# Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE)

## POE Overview

### Definition
Post-Occupancy Evaluation is a systematic process of evaluating buildings after they have been occupied, focusing on how well they meet user needs and perform as designed.

### POE Types
| Type | Timing | Depth | Duration |
|------|--------|-------|----------|
| Indicative | 3-6 months | Quick overview | 1-2 days |
| Investigative | 1-2 years | Detailed study | 1-4 weeks |
| Diagnostic | 2-5 years | Comprehensive | 2-6 months |

### Benefits
| Stakeholder | Benefit |
|-------------|---------|
| Owner | Improved operations, future planning |
| Occupants | Better environment, productivity |
| Designers | Learning, improvement |
| Industry | Knowledge advancement |

---

## Evaluation Categories

### Technical Performance
| Area | Metrics |
|------|---------|
| Energy | EUI, utility costs |
| Water | Usage, efficiency |
| HVAC | Temperature, humidity, air quality |
| Lighting | Levels, quality, controls |
| Acoustics | Background noise, speech privacy |
| Durability | Materials, systems performance |

### Functional Performance
| Area | Assessment |
|------|------------|
| Space adequacy | Size, layout |
| Flexibility | Adaptability |
| Wayfinding | Ease of navigation |
| Accessibility | Universal design |
| Storage | Adequacy |
| Circulation | Traffic flow |

### User Satisfaction
| Area | Focus |
|------|-------|
| Thermal comfort | Temperature, drafts |
| Visual comfort | Daylight, glare |
| Acoustic comfort | Noise, privacy |
| Air quality | Freshness, odors |
| Overall satisfaction | General well-being |
| Productivity | Work effectiveness |

### Organizational Fit
| Area | Consideration |
|------|---------------|
| Workflow support | Process efficiency |
| Collaboration | Team interaction |
| Privacy | Concentration |
| Brand expression | Identity alignment |
| Culture support | Values reflection |

---

## Data Collection Methods

### Surveys
| Type | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Occupant satisfaction | User perception |
| Building features | Specific elements |
| Work environment | Productivity factors |
| Health/wellness | Physical impact |

### Common Survey Tools
| Tool | Focus |
|------|-------|
| CBE Survey (Berkeley) | Occupant satisfaction |
| BOSSA | Building satisfaction |
| BUS | Building use studies |
| Leesman | Workplace effectiveness |
| WELL AP | Health/wellness |

### Survey Design
| Element | Guideline |
|---------|-----------|
| Length | 15-20 minutes maximum |
| Questions | Clear, unambiguous |
| Scale | 1-7 or 1-5 Likert |
| Timing | After settling in (3+ months) |
| Response rate | Target 30%+ |

### Physical Measurements
| Parameter | Method |
|-----------|--------|
| Temperature | Data loggers |
| Humidity | Hygrometers |
| CO2 | CO2 sensors |
| Light levels | Lux meters |
| Noise | Sound level meters |
| Air velocity | Anemometers |

### Interviews
| Type | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| Focus groups | Group perspective |
| Individual | Personal experience |
| Management | Operational view |
| Facilities | Technical perspective |

### Observation
| Type | Focus |
|------|-------|
| Behavioral mapping | Space usage patterns |
| Trace observation | Evidence of use |
| Walk-through | Physical condition |
| Time-lapse | Temporal patterns |

---

## Energy Performance

### Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| EUI | kBtu/SF/year |
| Cost per SF | $/SF/year |
| Energy star score | 1-100 |
| Baseline comparison | Design vs actual |

### Benchmarking
| Building Type | Typical EUI |
|---------------|-------------|
| Office | 50-100 kBtu/SF |
| School | 60-120 kBtu/SF |
| Hospital | 150-250 kBtu/SF |
| Retail | 50-100 kBtu/SF |
| Hotel | 80-130 kBtu/SF |
| Multifamily | 50-100 kBtu/SF |

### Energy Analysis
| Task | Data Source |
|------|-------------|
| Utility analysis | Bills, meters |
| Sub-metering | System-level data |
| Trend analysis | BAS data |
| Comparison | Design energy model |

---

## Indoor Environmental Quality

### Thermal Comfort
| Parameter | Standard |
|-----------|----------|
| Temperature | 68-76°F (ASHRAE 55) |
| Humidity | 30-60% RH |
| Air velocity | < 40 fpm |
| Radiant asymmetry | < 9°F |

### Air Quality
| Parameter | Standard |
|-----------|----------|
| CO2 | < 1,000 ppm |
| PM2.5 | < 35 µg/m³ |
| TVOC | < 500 µg/m³ |
| Formaldehyde | < 27 ppb |
| Ventilation | Per ASHRAE 62.1 |

### Lighting Quality
| Parameter | Standard |
|-----------|----------|
| Task illuminance | 30-50 FC |
| Daylight factor | 2-5% |
| Glare | < UGR 19 |
| Color rendering | CRI > 80 |
| Contrast ratio | 3:1 |

### Acoustic Quality
| Parameter | Standard |
|-----------|----------|
| Background noise | NC 35-45 |
| Speech privacy | SII < 0.2 |
| Reverberation | RT60 0.5-1.0 sec |
| Sound masking | 40-48 dBA |

---

## Functional Assessment

### Space Utilization
| Method | Measures |
|--------|----------|
| Occupancy sensors | Presence data |
| Badge data | Entry/exit patterns |
| Observation | Actual usage |
| Booking data | Room reservations |

### Utilization Metrics
| Metric | Target |
|--------|--------|
| Peak occupancy | Per design |
| Average occupancy | 40-60% |
| Meeting room use | 40-60% |
| Desk sharing ratio | 1.2-1.5:1 |

### Workflow Assessment
| Element | Evaluation |
|---------|------------|
| Adjacencies | Are related groups near? |
| Support spaces | Adequate, accessible? |
| Circulation | Efficient, clear? |
| Technology | Functioning, adequate? |

---

## Satisfaction Assessment

### Key Indicators
| Category | Metrics |
|----------|---------|
| Overall satisfaction | 1-7 scale |
| Thermal comfort | Satisfaction % |
| Air quality | Satisfaction % |
| Lighting | Satisfaction % |
| Acoustics | Satisfaction % |
| Workspace | Adequacy rating |

### Benchmarking Satisfaction
| Score | Interpretation |
|-------|----------------|
| 6.0+ | Excellent |
| 5.0-5.9 | Good |
| 4.0-4.9 | Acceptable |
| 3.0-3.9 | Poor |
| < 3.0 | Unacceptable |

### Productivity Impact
| Factor | Assessment |
|--------|------------|
| Self-reported | Survey questions |
| Absenteeism | HR data |
| Complaints | Facility tickets |
| Turnover | Retention data |

---

## POE Process

### Planning
| Step | Activity |
|------|----------|
| Define objectives | What to learn |
| Identify scope | Buildings, areas |
| Select methods | Data collection |
| Develop instruments | Surveys, protocols |
| Plan logistics | Schedule, resources |

### Data Collection
| Activity | Duration |
|----------|----------|
| Physical measurements | 1-4 weeks |
| Survey deployment | 2-4 weeks |
| Interviews | 1-2 weeks |
| Observations | 1-2 weeks |
| Document review | 1-2 weeks |

### Analysis
| Task | Method |
|------|--------|
| Quantitative data | Statistical analysis |
| Qualitative data | Thematic analysis |
| Integration | Cross-reference findings |
| Benchmarking | Compare to standards |
| Prioritization | Impact ranking |

### Reporting
| Section | Content |
|---------|---------|
| Executive summary | Key findings |
| Methodology | How data collected |
| Findings | Detailed results |
| Recommendations | Prioritized actions |
| Appendices | Raw data, instruments |

---

## Acting on Findings

### Immediate Actions
| Issue | Timeline |
|-------|----------|
| Safety concerns | Immediate |
| Comfort complaints | 1-4 weeks |
| Operational issues | 1-3 months |
| Minor repairs | 1-6 months |

### Medium-term Improvements
| Issue | Timeline |
|-------|----------|
| System optimization | 3-12 months |
| Space reconfiguration | 6-18 months |
| Equipment replacement | 6-24 months |
| Policy changes | 3-12 months |

### Long-term Learning
| Application | Benefit |
|-------------|---------|
| Design standards | Improve future projects |
| Specifications | Better products |
| Programming | Accurate requirements |
| Commissioning | Focus areas |

---

## Continuous Feedback

### Ongoing Monitoring
| System | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| BAS trending | Performance tracking |
| Energy dashboards | Consumption patterns |
| Maintenance requests | Issue tracking |
| Occupant feedback | Continuous input |

### Periodic Reviews
| Frequency | Focus |
|-----------|-------|
| Monthly | Energy, complaints |
| Quarterly | Comfort, satisfaction |
| Annually | Comprehensive review |
| Major changes | Event-triggered |

### Feedback Loop
```
Design → Build → Occupy → Evaluate → Learn → Design (improved)
```

---

## POE for Certifications

### LEED
| Requirement | POE Element |
|-------------|-------------|
| Energy metering | Consumption tracking |
| Water metering | Usage monitoring |
| IAQ testing | Pre-occupancy |
| Commissioning | Performance verification |

### WELL
| Feature | POE Element |
|---------|-------------|
| Air quality monitoring | Continuous sensing |
| Thermal comfort | Survey, measurement |
| Light measurement | Lux testing |
| Acoustic performance | NC measurement |

### Fitwel
| Category | Assessment |
|----------|------------|
| Impacts community health | Survey |
| Reduces morbidity | Survey |
| Provides healthy options | Observation |
| Supports social equity | Survey |

---

## Sample Survey Questions

### Thermal Comfort
| Question | Scale |
|----------|-------|
| How satisfied are you with temperature? | 1-7 |
| Is your workspace too hot/cold? | -3 to +3 |
| Can you control your temperature? | Yes/No |

### Air Quality
| Question | Scale |
|----------|-------|
| How satisfied with air quality? | 1-7 |
| Is air stuffy/fresh? | -3 to +3 |
| Any odors? | Yes/No |

### Lighting
| Question | Scale |
|----------|-------|
| How satisfied with lighting? | 1-7 |
| Is lighting too dim/bright? | -3 to +3 |
| Access to daylight? | 1-7 |

### Acoustics
| Question | Scale |
|----------|-------|
| How satisfied with noise level? | 1-7 |
| Is it too quiet/noisy? | -3 to +3 |
| Can you have private conversations? | 1-7 |

### Overall
| Question | Scale |
|----------|-------|
| Overall satisfaction with workspace? | 1-7 |
| Does building support your work? | 1-7 |
| Would you recommend this building? | 1-7 |
