Beyond the performance gap: reclaiming building appraisal through archival research

Abstract

Current debates about building performance evaluation often emphasise the 'performance gap' between how buildings perform in practice and how performance was envisaged during the design stage. While such debates continue to be dominated by energy considerations, increasing attention is directed towards the subjective experiences of building users in terms of thermal comfort and wellbeing. The latter trends are undoubtedly to be welcomed, but buildings continue to be conceptualised as fixed physical objects rather than entities that are enacted in practice. With the aim of challenging current assumptions, research is described which sought to reclaim the concept of building appraisal as practised by the pioneering architectural practice DEGW. The concept of building appraisal differs from current notions of building performance evaluation in that the point of departure was not the supposedly fixed entity of the building, but the essential fluidity of the occupying organisation and their aspirations in terms of space. Empirical data is derived from archival sources and through extensive interaction with the DEGW diaspora, many of whom remain active at the leading edge of international practice. It is concluded that the continued fixation with the 'performance gap' reinforces long-since discredited assumptions of environmental determinism.

The contested privileging of zero carbon: plausibility, persuasiveness and professionalism

“…Indeed, the architect is unlikely to be involved beyond the point of their commission, other than perhaps making intermittent appearances for the purposes of post-occupancy evaluation (POE). POEs should ideally extend throughout a building's lifecycle and are best conceived as ' double-loop' learning opportunities for the benefit of all involved (Patel & Green 2020;Stevenson 2019). Such a conceptualisation is consistent with the emerging narrative of co-design as an activity that transcends the project lifecycle and which applies equally to retrofit and new-build projects alike.…”

“…This remains true irrespective of whether we are talking about building services engineers, architects or any other built-environment professional. Carbon emissions are also crucially dependent upon the socio-material practices of the building occupants over time (Patel & Green 2020). The viability of any proposed zero-carbon 'solution' is hence frequently dependent upon the adopted 'system boundary'.…”

“…Proposed solutions to the espoused 'performance gap' typically include a more coordinated approach to model validation and verification, improved data collection and better forecasting (de Wilde 2014). The recurring tendency is to view buildings as fixed entities which remain essentially static over time (Patel & Green 2020). An alternative perspective would view buildings as a continuous flux of sociomaterial practices which are inseparable from the ever-changing governance structures that surround them (Patel & Tutt 2018).…”

“…An alternative perspective would view buildings as a continuous flux of sociomaterial practices which are inseparable from the ever-changing governance structures that surround them (Patel & Tutt 2018). Such a perspective would accentuate the myriad of adaptations which occur over a building's lifecycle in response to shifting expectations (Patel & Green 2020). Hence, building performance becomes something enacted over time rather than being predetermined in advance.…”

Performance Gap and Occupant Behavior in Building Retrofit: Focus on Dynamics of Change and Continuity in the Practice of Indoor Heating

“…Patel and Green [32] stress that energy performance assessment generally conceives buildings as static rather than dynamic, in continuous flow and transformation, with adaptations occurring throughout its lifespan, most notably deriving from the enactment of practice by the tenants. Diverse approaches are adopted for a better understanding of occupants' use of energy.…”