AR 707 – ASSESSMENT OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

POE: CASE STUDY OF INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING

PRASHANTHINI RAJAGOPAL
201117010 (M.ARCH)
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
PHASES OF BUILDING PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:

1. STRATEGIC PLANNING
2. PROGRAMMING
3. DESIGN REVIEW
4. CONSTRUCTION
5. POSTOCCUPANCY EVALUATION
6. MARKET/NEEDS ANALYSIS

THREE TYPES OF POST CCUPANCY EVALUATION:

1. INDICATIVE
2. INVESTIGATIVE
3. DIAGNOSTIC
CASE STUDY: Architecture and Software Engineering Departments in Salahaddin
University-Erbil, Iraq

INTRODUCTION OF POE IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:

• For effective functioning and productivity of the spaces, educational institutions

along with its overall environment and facilities must be of high performance.

• Post occupancy evaluation of such building may be used to revise design

standards and its oversight. It can also be used to improve upon certain features
for the future – within the same complex or other similar spaces outside the
complex.
CONTEXT OF THE STUDY:

• Salahaddin University-Erbil was founded in 1968 in Sulaimani. In 1981, the

university was moved to Erbil and the name was changed to Salahaddin
University-Erbil.

• It is the oldest and largest public comprehensive university in Kurdistan region. It

is the educational home to more than 26,000 undergraduates and more than 900
graduate students

• Salahaddin University-Erbil has more than 1700 academic staff and 4,000
employees in administration and professional staff.

• There were functional and environmental deficiencies in the building after its
occupancy, especially due to increased intake of students
TYPICAL GROUND FLOOR PLAN OF THE BUILDING AND DESIGN OVERVIEW:

• The building is two stories in height

• Cruciform in shape
• 10 studios
• Library
• Cafeteria
• administration rooms
• Staffrooms
• laboratories and workshops
• Lecture and seminar halls.
• Six wash- rooms
• Three stairwells are available on
each floor.
The total internal floor area of the
• The modular dimension of the
building is approximately 2675.2 m2
building is 7.2m X 7.2 m.
THE AIM OF POE DONE ON THIS BUILDING:

• Diagnose problems/defects based on complaints of the occupants

• Finding solution for the building in use
• Find possible alternatives for the present design process
• Find the desires/needs of the occupants and align future buildings to meet
expectations

POE APPROACHES THAT COULD BE USED:

• Indicative – walk through observations and interviews
• Investigative- Questionnaires and surveys
• Diagnostic- Physical measurements of the building

For a primary study indicative approach was initially used

Investigative POE was selected to do an in depth study of user satisfaction
INDICATIVE APPROACH: CASUAL INTERVIEWS

PRIMARY COMPLAINTS BY THE OCCUPANTS:

• Performance and functional efficiency

• Accessibility
• Distribution and configuration of spaces
• Ventilation
• Day-lighting
• Thermal comfort
• Productivity
• Security and safety
INVESTIGATIVE APPROACH: QUESTIONNAIRES

QUESTIONAIRE SURVEY:

• Questionnaire surveys are recognized as a key component of any building

performance evaluation study.
• Performance indicators is developed to address various performance attributes
and elements contributing to the overall performance satisfaction.
• The questionnaire was designed using a five-point Likert scale, where:

• 5 - Represents very satisfied (VS)

• 4 - Represents satisfied (S)
• 3 - Represents moderately satisfied (MS)
• 2 - Represents dissatisfied (D)
• 1 - Represents very dissatisfied (VD)
QUESTIONAIRE SURVEY:

• A total of 40 questions were asked

• The questionnaire can be divided in two parts:

1. Design Quality
 Building Layout
 Interior Appearance
 Exterior Appearance
 Accessibility

2. Indoor Environmental Quality

 Thermal comfort
 Indoor Air Quality
 Acoustic Comfort
 Visual Comfort
 Security and Safety
SAMPLE SIZE:

• The effective population size (N) was 500

• The sample error (e) was considered 0.1, indicating a 90% confidence that
the sample size accurately represents the population.
• This process resulted in a sample size (n) of 94 respondents, representing
18.8% of the population (building occupants).
• A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed to the users, and 107
responses were received
• Total of 94 valid responses were adopted in the study, representing nearly
78% of the distributed questionnaires that were retrieved.

SOFTWARE USED:

• Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0

POE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

A. DESIGN QUALITIES OF THE BUILDING – Encompasses architectural attributes of the

built environment such as the design, special configuration, orientation/location
with respect to other facilities, landscape around the building and the overall
aesthetic appearance.

1. BUILDING LAYOUT: Occupants behavior can be affected through certain

architectural elements such as the attributes related to the space, location, shape,
size and its relationship with the other spaces.

• Adequacy of horizontal circulation routes in the building

• Adequacy of vertical circulation routes within the building
• Spatial configuration, size/zoning/grouping of spaces, rooms, studios, and halls
• Proportions and dimensions and ceiling height of the rooms/halls/spaces
• Adequacy of opening design (doors and windows)
2. INTERNAL APPEARANCE: The aesthetic perception of a building can have a significant
impact on the building performance and is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of a
building.

• Appearance, Quality and presentation of interior finishes

• Quality, size, color, and distribution of furniture/instruments/tools in all spaces
• Overall quality, appearance, and presentation of the building's interior finishes, furniture,
materials, and colors

3. EXTERNAL APPEARANCE: The visual appeal of a building when seen from the outside
must give an inviting and grandeur appearance, especially for an educational institute
with significant reputation.

• Quality and presentation of exterior finishes

• Quality and presentation of landscaping and pavements around the building
• Availability of adequate sidewalks between buildings
• Quality of open space design (green parks and walkways)
• Overall quality, appearance, and presentation of the building's exterior finishes, materials,
and colors
4. ACCESSABILITY: The location of a building and its proximity to other significant
spaces must be of great satisfaction for the occupants.

• Proximity to sports facilities

• Proximity to the student cafeteria
• Proximity to shuttle bus stops (public transportation)
• Proximity to car parking facilities
• Proximity to places of worship
• Overall adequacy and quality of accessibility
B. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY- this must be taken as a primary objective when
designing as it has a direct influence on health and productivity.

1. THERMAL COMFORT: ASHRAE 55(2004) defines thermal comfort as “the state of

mind that expresses satisfaction with the surrounding thermal environment.” HVAC
system and natural ventilation system play a significant role in thermal comfort for
the occupants. The ability to handle both these aspects will relate to thermal comfort.

• Overall quality of the thermal comfort in a building (natural and artificial in a building)

2. INDOOR AIR QUALITY: Anderson et al.(2014) define IAQ as “the comfortable range of
the temperature, humidity, ventilation and chemical or biological contaminants of
the air inside a building.” Poor IAQ will lead to sick building syndrome and building
related illness. It may also cause other health concerns such as allergies, irritation and
asthma.

• Quality of air in rooms, studios, and labs (smelliness and dryness)

• Quality of air in washrooms and toilets
• Quality of air in the lobby ,common spaces, and corridors
• Overall indoor air quality
3. ACOUSTICAL QUALITY: “Acoustic criteria cover the ambient level of sound, the transmission
of sound between areas and rooms, reverberation, and specific areas such as machine noise
and auditorium acoustics” (Preiseretal.,1988). Both indoor and outdoor acoustical comforts
play a role in maintaining comfort. Although indoor noises can be controlled the same cannot
be said for the outdoor spaces. Thus, it is necessary to filter such noises through building
envelopes that can filter them out.

• Noise from people between rooms and spaces

• Noise from the air/HVAC system
• Noise from lighting fixtures (bulbs and lamps)
• Noise from outside the building
• Overall acoustic comfort quality

4. VISUAL COMFORT: The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA, 2000)
defines visual comfort as “an essential human need that can affect task performance, health
and safety, and mood and atmosphere.” Both artificial and day lighting must be considered
for a proper visual comfort. Allowing day light to enter the building reduces cost of producing
artificial lighting and is easier on the eye for the occupants.

• Adequacy and quality of natural lighting levels in all spaces

• Adequacy and quality of artificial lighting levels in all spaces
• Overall quality and adequacy of lighting in the building
5. SECURITY AND FIRE SAFETY: Security is defined as “the degree of resistance to, or
protection from, harm. It applies to any vulnerable and valuable asset, such as a person,
dwelling, community, nation, or organization” (Garcia, 2007).
 
• Overall quality and adequacy of security and fire safety in the building

6. QUALITY OF BUILDING SUPPORT SERVICES: Building services and infrastructures are

important aspects of the built space and it becomes more crucial when it comes to
educational facilities as this can alter the quality of life on the occupants.

• Quality , cleanliness of washroom facilities and all spaces

• Quality of doors and windows, key to doors, and lockers
• Availability and quality of support services for disabled persons
• Availability and quality of water supply
• Availability and quality of electrical supply
• Overall availability and QBSS
DATA COLLECTION:
CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE STUDY:

 
1. BUILDING LAYOUT: the mean value of the overall quality of building layout items
and attributes was (3.3), which is a degree of satisfaction above the moderate.
Adequacy of horizontal circulation, adequacy of vertical circulation, and
proportions and dimensions of spaces were just above moderate while spatial
configuration of spaces and adequacy of opening design was below moderate.

• Need more openings inside the building (Doors and Windows)

• Grouping a zoning of the spaces can be improved to a VS level
• Size of certain rooms are not enough to efficiently perform the function
 ADEQUACY OF HORIZONTAL CIRCULATION
INFERENCES:
45
 MAJORITY OF THE
40
OCCUPANTS ARE MODERATELY
35 SATISFIED WHILE SATISFIED
30 OCCUPANTS COME A CLOSE
25 SECOND.
20
THE CURRENT DESIGN
PERFORMS WELL IN TERMS OF
15
ADEQUECY OF HORIZONTAL
10
CIRCULATION
5
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

ADEQUACY OF VERTICAL CIRCULATION

45
40
THE RESULTS ARE CLOSE TO
THE SATISFACTION MIRRORED
35
IN HORIZONTAL CIRCULATION
30
 OCCUPANTS ARE MOSTLY
25 SATISFIED WITH DESIGN
20 THE PRESENT DESIGN CAN BE
15 RETAINED AND CAN BE USED
10 FOR FUTURE BUILDINGS
5
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Spatial configuration, size/zoning/grouping of spaces,rooms,studios,and hall
INFERENCES:
40

35  OCCUPANTS LARGELY FALL

30
INTO TWO CATEGORIES-
DISSATISFIED OR MODERATELY
25
SATISFIED.
20  SPATIAL CONFIGURATION
15
AND ZONING HAS SOMEWHAT
FAILED IN DESIGN
10
 NEED TO REANALYSE THE
5 BASICS OF ARRANGEMENT
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

Proportions and dimensions and ceiling height of the rooms/ halls/ spaces
45
 WHILE MAJORITY OF THE
40
OCCUPANTS ARE MODERATELY
35 SATISFIED, THE SECOND
30 MAJORITY ARE DISSATISFIED
25 HOWEVER, CLOSE ENOUGH
20
ARE THE OCCUPANTS WHO
ARE SATISFIED
15
THERE SEEMS TO BE A MIXED
10 RESPONSE FROM THE
5 OCCUAPNTS
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Adequacy of opening design (doors and windows) INFERENCES:
35
 OCCUPANTS BY LARGE ARE
30 DISSATISFIED WITH THE
25
DESIGN OF OPENINGS
 WHILE THE SECOND
20 MAJORITY CLOSELY FOLLOW
15
TOWARDS THE SATISFIED SIDE
 HOWEVER, CONSIDERING
10 THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
5
ARE DISSATISFIED, IT IS CLEAR
THAT THE OPENING DESIGN
0 STRATEGY NEEDS MORE
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
WORK.

Overall quality of building layout

 OCCUPANTS RATING FALLS
45
BETWEEN DISSATISFIED TO
40 MODERATELY SATISFIED
35  CONSIDERING EDUCATIONAL
30 BUILDINGS TO BE OF GREAT
25 IMPRTANCE- IT SEEMS THAT
20
THE OVERALL BUILDING
QUALITY HAS FAILED THE
15
EXPECTATION OF THE USERS.
10  NEED TO GO BACK TO THE
5 DRAWING BOARD TO WORK
0 ON QUALITY
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 2. INTERIOR APPEARANCES: The overall quality and
presentation of interior appearance achieved a mean value
of (2.19), users’ satisfaction level was less than the
moderate.

• Quality of interior finishes must be improved

• Better interior decoration needed
• Distribution of furniture inadequate due to mismanaged
size
• Material and color must be coordinated better

Quality and presentation of interior finishes INFERENCES:

45
 THE QUALITY AND
40
PRESENTATION OF THE
35
INTERIOR FINISHES SEEMS TO
30 COMPLETELY FAIL.
25 USERS ARE LARGELY
20
DISSATISFIED TO VERY
DISSATISFIED
15
 NEED FOR RE-WORK ON THE
10 FINISHES
5  BETTER QUALITY AND
0
WORKMANSHIP NEEDED FOR
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied THE FINISHES
 Quality ,size, color ,and distribution of furniture
INFERENCES:
50
 OCCUPANTS ARE LARGELY
45
DISSATISFIED WITH THE
40
FURNITURE PROVIDED
35
IN AN EDUCATIONAL
30
INSTITUTE IT IS PERTINENT TO
25
HAVE QUALITY FURNITURE
20
FOR BOTH COMFORT AND
15
PRODUCTIVITY
10
 TIME TO REFURNISH AND
5
UGRADING OF FURNITURE IN
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
THE INSTITUTE

Overall quality ,appearance, and presentation of the building's interior

 BUILDINGS INTERIOR DOES
45
NOT SEEM TO PLEASE THE
40
OCCUPANTS
35  THERE ARE LARGE NUMBER
30 OF USERS WHO ARE
25 DISSATISFIED OR VERY
20 DISSATISFIED
15
AETHETIC APPEAL CAN BE
IMPROVED UPON
10
 SINCE USERS SPEND A LARGE
5
NUMBER OF TIME INSIDE THE
0 BUILDING, CREATING AN
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
AMBIENT SPACE IN REQUIRED
 3. EXTERIOR APPEARANCES: the overall quality, appearance, and presentation of the
building exterior attained a mean value of (2.63), users were dissatisfied.

• Exterior finishes were dissatisfying for the users – need for redesign or re-work
• While landscaping, greenery and walkways were satisfactory a significant
number felt that the outdoor spaces must be better maintained or must be
designed better

Quality and presentation of exterior finishes

45
INFERENCES:
40  THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
35 NUMBER OF USERS WHO ARE
30 DISSATISFIED WITH THE
EXTERIOR FINISH
25
 OVERALL EXTERNAL
20
AESTHETIC APPEAL FAILED
15  NEED FOR INSTITUTE OF
10 IMPORTANCE FOR A
GRANDIOSE DESIGN AND
5
WELCOMING SIGNAL
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Quality and presentation of landscaping and pavements around the building INFERENCES:
45

40
 LANDSCAPING AND
PAVEMENTS SEEM TO DO
35
SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE
30 PREVIOUS PARAMETERS.
25 HOWEVER, A QUARTER OF
20 THE USERS ARE STILL
15
DISSATISFIED
LANDSCAPING PROPERLY CAN
10
INCREASE AESTHETIC APPEAL,
5 HAVE USE FOR OUTDOOR
0 LEARNING AND IMPROVE
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
MICRO-CLIMATE

Availability of adequate sidewalks between buildings

45  MOST USERS SEEM TO FIND
40 ADEQUATE SIDEWALKS
35 BETWEEN BUILDINGS
30
 SOME ROOM FOR
IMPROVEMENT AS MORE
25
THAN A FIFTH OF THE
20
POPULATION ARE STILL
15 DISSATIFIED
10  MAPPING OF WALKING
5 MOVEMENTS AND SHORTCUTS
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Quality of open space design (green parks and walkways)
INFERENCES:
35
 OPEN SPACE SEEMS TO HAVE
30 SOME SUCCESS
HOWEVER, CLOSE TO THIRTY
25
PERCENT ARE STILL
20 DISSATISIFED
 HOWEVER, AN
15
OVERWHELMING NUMBER
10 SEEM TO FIND IT IN SOME
LEVEL OF SATISFACTION
5
 ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
0 IN DESIGN
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

Overall quality ,appearance, and presentation of the building's exterior

40
 THE BUILDING EXTERIOR IS
35 LARGELY UNSUCCESSFUL
30  LARGE NUMBER OF USER
ARE DISSATISFIED
25
 INSTITUTE OF IMPORTANCE
20 MUST HAVE A BETTER VISUAL
15 APPEAL
 DESIGN SHOULD INCITE
10
SPIRIT OF LEARNING AND
5 IMPORTANCE
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
4. ACCESSABILITY: this indicator achieved a mean value of (2.87), users’ satisfaction
level for the selected building was slightly lower than the moderate level in terms
of accessibility to facilities on campus.

• Access to sports facility is poor

• Additional bus stop nearby if possible
• Student cafeteria must be at a much less distance

Proximity to sports facilities

60 INFERENCES:

50  OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
ARE DISSATIFIED WITH THE
40 PROXIMITY TO SPORTS FACILITY
NOT PROPERLY ACCESSIBLE TO
30 THE USERS
 FUTURE DESIGN MUST KEEP
20
USER SPACES IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY
10
FIND ALTERNATE SHORTCUT
0
ROUTES IF IT EXISTS
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Proximity to the student cafeteria INFERENCES:
35
 USERS ARE LARGELY
30
DISATIFIED WITH THE
25 LOCATION OF THE CAFETRIA
FROM THEIR LEANRING
20 CENTRE
15
 TIME SLOT GIVEN FOR
LUNCH BREAK COULD ALSO
10 PLAY A ROLE
 NEED FOR FUTUTE DESIGNS
5
TO BE MORE COMPACT
0 LOOK OUT FOR SHORTER
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
ROUTES THAT COULD LEAD
THROUGH PATHWAYS
Proximity to shuttle bus stops (public transportation)
35

30  USERS HIGHLY UNSATISFIED

WITH THE LOCATION OF BUS
25 STOPS
20
 BUILDING MAY FIND ITSELF
ISOLATED IF SUCH FACILITIES
15 ARE KEPT AT AN INACCESSIBLE
10
DISTANCE

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Proximity to car parking facilities INFERENCES:
30
 THE PROXIMITY TO CAR
25 PARKING SEEMS TO BE
FALLING IN ALL RATING ZONES
20  PERHAPS SUCH FACILITIES
ARE KEPT IN ADEQUATE
15
AMOUNT NEAR CERTAIN
10
DEPARTMENTS BUT ABSENT IN
OTHERS
5  NEED FOR WHOLISTIC
APPROACH TO FIND
0 ADEQUATE SLOTS NEAR ALL
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
DEPARTMENTS

Proximity to places of worship

35
 MORE NUMBER OF USERS
30
SEEM TO WANT WORSHIP
25 PLACES TO BE KEPT CLOSE TO
THE PRIMARY CENTERE
20  NEED TO ANALYSE WHETHER
15
ABIDING BY THESE WISHES
HINDER LEARNING
10  FUTURE DESIGNS NEED TO
BE MORE COMPACT INSTEAD
5
OF A HAPHAZARD PLANNING
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 INFERENCES:
Overall adequacy and quality of accessibility
40  OVERALL USERS FALL BETWEEN
MODERATELY SATISFIED TO
35
DISSATISFIED
30  MUCH TO IMPROVE, AS
25 ACCESSIBILITY TO KEY PLACES IN THE
INSTITUTE IS VITAL FOR PRODUCTIVITY
20
 RE-WORK ON ACCESSIBILITY
15 PLANNING KEEPING IN VIEW THE
10
NEEDS OF BOTH THE STUDENTS AND
THE FACULTY
5

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

5. THERMAL COMFORT: overall quality of thermal comfort (natural and artificial) of

the building recorded a mean value of (2.81). Thermal comfort of the building was
marked as “dissatisfied” with a certain tendency toward a moderate level of
satisfaction.
• Thermal comfort if perhaps one of the most important factors for user
satisfaction, to have it at a level below moderate is worrisome
• Need to study thermal comfort of the building better and use passive design to
reduce discomfort
• Use of mechanical instruments to reach thermal satisfaction level
 INFERENCES:
Overall quality of thermal comfort (natural and artificial) of the building
45  USERS ARE LARGELY DISSATIFIED
40 WITH THE THERMAL COMFORT
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT
35
BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY ARE
30 KEPT COMFORTABLE INSIDE A
25 BUILDING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
 IF USERS ARE LARGELY UNSATISFIED
20
WITH THE THERMAL COMFORT, THIS
15 CAN LARGELY AFFECT THEIR
10 PRODUCTIVITY
 NEED FOR BETTER CHOICE OF
5
MATERIALS
0  CLIMATE RELEVENT DEISGNS NEEDS
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
TO BE WORKED ON

6. INDOOR AIR QUALITY: Overall indoor air quality was (2.58), lower than the
moderate level of satisfaction.
•  
• Washrooms , toilets and common spaces must be better maintained and/or
designed
• Even learning spaces seemed to be disappointing to occupants, who find it
smelly and dry
• Design of common spaces and learning area must take into consideration the
apparent degenerating of air quality over time.
 INFERENCES:
Quality of air in rooms, studios, and labs (smelliness and dryness)
40  MORE THAN HALF OF THE
35 USERS ARE EITHER
DISSATISFIED OR VERY
30
DISSATISFIED WITH THE
25 QUALITY OF INDOOR AIR IN
ROOMS, STUDIOS AND LABS
20
 VERY IMPORTANT IN PLACES
15 WHERE A LOT OF TIME IS
10 SPENT- CAN LEAD TO SBS OR
BRI
5
NEED TO WORK ON RATE OF
0 AIR CHANGE
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

Quality of air in washrooms and toilets

70
 QUALITY OF WASHROOMS
60 AND TOILETS DID ONE OF THE
50 WORST
 NEED BETTER MAINTAINCE
40 LOOK INTO ALTERNATEIVE
30 CHOICE OF MATERIAL
 WITH A LARGE POPULATION
20 IT IS PERTINENT TO KEEP
10 ESSENTIAL FACILITIES AS
CLEAN AS POSSIBLE
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Quality of air in the lobby ,common spaces, and corridors INFERENCES:
50
45  WHILE THE QUALITY OF AIR
40 IN THESE SPAES DID BETTER
35
THAN THE ROOMS, STUDIO
AND LABS, IT STILL IS NOT UP
30
TO THE MARK OF AN
25
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
20
 PERHAPS THE REASON THIS
15 CATEGORY DID BETTER WAS
10 BECAUSE OF THE LARGER
5 OPEN AREA THAT ARE BETER
0 VENTILATED.
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied  HOWEVER, STILL NEED TO
Overall indoor air quality LOOK INTO BETTER RATE OF
45 EXCHANGE IN AIR
40

35
 OVERALL INDOOR QUALITY
30
DID NOT DO TOO WELL
25  NEED TO WORK ON BETTER
20
HVAC SYSTEMS, VENTILATION
(OPENINGS) AND OTHER
15 PROBABLE REAOSONS FOR
10 POOR PERFORMANCE.
5

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 7. ACOUSTIC COMFORT: Overall, the acoustic comfort quality of the building recorded
a mean value of (3.06), which is close to the moderate level of satisfaction.

• Use of better HVAC equipment as it distracts occupants with its noise

• Better acoustic insulation needed to keep outside noises out of the classes and
other areas
• Use of better lighting fixtures as they seem to distract a good number of
occupants

Noise from people between rooms and spaces INFERENCES:

45

40  ALTHOUGH CLOSE TO THE

MODERATE LEVEL, MORE THAN A
35
QUARTER ARE NOT SATISFIED
30  NEED TO WORK ON BETTER
25 METHODS OF BLOCKING OUTDOOR
20
NOISE POLLUTION
 USE OF INSULATING MATERIAL FOR
15 BETTER ACOUSTICAL COMFORT
10  CALCULATION OF REVERBERATION
5
TIME AND ECHO FACTOR, TO SEE IF
INDOOR MATERIALS NEED TO BE RE-
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
WORKED ON
 Noise from the air/ HVAC system INFERENCES:
45
 A LARGE NUMBER OF
40
PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTBALE
35 WITH THE NOISE LEVEL OF THE
30 HVAC SYSTEM
25
BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO
THE PRESENT VARIETY OF
20
HVAC SYSTEM
15  SUCH UNWANTED NOISES
10 CAN HINDER PRODUCTIVITY IN
5
AN EDUCATIONAL
ATMOSPHERE
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

Noise from lighting fixtures (bulbs and lamps)

60
 A MAJORITY OF THE USERS
50 DO NOT SEEM DISTURBED BY
THIS PHENOMENA
40  EITHER THERE IS VERY LITTLE
NOISE FROM THESE FIXTURES
30 OR IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO
DISTRUPT ACTIVITY
20

10

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Noise from outside the building INFERENCES:
45

40  OCCUPANTS DO NOT
35 BELIEVE THAT NOISE FROM
OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
30
HINDERS THEIR ACTIVITIES
25  HOWEVER, SINCE TWENTY
20 FIVE PERCENT ARE NOT
15 SATISFIED PERHAPS A SMALL
CHECK IS REQUIRED
10
 USE OF INSULATING
5 MATERIALS
0  DESIGN OVERALL IN THIS
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
ASPECT IS A SUCCESS
THOUGH
Overall acoustic comfort quality
50
45  OVERALL ACOUSTIC
40 COMFORT IS MODERATE
35
 GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE
ACTIVITIES TO WORK IN THE
30
BUILDING
25
 HOWEVER, STILL SCOPE FOR
20 IMPROVEMENT IS THERE
15  NEED TO STUDY ACOUSTICS
10 AND CHOOSE MATERIALS AND
5 SHAPE ACCORDINGLY
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
8. VISUAL COMFORT: The overall quality and adequacy of lighting in the building
achieved a mean value of (3.06), users were moderately satisfied.

• Need for better quality of indoor natural lighting

• Adequate number of indoor lighting fixtures – can be improved to VS

Adequacy and quality of natural lighting levels in all spaces

40 INFERENCES:
35  NATURAL LIGHTING SEEMS TO BE
ADEQUATE TO A MODERATE LEVEL FOR
30
THE OCCUPANTS
25  ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AS
THIRTY PERCENT OF THE OCCUPANTS
20 ARE DISATSIFIED
 NATURAL LIGHTING REDUCING LOAD
15
IN THE BUILDING AND IS MORE
10 PREFERABLE THAN ARTIFICIAL ONES
 FUTURE DESIGNS NEED TO STUDY
5 LIGHTING LEVELS AND TRANSLATE IT
0
INTO THE DESIGN
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Adequacy and quality of artificial lighting levels in all spaces
INFERENCES:
40
 THE RESULTS ARE ALMOST
35 THE SAME AS THE NATURAL
30 LILGHTING
25
 SATISFACTION IS OF A
MODERATE LEVEL
20
NEED TO CALCUALTE AREA OF
15 THE ROOM, ILLUMINANCE
10 REQUIRED AND FIGURE OUT
5
THE NUMBER OF FIXTURES
NEEDED
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 PLAN THE SPACING OF THESE
FIXTURES

Overall quality and adequacy of lighting in the building

60
 OVERALL THE BUILDING HAS
50
SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS
 ROOM FOFR IMPROVEMENT
40
IN THIS DEPARTMENT
30  SINCE FOR EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTES LIGHITNG
20 COMFORT IS ESSENTIAL,
THERE IS NEED TO STUDY THIS
10 PARAMETER
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
9. SECURITY AND SAFETY: The overall quality and adequacy of security and fire safety
of the building according to the users’ responses recorded a mean value of (2.38),
level of satisfaction slightly above the “dissatisfied.”

• Need for fire safety mechanisms inside the building

• Use of sprinklers during fire
• Fire exits a must in institutional buildings
• Use of CCTV cameras
INFERENCES:
Overall quality and adequacy of security and fire safety in the building
35  AUTHORITIES OF THE INSTITUTE
MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THIS
30 PARAMETER
 SAFETY AND SECURITY MUST BE OF
25
PRIMARY CONCERN FOR A PLACE WITH
20 A LARGE POPULATION SIZE
 NEED TO WORK OUT FIRE SAFETY
15 REQUIRMENTS AT THE EARLIEST – FOR
SUCH A LARGE AREA SPRINKLERS SEEM
10
MORE APT
5  INCREASING SECURITY PERSONNEL
 CCTV CAMERAS AND OTHER SIMILAR
0 DEVICES CAN BE PUT TO USE
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
10. SERVICEABILITY (QBSS): The overall availability, adequacy, and QBSS achieved a
mean value of (2.7), which is slightly less than the moderate level of performance.

• Cleanliness of the bathrooms a major issue

• Windows/Door/Lockers must be changed and a superior quality must take its
place
• Quality support services needed for disabled people
• Need for better availability/cleaner water supply to occupants
• Electricity supply can be improved

Quality ,cleanliness of washroom facilities and all spaces INFERENCES:

45

40  ONE OF THE WORST INDICATORS

35
WITH A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE
PEOPLE DISSATISFIED OR VERY
30
DISSATISFIED
25  THE INCREASE IN POPULATION
20 SEEMS TO HAVE PUT STRESS IN
MAINTAINANCE AND CLEANLINESS
15
 CHANGE OF UTILITIES TO
10 ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASE
5

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Quality of doors and windows, key to doors, and lockers INFERENCES:
60
 THE QUALITY OF THESE
50 ELEMENTS SEEM NOT TO
SATISFY THE USERS
40  NEED TO UPGRADE THESE
ELEMENTS
30  NEED TO CHOOSE BETTER
QUALITY PRODUCTS
20
 REGULAR QUALITY CHECKS
IN THE BUILDING
10

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied

Availability and quality of support services for disabled persons

60
 THE DESIGN DOES NOT LOOK
50
INTO ACCESSIBILITY FOR
DISABLED PERSONS
40  LACK OF SUCH FEATURES IN
AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
30 IS UNACCEPTABLE
 NEED TO LOOK INTO IF ANY
20 DESIGN FEATURES CAN BE
MADE IMMEDIATELY
10  USE OF RAMPS, TACTILE
FLOORING ETC
0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Availability and quality of water supply INFERENCES:
45

40
 AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY
OF WATER SUPPLY TENDS TO
35
SWAY TOWARDS THE
30 DISSATISFIED SIDE
25  WATER SUPPLY IS
20 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL AND
15
NEED TO SORT OUT THIS ISSUE
IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT
10
 USE OF RAINWATER
5 HARVESTING AND GREY
0 WATER SYSTEM CAN BE LOOKE
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
INTO

Availability and quality of electrical supply

45  GIVEN THAT THIS IS A
40 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE AND
ABOUT FORTY FIVE PERCENT
35
OF USERS ARE DISSATISFIED,
30 PERHAPS ALTERNATE SOURCE
25 OF ELECTRICAL SUPPLY NEEDS
20
TO BE LOOKED INTO
 USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
15 CAN BE CONSIDERED,
10 ESPECIALLY DURING ERRATIC
5
POWER SUPPLY TIMES

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
 Overall availability and QBSS
45 INFERENCES:
40
 A LARGE NUMBER OF USERS ARE
35
NOT SATISFIED WITH BOTH THE
30 AVAILABILITY AND SERVICEABILITY
25  NEED TO BOTH UPGRADE AND
PROVIDE FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
20
ABSCENT TILL NOW
15

10

0
Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
WHAT NEXT AFTER POE STUDY:

• Analyze the POE data collection

• Follow up on immediate solutions to pressing issues faced by the occupants
• Revise design or patch up on areas that are of concern
• Adjustments to existing schemes to accommodate new dimensions
• For aspects that cannot easily be implemented (eg. Accessibility), perhaps new
construction could be looked upon
• Update design criteria for future projects

• A follow up POE study maybe in order after making adjustments based on the
feedback
 
SOURCE:

1. Mustafa,F.A., Performance assessment of buildings via post-occupancy evaluation: A case

study of the building of building of the architecture and software engineering
departments in Salahaddin University-Erbil, Iraq, Frontiers of Architectural Research
(2017).
2. Preisier, Wolfgang FE, and Jacqueline C Vischer. Assessing Building Performance. Elsevier,
2005
3. ASHRAE 55, 2004. Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, GA.
4. Fatoye, E.O., Odusami, K.T., 2009. Occupants' satisfaction approach to housing
performance evaluation: the case of Nigeria. In: Proceedings of the RICSCOBRA Research
Conference, University of Cape Town 10-11 September, 2009.
5. Leaman, A.,2004.Post occupancy evaluation: building use studies
http://www.usablebuildings.so.uk