01. Aug 2008 - Phase II: Field study on user satisfaction levels in buildings focuses on new aspects

Abstract

How satisfied are employees with comfort-related conditions such as temperature, air quality and light at their workplace? The Department of Building Physics and Technical Building Services at the University of Karlsruhe is continuing to carry out surveys on user acceptance on an increased range of buildings, taking facility management into account. The study is part of the EnOB accompanying research, and will be focussing on new aspects in the current round of surveys between now and 2011. Office buildings are still being sought for the study. Taking part can pay off, as the results given to the building owners in each case may suggest possible approaches to be taken to optimise building operation.

more details

Office buildings often play an important role in the image that companies present. They are also the place where employees have to generate the necessary added value for the company – day-in, day-out. It is now common knowledge that the working environment affects employee productivity – however, it is difficult to pinpoint just which factors are the most important.

As part of the first phase of this field study, user satisfaction levels were recorded using detailed user surveys, and potential influence factors were evaluated. Surveys involving over 1,000 employees in 24 buildings focussed particularly on EnOB model projects, which are subjected to intensive monitoring. In this way, the interplay between indoor environment and satisfaction levels was thoroughly investigated. The results are documented in the publication “Nutzerzufriedenheit in Bürogebäuden - eine Feldstudie (User satisfaction in office buildings - A field study)”.

New aspects

The second phase, which is just beginning, will focus on new areas:

1. Existing buildings will now be included alongside new buildings and refurbished facilities in the studies of user acceptance and user behaviour. This will serve to broaden the data basis.

2. Facility management in the buildings studied will now also be surveyed, in addition to obtaining users’ opinions. Further insights are to be gained from interviews from a building management and complaints management point of view, with the goal of obtaining as comprehensive an evaluation as possible of the building’s performance. How good a building “works” and whether the targeted energy quality is attained and maintained all depends to a significant degree on the information technology used. For this reason, this project will also investigate whether software systems are used for energy balances and for the identification of optimisation potential in technical processes. The project will consider the suitability of these systems for data recording and visualisation.

3. The survey will also focus on customer- and service-orientation in facility management. The framework conditions for the lines of communication between building users and representatives from facility management are of particular interest here. The main issue is the speed with which problems are rectified on site and services are carried out correctly.

Contact

Are you interested in participating in the “User satisfaction in buildings – Phase II” study with your building? If so, then please contact

Universität Karlsruhe
Fachgebiet Bauphysik & Technischer Ausbau fbta
Englerstr. 7, 76131 Karlsruhe
Tel. 0721 / 608-2178
info(at)fbta.uni-karlsruhe.de
www.fbta.uni-karlsruhe.de