Abstract/Summary

This study addressed a recognized problem whereby design intention is often wrongly assumed to be an accurate prediction of a future user action, resulting in lower-than-expected building performance when measured quantitatively through Post Occupancy Evaluation surveys. The issue with the current approaches for promoting sustainability in building design is that they have paid more attention to the environment and less to the social dimension of sustainability, despite the widely accepted definition of sustainability having an explicit anthropocentric focus emphasizing human needs. Hence, this research illustrates the constitution of users' daily life, revealing that the influences of cultural and contextual factors extend beyond the intentions of design for sustainability. Contemporary discussions surrounding the evaluation of building performance frequently underscore the existence of a 'performance gap' between the operational reality of buildings and the envisioned performance delineated during the design phase. Although these discussions predominantly revolve around energy-related considerations, there is a growing emphasis on attending to the subjective experiences of building occupants, particularly with regard to thermal comfort and overall well-being. While the heightened focus on these aspects is undoubtedly commendable, it is notable that prevailing conceptualizations of buildings persist in treating them as static physical constructs rather than dynamic entities that manifest in practical utilization. Seeking to challenge prevalent assumptions, the concept of building appraisal diverges from established paradigms of building performance evaluation by departing from the notion of the building as an ostensibly immutable entity. Instead, it centers on the inherent fluidity of the occupying organization and its spatial aspirations as the foundational framework for assessment. Empirical data was obtained from an ethnographic case study of an office building in Oman, involving observations, shadowing, interviews, and documentary analysis. Notably, this method included users often excluded from knowledge generation processes, such as cleaners, and those typically considered authoritative, such as architects, operation and maintenance, and facilities managers. As a result, numerous unexpected instances of individual actions were observed, contradicting prevailing design approaches for social sustainability. Collecting and collating seemingly mundane information has uncovered a wealth of knowledge that can be translated into valuable insights for individuals who can influence future designs and sustainability approaches. Hence, the primary novelty of this thesis lies in the mapping of theories concerning sustainable building design and theories concerning social practices. This study breaks away from traditional post-occupancy evaluations and offers new insights into sustainable design and building use in the context of the Middle East.