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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2017) | Viewed by 36485

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rosi Fieldson

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Guest Editor

Head of Environment/BREEAM Consultant, Simons Group Limited, 991 Doddington Road, Lincoln, LN6 3AA, UK
Interests: sustainable design and construction; waste reduction; energy management and carbon foot printing; responsible and ethical sourcing; biodiversity; embodied emissions; solid timber; renewable materials and offsite construction

Prof. Dr. Behzad Sodagar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Architecture and the Built Environment, College of Arts, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
Interests: sustainable architecture; low energy building design; building performance analysis; post occupancy evaluation; user comfort and satisfraction; whole life cycle assessment; carbon foot-printing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Architectural, building services, and construction sectors can often be accused of failing to deliver buildings that satisfy the occupant’s requirements, or be as energy efficient as initially intended. The reasons for these real and perceived failures are many and varied, but are only understood by detailed investigation and analysis after the building is made operational, and investing in learning to avoid replication of failures.

A major study led by the Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK) between 2012 and 2014 has helped to develop strategies and recommendations for undertaking studies, but the next step is to develop solutions to the limitations that have been raised.

This Special Issue seeks to uncover and present the latest developments in meeting the needs of building users, extending building design life, and managing energy demand in the context of tightening energy legislation in many countries around the world.

For this Special Issue we welcome papers dealing with case studies, literature review, survey findings, analytical methods, and tools. Examples of topics of interests include:

Use of BIM for Operations and Maintenance manual preparation and building management
User satisfaction data collection and analysis
Advancements in energy modelling for cost and carbon footprint prediction
Data analysis for seasonal commissioning and energy demand management
Soft landings case studies with behavioural change strategies for reducing operational energy use and emissions
Managing changing use profiles in highly mechanised buildings

Prof. Dr. Behzad Sodagar
Dr. Rosi Fieldson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

post occupancy evaluation
user satisfaction
cost benefit analysis
whole life costing
building maintenance
defects resolution
flexibility
resilience
design life
design factors

Published Papers (6 papers)

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14814 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding User Satisfaction Evaluation in Low Occupancy Sustainable Workplaces

by Rosi Fieldson and Behzad Sodagar

Sustainability 2017, 9(10), 1720; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9101720 - 25 Sep 2017

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6440

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) applied to a building in the UK. The design of the building was generated through an externally funded research project over two years from 2005 to 2007. The construction of the building was completed in 2010. After a period of occupancy, a POE of the building was carried out in 2015. The POE offered an opportunity to investigate the effect of occupant behaviour on the performance of the building and their level of comfort and satisfaction. We adopted a field survey method to evaluate the comfort and satisfaction of users by asking them a series of questions to analyse how they felt in different parts of the building throughout the course of the year. In our analysis, the users were prompted to provide a subjective measure of the building regarding a range of internal conditions such as air temperature, humidity, air movement, air quality, daylight, artificial light, and noise. The analysis supports the notion that in naturally-ventilated buildings some users may find the building to be hot in summer while cold in winter. The high level of control the users have over the operation of the building contributes to their comfort and satisfaction. The users demonstrated a tendency to be satisfied despite environmental factors and to forgive some aspects of the building which are not performing as they should. The paper offers a perspective on statistical user satisfaction in a low occupancy building and attempts to explain the role of workplace wellbeing on occupant perception of comfort in this case. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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1181 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Stakeholder Delphi Study to Determine Key Space Management Components for Elderly Facilities in China

by Lingzhi Li, Jingfeng Yuan, Kathy O. Roper and Zhipeng Zhou

Sustainability 2017, 9(9), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091565 - 04 Sep 2017

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5047

Abstract

The elderly population in China is increasing rapidly. To meet elderly residents’ housing demand, Chinese government makes great efforts to build more elderly facilities. However, major challenges in the operation of these elderly facilities, such as low space utilization rate, poor accessibility, poor environment and so on, have being emerging. The critical reason for challenges can be concluded as the lack of effective space management components. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to explore key space management components for China’s elderly facilities. Considering stakeholders’ (facility owner, facility manager, care staff, elderly residents, and academic researchers) viewpoints on space management, this study used a multi-stakeholder Delphi approach to determine key space management components through five steps. Based on the selection criteria, a total of 25 Delphi panellists with five stakeholder groups were invited and finally 23 Delphi panellists participated in the whole study process. Subsequently, the academic researchers among these panellists were employed to quantify the stakeholders’ influence with the parameter of stakeholder influencing factor. After that, the initial discussion on space management was performed to generate the initial list involving 11 space management components. Next, two ranking rounds were conducted to conclude the final significance scores of each space management component from five stakeholder groups’ feedbacks. With respect to the final ranking score and the values of influencing stakeholder factor, the decision score of each space management components was calculated, which integrated all stakeholder groups’ opinions. Finally, through two cut-off points, a total of seven components were selected as the key space management components for China’s elderly facilities including space planning and assignment, space utilization audit, space occupancy cost audit, space inventory management, space usability management, space change management, and the management of health safety and environment. These components will assist facility managers to conduct effective and sustainable space management practice for supporting organizational core business. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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1535 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Routines, Rigidity and Real Estate: Organisational Innovations in the Workplace

by Kenneth Dooley

Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060998 - 09 Jun 2017

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5183

Abstract

Finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of the existing building stock is an important element in climate change mitigation. This article examines environmentally focused organisational innovations in the corporate real estate industry. Organisational innovations are often overlooked as they cause considerable disruption to the daily routines of employees. In this article, the focal organisational innovation is the adoption of activity-based working. The study aims to uncover the barriers to activity-based working and to compare it to similar best practice strategies that aim to reduce cost and environmental impact. A case study office building has been analysed to examine the efficiency of the workplace arrangement strategy and the impact of this strategy on the building’s energy consumption. The results of the case study coupled with evidence from the global real estate industry suggest that activity-based working can deliver substantial benefits for the employer organisations and the employees. However, despite this it has not reached high levels of adoption on a global scale. This failure to achieve high levels of adoption is evidence of routine rigidity. This article highlights the importance of building occupancy in the future discussion on environmental impact reduction in the corporate real estate industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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1743 KiB

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Hierarchical Model Predictive Control for Sustainable Building Automation

by Barbara Mayer, Michaela Killian and Martin Kozek

Sustainability 2017, 9(2), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020264 - 13 Feb 2017

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5041

Abstract

A hierarchicalmodel predictive controller (HMPC) is proposed for flexible and sustainable building automation. The implications of a building automation system for sustainability are defined, and model predictive control is introduced as an ideal tool to cover all requirements. The HMPC is presented as a development suitable for the optimization of modern buildings, as well as retrofitting. The performance and flexibility of the HMPC is demonstrated by simulation studies of a modern office building, and the perfect interaction with future smart grids is shown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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10477 KiB

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Reducing Simulation Performance Gap in Hemp-Lime Buildings Using Fourier Filtering †

by Ljubomir Jankovic

Sustainability 2016, 8(9), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8090864 - 29 Aug 2016

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4223

Abstract

Mainstream dynamic simulation tools used by designers do not have a built-in capability to accurately simulate the effect of hemp-lime on building temperature and relative humidity. Due to the specific structure of hemp-lime, heat travels via a maze of solid branches whilst the capillary tubes absorb and release moisture. The resultant heat and moisture transfer cannot be fully represented in mainstream simulation tools, causing a significant performance gap between the simulation and the actual performance. The author has developed an analysis method, based on a numerical procedure for digital signal filtering using Fourier series. The paper develops and experimentally validates transfer functions that enhance simulation results and enable accurate representation of behaviour of buildings built from hemp-lime material using the results of a post-occupancy research project. As a performance gap between design simulation and actual buildings occurs in relation to all buildings, this method has a wider scope of application in reducing the performance gap. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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2346 KiB

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The Productivity Paradox in Green Buildings

by Hugh Byrd and Eziaku Onyeizu Rasheed

Sustainability 2016, 8(4), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8040347 - 08 Apr 2016

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 9796

Abstract

In this paper we challenge the notion that “green” buildings can achieve greater productivity than buildings that are not accredited as “green”. For nearly two decades, research has produced apparent evidence which indicates that the design of a “green” building can enhance the productivity of its occupants. This relationship between building design and productivity is claimed to be achieved through compliance with internal environmental quality (IEQ) criteria of Green rating tools. This paper reviews methods of measuring productivity and the appropriateness of the metrics used for measuring IEQ in office environments. This review is supported by the results of a survey of office building users which identifies social factors to be significantly more important than environmental factors in trying to correlate productivity and IEQ. It also presents the findings of observations that were discretely carried out on user-response in green buildings. These findings demonstrate that, despite a building’s compliance with IEQ criteria, occupants still resort to exceptional measures to alter their working environment in a bid to achieve comfort. The work has been carried out on “green” buildings in New Zealand. These buildings are rated based on the NZ “Green Star” system which has adopted the Australian “green star” system with its roots in BREEAM. Despite this, the results of this research are applicable to many other “green” rating systems. The paper concludes that methods of measuring productivity are flawed, that IEQ criteria for building design is unrepresentative of how occupants perceive the environment and that this can lead to an architecture that has few of the inherent characteristics of good environmental design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Post Occupancy Evaluation)

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