19 Apr 2018 (BST)

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Advantages of shell and core.
• Appointing consultants.
• BRE articles.
• BREEAM.
• Building performance evaluation in non-domestic buildings guide – an introduction to the tests and methods in non-domestic buildings
• Building performance evaluation.
• Building Research Establishment.
• Building Use Studies.
• Extended aftercare.
• Initial aftercare.
• Performance gap.
• Performance in use.
• Post occupancy evaluation.
• Post occupancy evaluation process.
• Post project review.
• Soft landings.