![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=157&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=0325241c197b9cfa2b697d61adcf5278 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=315&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=5b15b7f10abb9ddc16b7db68bf34049d 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=575&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=8df637edecee30e8343a571075436aa7 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=767&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=5bdfa25fb84a2624961dbad957fe1b55 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1048&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=dc803eb53d154afbe777a959fad11063 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1198&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=148c0d50708ad5404a9327b0a682087b 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F1-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=1438&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=19bf5c8bc0c416d20a6a57e6bb0f1afb 1920w)
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=64&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=eaa3cd49f4db250e5fc0b25106bc44fc 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=129&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=14079c39f080cb468d045e972c6fcaf7 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=236&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=8ece0e0abc5e297fa9d21b8171dfe2fc 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=314&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=d0a59b4cfd549c086195e9f8e8e42256 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=430&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=2abb385324eef9226878d26af44663ab 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=491&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=ba09cac46dabfb99d80b244b578146c5 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F2-2.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=589&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=c589c4de7e13e75495078afc74a71e32 1920w)
Therefore, it is important to have not only a client or user heavily involved in the design process before construction, but also the designer involved with the user experience after construction – a phase where architects are usually left out.
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=106&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=81d4f2ccee2a6bd2b446703c8a6da94a 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=213&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=be782a71ad6a2d9bc184f3bfedd74223 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=389&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=adff95648c1355cd5837ba7f3a939c9e 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=519&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=3e319e6d7c0055e12d1536a4cff1f205 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=710&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=25d9e69227693d2d68eb203454e5f2a5 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=811&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=89ed82b083178d98a021e98bc3d6443f 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F3-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=974&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=51b39762f37770e87e008cbbe5c513b4 1920w)
![#](https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=85&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=210&s=fb6dfc351918414f15270ad6a66fe0df 210w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=169&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=420&s=b60a74ca996f67559796ac4d76dc3af8 420w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=310&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=768&s=4cc5de33280c604e317d01f5ec858b97 768w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=413&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1024&s=07ec6a2e2e8560e7c6c6ab7a6f07863e 1024w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=565&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1400&s=139f154ec4f7b13ba904af2e2540c520 1400w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=645&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1600&s=1e5a01192161bf762ef43e07e4120d15 1600w,https://make-arch.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makearchitects.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F01%2F4-1.jpg?auto=format&crop=center&fit=crop&h=774&ixlib=php-1.2.1&w=1920&s=d91969f104402dd4152deb9d7ee73478 1920w)
Practically, the lessons learnt from post-occupancy evaluations on a project can then be utilised to bring about change for that particular project and to inform future design in the following ways:
- Intervention design: altering aspects of the building that can be changed relatively easily to increase user satisfaction (short-term)
- Renovation design: using more appropriate space divisions, materials, systems and building skins when renovating the building (medium-term)
- Future building design: avoiding problems that can’t be resolved in the current building in future projects (long-term)
POE and sustainability
POE is especially important in sustainable architecture, where it serves as a hypothesis testing for innovative projects by testing and monitoring them after completion.
Innovation and new techniques can bring unintended consequences, so it is important to see which projects are moving in the right direction.
Sustainable buildings are not just about one way of construction or combining a few techniques; we have to understand the effectiveness of sustainable design strategies in relation to context, climate, scale, type of use, user, client and city. POE can reveal why a certain technique works well on one project but fails on another by surveying actual performance, any improper usage which can cancel out environmental goals, and the social and psychological effects of a building on its users. This will lead to even more successful designs with a high level of comfort. Newly built environments will therefore progressively perform better than those preceding them.
Existing standards and methods
Many kinds of POEs already exist, although they are not often used. There is not a single method which is the absolute standard, and making one ideal POE is not possible due to the unique nature of every individual project.
This adds to the complexity of implementing POEs. Quantitative and qualitative POEs, or hybrids, have been developed, covering different lifespans, techniques and processes (eg, the Portfolio Technique incl. Probe, Soft Landings), and there are several ways of sharing knowledge (eg, CarbonBuzz). For the projects here at Make that have been evaluated, the techniques were assessed and the appropriate method used for each case.
Cost
One of the main reasons why POE is not yet widely implemented is the cost. Over the long term, however, and when POE is well implemented, the benefits can be huge and definitely larger than the initial costs. A cost-benefit study carried out by the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory found that every dollar spent on POEs resulted in ten dollars saved on operating and redesign costs. (Research Design Connections, 2003)
Summary
The knowledge of how users experience a building after its delivery is an important yet often neglected source of information for architects, which stands in stark contrast to the level of interest and hard work the architect puts into understanding the needs of the future users in the design process. POE provides this feedback, and, no matter which stage of its lifecycle a building is in, the results will always be useful.
Figuratively, POE replaces the ‘blank sheet’ of the architect with transparent paper that is placed over experience, knowledge and previous successes, from which the appropriate lines can be copied. New insights are used for fine-tuning new buildings, improving design for future buildings and renovating existing buildings, leading to cost savings and a better user experience in healthy and comfortable environments.
Therefore, the sooner implementation becomes universal, the sooner the benefits will be reaped as POE takes on an increasing and, ultimately, indispensable role in the building process in the future.
Blog post based on: CHRISTIAENS, H., “Implementing post occupancy evaluation into common sustainable design practice – a reflection”, The University of Edinburgh, 2012; and sources referenced to in this paper.