Towards a comprehensive methodology for Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE): A hot dry climate case study

Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is a platform developedin recent years to allow the systematic study of buildings once occupied, so that lessons may be learnt that will improve future design. The tools employed in POE include plan analysis, monitoring of Indoor Environmentand Air Quality (IEQ, IAQ) and thermal performance, and surveys including walk-through, observations,and user satisfaction questionnaires. POE researchers are often regarded with suspicion and even hostility, since their work may cause friction between differentstakeholders and between these and the authorities.This paper reviews a rare case of cooperation among the different stakeholders in a complex - The Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies Scientist Village which includes different accommodation and facilities, located in the heart of the Negev Desert Highlandsin Israel. The first part presents a lateral monitoringperiod aimed at gaining a better understanding of the overall performance of the project, and a subsequent series of user surveys, observations and questionnaires, focusing on potential discrepancies between the need to ensure thermal comfort by passive means and privacy issues. A second series of measurements was undertakensubsequently focusing on the in-depth monitoring of one family unit representing the more complex type of units and covering an eight-month period. That was done as part of a post-doctoral residency focusing on environmental and building physics.