Measurement

Measurement

Assess all areas

What’s measured can be managed and improved. Accordingly, our respondents measure building performance to define their return on investment and to mitigate risks of fabric or systems failure. However, their efforts don’t always focus on one of the most important predictors of commercial value: the user experience. We believe that the whole building lifecycle can be better tracked against the end-user, and made more valuable and resilient as a result.

A cycle of measurement with people at the heart

In a connected age we are all used to reporting, reviewing and measuring our experiences, online and offline. The same mindset applies to our work, our leisure and the places those experiences occur. If buildings, and those which either own or occupy them, are not fully oriented towards the building users’ experience, they won’t act sufficiently to improve it. In a market of shorter and more flexible leases, it’s never been easier for customers to vote with their feet, and to find an alternative which meets their needs.

When it comes to measuring the performance of buildings, 50% of our respondents cite maintenance and building costs, 41% cite resilience of materials or services, while only 30% look to the occupier experience. Managing costs and physical resilience are both critical, but a lack of focus on the occupier experience represents a long-term commercial risk and should be considered alongside those two metrics.

We propose a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, gathered in a programme that sits across a building’s life. From handover of a new building, post-occupancy evaluations are important to help landlords and owners track how happy people are in their space, and to identify issues with building design or management before they become problems.

Installing and monitoring sensors in a building enables data collection for mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems maintenance, operation and indoor environment quality. This is something that is already available on the market but tends to be underused by investors and owners.

For existing buildings, the cycle begins and ends with technical due diligence reporting which accounts for these measures. Starting at acquisition, buyers can understand the quality of their asset from data gathered in-use, and disposals can be supported by metrics which demonstrate its readiness for leasing.

Does your organisation have dedicated resources for measuring building performance?

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How we can help

Post-Occupancy Evaluation

Post-occupancy evaluation  provides in-use performance feedback from building users on variables including: thermal comfort, visual comfort, facility provision, privacy, spatial familiarity, accessibility, modes of transport to and from the building, etc. The resulting insights enable owners and occupiers to improve spaces and enhance the user experience throughout the building’s life.

Building Performance Optimisation

All too often, building performance is based on design specifications alone, and these often fail to translate to in-use performance. TFT’s consulting approach is to design for performance over compliance alone, and to  provide mechanisms for comprehensive monitoring and maintenance from building design through to operation, to ensure predicted performance matches reality.

M&E Engineering

Well-designed and maintained mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems are critical to high-performing buildings. Our engineers provide smart design solutions, future-proof maintenance plans and holistic understanding of issues impacting the performance of building services, including incorporating new technology to improve the insights and data available to building owners and occupiers.

We’re here to help

For more information on how we can help your organisation improve building performance for more valuable and resilient assets, please get in touch with our expert team today.