Estimating Occupancy- and Space Utilization Rates in Non-Residential Buildings Using Planned-Activity Data

Abstract

Occupancy- and space utilization rates in non-residential buildings are often used as a metric for building efficiency. However, these rates are typically measured only for buildings already in use, at a stage where optimizing the size or layout of a building to improve efficiency becomes increasingly challenging and expensive. The aim of this exploratory study is to describe a method for estimating the occupancy- and space utilization rates in non-residential buildings using planned-activity -based data. Such a method enables the client to obtain estimates of the occupancy- and space utilization rates already during the design phase of a building, when size- and layout -related changes are more easily and affordably executable. The method is best applicable to buildings with a high degree of usage predictability, such as educational establishments. The research design of the study is based on a descriptive embedded single case study. In effect, the activity-based occupancy- and utilization rate estimation method is applied in the context of evaluating a building layout during the design phase of a school building project in Southern Finland. The main finding of the study is that an ex-ante estimation of occupancy and space utilization rates facilitates in optimizing the building layout during the design phase to improve its efficiency during the usage phase. Moreover, the results suggest that the developed method helps clients to improve project scope management and building value in use. Congress Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2019.