Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Housing Facilities: Overview and Summary of Methods

Abstract

Although post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is an old tool with hundreds of studies, it is yet to become routine in the housing industry. The growing complexity of buildings and emerging trends in the industry further reinforces the need to carry out more POE studies. Though some studies exist, a holistic approach is yet to be given priority in the industry. This paper presents an overview of POE; it presents a broad introduction, levels of investigation, POE methods, performance elements related to the housing context, and POE tools and frameworks. It also highlights key benefits to be derived from a POE and barriers forestalling its adoption in the industry. The goal of this paper is to provide a foundation and source of reference for current research in housing evaluation studies.