Purpose
– Evaluate the post occupancy performance of a typical “traditional” building using multiple post occupancy evaluation (PoE) protocols against design intents to learn lessons about their suitability in meeting UK's climate change reduction targets. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
– PoE studies of a single case study, Norton Park, using three PoE methodologies. Gaps and overlaps between the PoE protocols are assessed and their role in improving energy and carbon emission performance of traditional buildings is explored.
Findings
– Refurbishment of the type undertaken in this case study could halve the energy use in traditional buildings with comparable savings in CO2 emission.
Research limitations/implications
– Traditional buildings could positively contribute to achieving climate change reduction targets; regular feedback loops improve performance over time.
Practical implications
– Quantification of the likely national benefit of focusing retrofit actions on traditional buildings is explored.
Originality/value
– The research study demonstrates that very high levels of energy saving can be achieved when traditional buildings are refurbished. In addition on-going monitoring and PoE studies highlight opportunities to optimise the performance of traditional buildings.
By the early 1990s, and after nearly a century of use, the future of Norton Park School was brought into question. With its original function gone and later use for workshops and storage insufficient to justify the increasingly onerous maintenance and heating costs, a decision had to be taken about the future of this building.At the same time, a need was identified to provide city centre accommo, dation for the voluntary and charitable sectors in Edinburgh. This new use justified the repair and conversion of Norton Park School. A new charity, the Albion Trust, was formed, which successfully raised funds and convert, ed the building, incorporating the rigorous requirements of Historic Scotland and achieving the very highest environmental and accessibility standards.
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