Short answer
Prioritize occupant well-being by critically evaluating and potentially adapting standard green building metrics to ensure they adequately address human factors.
- Field
- Human Factors
- Source
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2011)
- Method
- Comparative Case Study
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Standardized performance criteria for high-performance buildings may not adequately address crucial human factors like acoustics and thermal comfort. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2011 study published in eScholarship (California Digital Library). Using Comparative case study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize occupant well-being by critically evaluating and potentially adapting standard green building metrics to ensure they adequately address human factors.
Green building design criteria may overlook occupant well-being
Standardized performance criteria for high-performance buildings may not adequately address crucial human factors like acoustics and thermal comfort.
eScholarship (California Digital Library) · 2011
Key Findings
- 01Standard criteria for high-performance buildings may have potential flaws in human factors, energy use, landscape water use, and acoustics.
- 02Improvements are suggested for biodiversity and stormwater management criteria.
- 03The Kresge Foundation Complex, a LEED Platinum certified building, was evaluated against various performance metrics.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize occupant well-being by critically evaluating and potentially adapting standard green building metrics to ensure they adequately address human factors.
How to apply
When designing or evaluating buildings, use a checklist that includes both environmental performance and a comprehensive set of human factors, such as thermal comfort, acoustics, lighting quality, and indoor air quality.
Project actions
- 01When evaluating a design, consider how well it meets the needs of the people who will use it, not just environmental goals.
- 02Research existing standards and guidelines, but also think about how they might be improved to better serve users.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Evaluates a real-world high-performance building.
- +Critically examines the appropriateness of established evaluation criteria.
Limitations
The specific criteria and their relevance may differ depending on the type and purpose of the building being designed.
Reliability & validity
The study's validity is supported by its use of established protocols and expert judgment. Reliability could be enhanced by a larger sample of buildings and diverse user groups.
Think critically
To what extent should occupant satisfaction and comfort override strict adherence to environmental performance metrics in the design of high-performance buildings?
Design Principles
"Building performance evaluation should holistically integrate environmental sustainability with human comfort and psychological well-being."
While green building certifications focus on environmental impact, a critical review of the underlying evaluation criteria is necessary to ensure that occupant comfort and well-being are not compromised. Designers must balance environmental goals with human-centered design principles to create truly successful and sustainable spaces.
What This Means for Your Design
Just because a building is 'green' doesn't automatically mean people will be comfortable in it. The rules for judging green buildings might need to pay more attention to how people actually feel and work inside.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the inclusion of human factors in your design brief and evaluation criteria.
- 2.Refer to this study when discussing the limitations of standard design evaluation methods and proposing alternative approaches.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This case study of the Kresge Foundation Complex suggests that while green building certifications aim for environmental excellence, the underlying evaluation criteria may not always adequately address crucial human factors. The research indicates potential flaws in areas such as acoustics and thermal comfort, highlighting the need for designers to critically assess and potentially adapt standard metrics to ensure that occupant well-being is holistically integrated into the design process.
Source
eScholarship (California Digital Library)
Case study of Kresge Foundation office complex.
journal · 2011
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about green building design criteria may overlook occupant well-being?
- Prioritize occupant well-being by critically evaluating and potentially adapting standard green building metrics to ensure they adequately address human factors. Evidence: eScholarship (California Digital Library) (2011).
- Why does "Green building design criteria may overlook occupant well-being" matter for design?
- While green building certifications focus on environmental impact, a critical review of the underlying evaluation criteria is necessary to ensure that occupant comfort and well-being are not compromised. Designers must balance environmental goals with human-centered design principles to create truly successful and sustainable spaces.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize occupant well-being by critically evaluating and potentially adapting standard green building metrics to ensure they adequately address human factors.
- What were the main findings?
- Standard criteria for high-performance buildings may have potential flaws in human factors, energy use, landscape water use, and acoustics.. Improvements are suggested for biodiversity and stormwater management criteria.. The Kresge Foundation Complex, a LEED Platinum certified building, was evaluated against various performance metrics.
- What research method was used?
- Comparative Case Study.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2011 journal from eScholarship (California Digital Library).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing or evaluating buildings, use a checklist that includes both environmental performance and a comprehensive set of human factors, such as thermal comfort, acoustics, lighting quality, and indoor air quality.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on a single case study, and the appropriateness of criteria may vary across different building types and contexts.