Post-occupancy evaluation in residential buildings: A systematic literature review of current practices in the EU

Abstract

Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is a process that aims to assess buildings’ performance after occupation. Assessments are conducted to create a better understanding of the actual performance of buildings, including energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and occupant satisfaction. Despite POE potential benefits and practices in residential buildings in the EU, it has been marked by a lack of consistency in the methods, data collected, research approach, and analysis used, making comparability of the results and replicability of methods difficult. This study, through a systematic literature review of POE practices in residential buildings in the EU between 2011-2021, aims to provide a better understanding of most common methods applied in the POE studies. A total of seven POE identifiers are investigated, including the research objective, the case study investigated, data collection method, data collected, monitoring details, and the research approach and data analysis. Findings indicated the lack of consistency in reporting, the use of methods, tools, and data collected in POE studies. This research uncovers valuable insights that result in a roadmap recommendation for the successful implementation of POE practices in residential buildings for a more consistent POE approach.