Conducting post occupancy evaluation can aid clients in understanding the environmental conditions, design quality and utility usage of their development against industry standards.
Analysis of building user survey responses and utility data can highlight any design flaws, reduce running costs as well as improve business productivity.
Project Inception
A pre-visit questionnaire is required to establish relevant contacts for the subject building including building/tenant leadership and facilities management (FM) staff. Information requested in the pre-visit questionnaire is listed below. The survey strategy will be discussed with the client and a survey type will be agreed upon.
- Display Energy Certificate (DEC), including Gross Internal Area (GIA)
- Net Lettable Floor Area and Gross Internal Area
- Total Staff Numbers and operational hours of the building
- Energy bills for the last three years and/ or half-hourly consumption data if relevant and details of any separable energy uses (e.g. separately metered server rooms / catering facilities)
- Water bills for the last three years and/or half-hourly consumption data if relevant
Survey Distribution and Data Collection
The POE assessor will be required to travel to the subject building the start of survey distribution. Surveys will be distributed to building occupants, in accordance with the building size, and details on the surveys aim and anonymity will be explained. Initial and final survey collections will occur before meeting with the designated building contacts to summarise the activities undertaken.
The survey data collected will be input into the BUS methodology pro-forma, removing any non-anonymous data. Arup will then be advised that the completed BUS methodology pro-forma is ready for processing.
Data Analysis
Using the data obtained and analysed, Stride Treglown will calculate an indicative Display Energy Certificate score. A report will be issued with data in the following sequence:
1) Occupant Satisfaction
2) Energy Performance – Electricity
3) Energy Performance – Fossil Fuels
4) Carbon
5) Water