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Post-occupancy evaluation of research and academic laboratory facilities

Mohammad A. Hassanain (Department of Architectural Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
Muizz O. Sanni-Anibire (Dammam Community College, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud (Dammam Community College, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
Wahhaj Ahmed (Department of Architectural Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation

ISSN: 2398-4708

Article publication date: 11 October 2019

Issue publication date: 12 October 2020

402

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of academic and research laboratory facilities. This is based on the premise that the performance of such facilities is directly connected to the productivity, health and wellbeing of its users.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper was carried out in two phases, first, the performance requirements for academic and laboratory facilities were identified through the extant literature. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was developed to carry out a POE of existing academic and research laboratory facilities in a university campus in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed using a Likert scale of one to five. Finally, the satisfaction index was computed, and rates of satisfaction with the various performance requirements were determined.

Findings

The paper resulted into 74 performance requirements grouped into three categories. The respondents showed general satisfaction with most of the performance requirements. However, dissatisfaction was observed in performance requirements related to technical features and the availability of sustainability features. Such findings suggest the growing importance of such technical and sustainable features in modern-day laboratories.

Originality/value

Though few studies have employed POE in assessing the performance of academic facilities, there is still a gap regarding its application to the laboratory facilities. Thus, the originality of this study is evident in its presentation of a set of performance requirements and its further application as a case study.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support provided by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. IN161030.

Citation

Hassanain, M.A., Sanni-Anibire, M.O., Mahmoud, A.S. and Ahmed, W. (2020), "Post-occupancy evaluation of research and academic laboratory facilities", International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, Vol. 38 No. 5, pp. 797-810. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-12-2018-0097

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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