ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the two-way interaction between building inhabitants and the spaces they occupy. It provides an overview of key findings from research on occupant experience in office buildings, drawing largely on research conducted by the United States General Services Administration (GSA), supplemented by other relevant findings. The chapter also provides some insights into the people-building interface and explores how the knowledge can shape the design and operations of buildings to achieve both sustainability goals and optimal supports for human health, performance, and well-being. Prior to the National Institutes of Health research, a GSA post-occupancy evaluation of the building showed that newly renovated workspaces had more positive employee ratings than the un-renovated spaces. The chapter looks at how the characteristics and behaviors of people influence their response to work environments and how these human factors may also influence the operational performance of buildings. It discusses the larger issue of designing more effectively for the people-building interface.
