{"id":4062,"date":"2020-02-11T18:04:36","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T18:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=4062"},"modified":"2020-09-30T21:08:31","modified_gmt":"2020-09-30T21:08:31","slug":"post-occupancy-evaluation-supports-evidence-based-design-and-improves-building-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/post-occupancy-evaluation-supports-evidence-based-design-and-improves-building-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Post-occupancy evaluation supports evidence-based design and improves building performance"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Mike Zorich and Lincoln Pearce<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a traditional\u00a0<\/span>healthcare\u00a0<\/span>design and construction process, an owner, designer, and contractor may take years working together to define goals, plan, design, and eventually construct a facility that meets the needs of staff and patients. But once the owner occupies the building, the keys are turned over with limited follow<\/span>–<\/span>up other than closing out punch list items and\u00a0<\/span>conducting\u00a0<\/span>a warranty walk<\/span>–<\/span>through.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The formerly close group of owner, designer, and contractor then move on to their next project without gaining feedback from the occupants to determine if the building has\u00a0<\/span>indeed\u00a0<\/span>met the goals of the organization. This is a lost opportunity for the team to gain insight by comparing their planning assumptions with actual building operation, which can be used to fine-tune operations, identify and solve problems, and gather data that each team member can utilize to justify decisions on future projects.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Such p<\/span>ost-occupancy evaluation (POE)<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 occasionally\u00a0<\/span>utilized to gain user feedback on key components for operational improvements<\/span>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span>recently has become more prevalent due to\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0benefits associated with\u00a0<\/span>e<\/span>vidence<\/span>-b<\/span>ased\u00a0<\/span>d<\/span>esign<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>These<\/span>\u00a0evaluations are wide-ranging in their scope and can focus on both quantitative and qualitative results. Topics covered may include efficiency of the space, staff and patient perceptions, exam room turnover times, quantity of steps taken by nursing staff per day, or staff turnover.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From an engineering perspective, a POE of building performance can be helpful to ensure the building is operating at its optimum capacity. The evaluation can help owners mitigate risk, identify cost<\/span>–<\/span>saving measures, and confirm\u00a0<\/span>th<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>building<\/span>\u00a0operators have been adequately trained to operate the facility.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In its most basic form,\u00a0<\/span>POE<\/span>\u00a0should compare design goals and assumptions with actual performance, allow for building adjustments based on feedback and the changing needs of the occupants, and provide evidence and data to justify decision making related to future facility investments.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A successful POE provides owners with a high-performance facility while giving the design team the opportunity to review best practices they can apply to future projects. Specific action items need to be addressed during the planning and pre-design, design and construction, and occupancy phases, such as establishing a core team and outline, commissioning the building systems, and analyzing the acquired data.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Incorporate your POE throughout each phase to ensure you get the most out of your next project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Use the following\u00a0checklist of\u00a0<\/span>actions focusing on e<\/span>nergy performance<\/span>\u00a0t<\/span>o help your project achieve a successful\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>ost<\/span>-o<\/span>ccupancy\u00a0<\/span>e<\/span>valuation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Planning & Pre-Design<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Design \/ Construction<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Post Occupancy Evaluation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Read how post-occupancy evaluation supports evidence-based design and improves building performance in a new blog by IMEG Director of Healthcare Mike Zorich and Commissioning Team Leader Lincoln Pearce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nEnergy\u00a0performance\u00a0POE checklist\u00a0<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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