Search Results (69)

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) significantly impacts people’s comfort, health, and productivity in buildings, and modern green rating systems are primarily focused on energy efficiency rather than the direct user experience. This paper analyses the relationship between IEQ and the perceived quality of life (QoL) of certified and conventional office buildings in Malaysia using a mixed-methods design. The questionnaires were completed by 162 employees working in four open-plan offices: two were certified under the Green Building Index (GBI) established in Malaysia, and two were traditional. This was supplemented by 14 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus groups. The factors of IEQ were divided into ambient, designed, and behavioral environments. It was statistically determined that behavioral factors, such as visual privacy, personalization, ergonomics, and control, exhibited the strongest correlations with overall QoL, compared to ambient factors such as air quality or thermal comfort. Green buildings performed better in terms of daylighting and esthetics than conventional buildings, though they did not always deliver higher occupant satisfaction. The results indicate that current green certification frameworks pay insufficient attention to occupant-centered aspects. The proposed research adds a validated IEQ-QoL framework that predicts the incorporation of subjective user experience into building performance indicators, which can be important for certification reform, post-occupancy evaluation (POE), and human-centered sustainable design approaches. Full article

Traditional Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is static and incompatible with dynamic systems like Digital Twins, creating a digital gap in managing health-oriented urban environments, especially in Urban Underground Spaces (UUS). This paper bridges this gap with a deep learning framework that automates the continuous prediction of human physiological arousal. We created a novel multimodal dataset from in situ experiments, synchronizing first-person video, environmental data, and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) as a real-time physiological arousal proxy. Our dual-branch spatial–temporal model fuses these data streams to predict GSR with high accuracy (Pearson’s r = 0.72), effectively mapping objective environmental inputs to continuous human physiological dynamics. This framework provides an automated, human-centric analysis engine for urban planning, design validation, and real-time building management. It establishes a foundational ‘human dynamics layer’ for urban Digital Twins, evolving them into predictive tools for simulating human-environment interactions and embedding physiological perception into intelligent urban systems. Full article

Winter thermal comfort in university classrooms in China’s Hot Summer and Cold Winter (HSCW) regions remains problematic due to mismatches between institutional heating setpoints and students’ actual thermal preferences. To investigate students’ thermal perceptions and behavioral responses, a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) survey was conducted, followed by field measurements in a typical classroom in Chengdu under three conditions: no-heating condition, heating conditions at 20 °C and 25 °C. Indoor environmental parameters were continuously monitored, and thermal comfort was assessed using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) model. The results show that no-heating conditions were unacceptable, highlighting the necessity of heating. While the 20 °C setpoint provided partial improvement, thermal comfort was not consistently achieved throughout the day. In contrast, the 25 °C setpoint maintained near-neutral conditions during most occupied periods. In addition, a pre-heating duration of approximately 30 min was found to be essential for reducing initial thermal discomfort. Overall, the findings indicate that fixed institutional heating standards may not adequately satisfy students’ thermal needs. Adaptive heating strategies that combine appropriate setpoints with sufficient pre-heating duration are therefore recommended to balance thermal comfort and energy efficiency in university classrooms in the HSCW regions. Full article

Against the background of high-quality development and urban renewal in China, old residential communities have become key areas for improving spatial quality and quality of life. We used the entrance pavilion of Baoshengli North Community as a case study to explore how spatial design and layout can meet residents’ psychological and social needs. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, combining field observation, behavioral mapping, a questionnaire (Total = 105), in-depth interviews, and statistical analysis, a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) was conducted on spatial effectiveness and social functions. The results show that user-oriented spatial design, safety, esthetic quality, and inclusive functions significantly enhance residents’ spatial perception, willingness to use the space, and social interaction. Differentiated spatial preferences and potential conflicts among diverse resident groups were also identified. Targeted design interventions can effectively strengthen the connection between spatial use and subjective perception, and participatory and equitable strategies help promote social harmony and justice. This study enriches the post-occupancy evaluation system for the renewal of old communities from psychological and social dimensions, and provides practical references for user-centered, inclusive, and sustainable public space design in urban renewal practices. One limitation of this study is that data were collected over a single period, which restricts the analysis of seasonal impacts on spatial usage. Full article

In the context of immersive technologies deeply integrated into the cultural tourism industry, immersive cultural tourism has become an important means of heritage revitalization. Immersive experience is both a crucial consumer element and a key indicator for evaluating the attractiveness of cultural tourism landscapes. This study evaluates the post-use experience of the cultural tourism landscape of Xidajie Street in Baoding from the perspective of tourist immersion. Through a literature review, investigation of typical immersive districts, and expert interviews, we extract immersive cultural tourism landscape evaluation criteria based on a depth model of immersion, focusing on three dimensions: narrative, enclosure, and interaction. Subjective perception data from tourists is then collected through a survey, and IPA (Importance–Performance Analysis) is employed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Xidajie’s cultural tourism landscape. The results show that Xidajie excels in spatial environment shaping and historical preservation, but has room for improvement in cultural narrative extension, contextual immersion, and interactive experiences. Therefore, strategies are proposed to enhance the cultural IP, establish a complete narrative structure, create authentic enveloping environments, and enrich interactive games to build a high-quality online and offline immersive cultural tourism landscape. This aims to promote the renewal of Xidajie and the dynamic transmission of Baoding’s local culture. Full article

This study develops and validates a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) framework to assess the social support level of elderly–child composite spaces. Grounded in social support theory, POE theory, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the framework comprises 2 core dimensions (instrumental support and emotional support), 6 first-level indicators, and 29 s-level indicators. The indicators were constructed through literature analysis, field research, and other methods, with weights determined via the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) involving 10 interdisciplinary experts. Weighting results indicate that instrumental support (0.6208) carries greater importance than emotional support (0.3792); among first-level indicators, “accessibility and safety” (under instrumental support) and “degree of demand satisfaction” (under emotional support) rank highest. The framework was applied to 12 typical spaces across 4 categories in Hangzhou’s Minsheng Complexes (a community-integrated public service model). Empirical results show that infant–toddler growth stations achieved the highest scores (82.86–86.42), while community living rooms performed the weakest (78.96–81.21), with “function–need mismatch” identified as the core issue. This evaluation system provides a scientific basis for spatial diagnosis, optimization, and high-quality planning of elderly-child composite spaces in the future. Full article

Wildlife parks play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation and environmental education. However, their management effectiveness remains under-evaluated from an ecological sustainability perspective. Existing evaluation frameworks for wildlife park management are largely human-centered and overlook wildlife as independent subjects. To address this gap, this study emphasizes the intrinsic value of wildlife as independent ecological actors, and proposes an evaluation framework for management effectiveness from a non-human-centered perspective. The framework encompasses five criterion layers subdivided into 24 evaluation indicators established using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) was subsequently employed as an example application to demonstrate the implementation of the framework at Beijing Wildlife Park (BWP), yielding a comprehensive evaluation index of 76.87%. The results indicate differentiated performance across the five evaluation dimensions without constituting a site-specific judgment. The example application demonstrates the feasibility and operability of the framework, addressing the shortcomings of conventional evaluation approaches in ethical and ecological dimensions. This study provides a decision-support tool to guide the enhancement of environmental management in wildlife parks and may inform evaluation in related animal-oriented spaces. Full article

Addressing the challenge of misalignment between high capital input and operational efficacy in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) led rural revitalization often highlighted in relevant studies, this study establishes a dual perspective Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) framework that integrates objective efficiency measurement with subjective mechanism diagnosis. Leveraging multi-source official data from 11 China Resources Hope Towns, we apply an entropy-weighted super-efficiency DEA model for holistic assessment, complemented by an in-depth diagnostic of the Jinzhai project. The results indicate that operational performance is not a linear function of investment scale but exhibits significant heterogeneity. The analysis delineates distinct inefficiency typologies: the “Scale Restricted” type, characterized by effective management constrained by insufficient functional agglomeration, and the “Management-Constrained” type, marked by challenges in converting physical assets into economic vitality. Notably, the Jinzhai case exposes a critical “Delivery Utility Divergence,” where high technical efficiency coexists with moderate resident satisfaction revealed by survey data, highlighting structural gaps in service accessibility. Consequently, this research proposes a “Diagnose-Feedback-Optimization” closed-loop governance framework. It advocates a paradigm shift from uniform construction delivery to differentiated operational strategies, specifically structured expansion, asset activation, and service patching, to effectively align facility supply with resident needs throughout the full lifecycle. Full article

Industrial workplaces, especially in vulnerable, hot, and arid developing countries, face major challenges in maintaining indoor comfort conditions due to the escalating problem of global temperature rise. This study investigates passive scenarios of adaptive retrofitting for a case study carpet and rug industrial plant in Cairo, Egypt to achieve indoor comfort conditions and energy efficiency. The research method included a Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) for the operational phase of individual work units through measurements and simulations to investigate indoor thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort conditions as well as air quality concerns. Thus, the study presents a set of recommendations for building unit(s) and collectively for the entire facility by applying integrated application of building envelope enhancements; optimized opening design, thermal wall insulation and high-albedo (reflective) exterior coatings for wall and roof surfaces. Comparing the modified case to the base case scenario shows significant improvements. Thermal comfort achieved a 16% to 33% reduction in discomfort hours during peak summer, primarily through a 33% increase in air flow velocity and better humidity control. Visual comfort indicated improvements in daylight harvesting, with Daylighting Autonomy increasing by 47% to 64% in core areas, improving light uniformity and reducing glare potential by decreasing peak illuminance by approximately 25%. Thus, the combined envelope and system modifications resulted in a 60 to 80% reduction in monthly Energy Use Intensity (EUI). The effectiveness of the mitigation measures using acoustic insulation was demonstrated in reducing sound pollution transferring outdoors, but the high indoor sound levels require further near-source mitigation or specialized acoustic treatment for complete success. Eventually, the research method helps create a mechanism for measuring and controlling indoor comfort conditions, provide an internal baseline or benchmark to which future development can be compared against, and pinpoint areas of improvement. This can act as a pilot project for green solutions to mitigate the problem of climate change in industrial workplaces and pave the way for further collaboration with the industrial sector. Full article

This article examines the integration of salutogenic design principles into the legal and regulatory framework for buildings in Poland, situating the analysis within a broader European and international context. The study combines a systematic literature review, a comparative analysis of Polish building law and technical conditions with international standards and empirical evidence from case studies and Post-Occupancy Evaluations (POE) conducted in hospitals, offices, and schools. This triangulated approach allowed for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of key salutogenic factors, including daylight access, acoustic comfort, air quality, thermal conditions, aesthetics, ergonomics, and opportunities for social interaction. The results demonstrate that Polish regulations continue to focus on minimum hygienic and safety requirements, thereby reflecting a pathogenic rather than salutogenic approach. While some factors—such as daylight and ventilation—are partially included, critical dimensions of psychosocial well-being remain underrepresented. By contrast, both European EN standards and voluntary frameworks such as WELL systematically incorporate broader salutogenic dimensions. Evidence from Polish POE studies further highlights gaps between regulatory compliance and actual user experiences, e.g., excessive hospital noise, insufficient lighting in operating rooms, and the absence of biophilic or therapeutic features. The discussion highlights challenges of measurability, economic feasibility, and stakeholder acceptance, while also emphasizing long-term health and social benefits. The conclusions recommend incorporating salutogenic principles into Polish law and sustainability policies, promoting pilot projects, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration. In this way, buildings can evolve from merely preventing harm to actively supporting health, well-being, and resilience—aligning with global trends in human-centered sustainable design. Full article

Green buildings are recognised for their potential to reduce energy consumption, minimise environmental impact, and improve occupants’ well-being, benefits that are especially critical in rapidly urbanising regions. However, questions remain about whether these buildings fully meet occupant comfort expectations while delivering energy efficiency. This is particularly relevant in Africa, where climate conditions and energy infrastructure challenges make sustainable building operation essential. Although interest in sustainable construction has increased, limited research has examined the real-world performance of green buildings in Africa. This study helps address that gap by evaluating indoor thermal comfort in a green-certified office building and two conventional office buildings in Abuja, Nigeria, through post-occupancy evaluation (POE). The Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) were used to assess comfort, revealing discrepancies between predicted and actual occupant responses. In the green building, PMV indicated near-neutral conditions (0.28), yet occupants reported a slightly cool sensation (TSV: −1.1). Neutral temperature analysis showed that the TSV-based neutral temperature (26.5 °C) was 2.2 °C higher than the operative temperature (24.3 °C), suggesting overcooling. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating occupant feedback into HVAC control. Aligning cooling setpoints with comfort preferences could improve satisfaction and reduce unnecessary cooling, promoting energy-efficient building operation. Full article

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of higher education (HE) buildings significantly impacts the built environment sector. This research aimed to optimize learning environments and enhance student comfort, especially post-COVID-19. The study adopts the principles of Post-occupancy Evaluation (POE) to collect and analyze various quantitative and qualitative data through environmental data monitoring, a user perceptions survey, and semi-structured interviews with professionals. Although the environmental conditions generally met existing standards, the findings indicated opportunities for further improvements to better support university communities’ comfort and health. A significant challenge identified by this research is the inability of the facility management to physically manage and operate the vast and complex spaces within HE buildings with contemporary IEQ standards. In response to these findings, this research developed a BIM-based prototype for the real-time monitoring and automated control of IEQ. The prototype integrates a BIM model with Arduino-linked sensors, motors, and traffic lights, with the latter visually indicating IEQ status, while motors automatically adjust environmental conditions based on sensor inputs. The outcomes of this study not only contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable building management, especially post-pandemic, but also demonstrate an advancement in the application of BIM technologies to improve IEQ and by extension, occupant wellbeing in HE buildings. Full article

The Social Housing units in the “Minha Casa Minha Vida Program” (PMCMV), launched in 2009, aimed to reduce the housing deficit in Brazil. However, they resulted in standardized units of low architectural quality, which were disconnected from the diverse Brazilian contexts. These housing units exhibit low resilience and lack the technical assistance required for renovations, leading residents to undertake self-built modifications. Such interventions, often inadequate, negatively impact environmental comfort and structural safety. The Federal Law on Technical Assistance for Social Housing (TASH) No. 11.888 advanced the provision of technical assistance but still faces challenges regarding its implementation due to significant demand. This article is part of a master’s research project linked to the [CASA RESILIENTE] initiative of the [MORA] Research Group on Housing and, aims to identify and analyze relevant studies, contributing to the analysis and improvement of the pilot platform “[REFORMA] na palma da mão” (“Handy Home Improvements”). The methodology includes a literature review of TASH, resilience in the built environment, social practices in Social Housing (SH), and post-occupancy evaluation (POE), as well as a study of artifacts similar to the proposed platform. The results highlight the importance of POE, the urgency of implementing TASH, and the need to deepen studies on social practices in SH to provide guidelines for more resilient renovations. Full article

Good enclosure design is central to the improvement of conditions for animals housed in zoos and aquaria, yet the study of a priori enclosure design or post hoc through Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is somewhat limited in the scientific literature. The concept of trialing novel exhibit components before enclosure construction, through a process known as Temporary Exhibit Design (TED), was recently proposed as a strategy to prevent problems that often occur as a result of untested exhibit creation, with a view to ultimately improve welfare outcomes and reduce subsequent exhibit redevelopment. In this paper, we consider the potential input required from three key enclosure design stakeholders: the animal, the visitor, and zoo staff. We also consider the potential benefits for each of these stakeholders when participating in TED, alongside the wider zoo organizational benefits. TED has the potential to reduce construction costs and post-construction redevelopment, enhance animal welfare, and ensure that educational messages are effectively communicated. Full article

This paper presents a systematic post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of a gated apartment building in Onaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia, focusing on resident satisfaction and building performance. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative data from questionnaires and qualitative data from walkthrough observations and interviews to assess various performance aspects, including thermal comfort, visual comfort, acoustic performance, and safety. Results indicate that residents generally expressed satisfaction with thermal comfort, visual comfort, and indoor air quality. However, concerns were highlighted in areas such as safety and security, design adequacy, and construction support services. These findings reveal that while the building meets many occupant needs, there are critical areas requiring improvement. This study underscores the importance of incorporating POE as a valuable tool for assessing building performance and informing future design and management strategies in residential developments. Finally, this study’s methodology excelled in analyzing the quality and performance of residential building elements, which contributes to enriching the literature related to facilities management. It explains the research strategy followed to provide an organized and reliable framework that can be used to evaluate performance and quality in residential buildings. Full article