Ask the Green Architect: Occupant Surveys and Fly Ash By: Eric Corey Freed

Q: We are developing a post-occupancy evaluation for our clients and are struggling with how to ask the users, who don't know much about green buildings, about the qualities of their green building. Do you have any suggestions for resources or examples of occupant surveys?

A: Post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) are useful for evaluating the success of any building design, but are particularly useful in evaluating green buildings. It is the only opportunity architects and designers have to learn if their buildings actually work. Think of it as a report card to assess what is good about a building and what is not.The goals of a green POE are to document and measure the indoor environmental quality, energy performance, occupant satisfaction and the other green factors you incorporated. This information will help architects design better green buildings.Using interviews, behavioral maps, user surveys, visitor questionnaires and observational walkthroughs, POE reports typically contain nine items (sorted by priority):Top Priority: Health, Safety, SecurityMid Priority: Function, Efficiency, Work FlowLast Priority: Psychological, Social, Cultural

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