The development of robust methods of post occupancy evaluation

Purpose - To highlight the importance of effective post occupancy evaluation (POE) as part of a sustainable approach to workplaces and guide facilities professionals in their choice of POE tools Design/methodology/approach - A literature review provides an insight into sustainability and an introduction to POE options, with detailed discussion of key factors influencing the effectiveness of POE. A POE case study (at the Eden Project) provides an applied analysis of POE tools, focussing particularly on the usefulness of obtainable data Findings - POE is shown to be useful in addressing client satisfaction and user needs as part of sustainability assessments. Improvements to the assessment of occupants' experiences are suggested, in consideration of a more holistic approach to POE Research limitations/implications - This paper is grounded in UK experience, but the international relevance of the issues could also be explored by readers/ further research. Further exploration of novel and holistic methodologies is needed, in order to test the integrated value of the evaluation of environmental data and human perceptions Practical implications - This paper will help facilities professionals determine suitable POE approaches for workplaces, as part of an evaluation of available tools. Originality/value - This paper evaluates a current topic in the property sector and demonstrates the value that facilities professionals can provide in implementing effective POE of workplaces