Building Performance Evaluation  (BPE) investigates the interactive relationships between people and their physical, social and cultural environments. Its framework systematically relates  the buildings and their settings to the users and their environmental needs, thus permitting the handling of information concerning person-environment relationships.

BPE refers to the tradition of  systems approach to environmental research,  studying the impact of human actions on the built and natural environment and vice versa. It differs form usual technical evaluation methods, as it addresses the needs, activities, goals of the people and organizations who use a setting – a facility, a building, a specific place – and live in  it.

For all quantitative aspects, the human needs that arise out of users’ interactions with their different settings in the built environment, are redefined as performance levels. BPE methods systematically compare the actual performance of buildings, places and systems to explicited criteria for their expected performance, thus obtaining  systematic assessment of the physical environments in term of how people use and perceive  them.

As for qualitative aspects, regarding sensory perception as well as immaterial qualities - such as “beauty”, or “pleasentness” – they  are investigated mostly through a number of users’ survey tools derived from human sciences such as Environmental Psychology.

Since the BPE process  systematically relates the elements of the built environment, at different scales, to the users and their needs and expectations, thus promoting knowledge and understanding of the ways people perceive and use their built environment, it also provides sound information which can be fed back into improvement projects. Ongoing research  currently demonstrates how this  framework allows a better understanding of how people perceive heritage values and protection issues as well, thus promoting a deeper involvement of local communities into preservation projects.

BPE also represents a consistent methodology  for Sustainable Design, this definitionembodying the concept of 'person-centred' design , i.e. the design process which places people at the centre of its endeavours (see: The European Charter for Sustainable Design and Construction, Dublin, 1998).

The course will introduce BPE basics: the theoretical framework, the methodological framework, case-studies from Post-Occupancy Evaluation experience in the field of Architectural Heritage and Landscape protection. Some basic  operational tools will be provided, and an on-field case-study will be developed by the students under the tutor’s guide.

Students will prepare a written report of their experience, according to the instructions given during the course; the report will be discussed in the final exam.

The final exam will be individual; it will concern a discussion of the report and  the assigned bibliography.

selected chapters will be indicated - pdf text available

pdf text available