A Post Occupancy Evaluation Model for Sustainable Urban Neighborhood Assessment in Malaysia

Abstract

Urbanized areas are typically the significant sources of environmental degradation, thus, urban assessment criteria tool aiming at equally adapted sustainability dimensions need to be firmly embedded in benchmarking planning and design framework and upon occupancy. In this study, Post-Occupancy Evaluation Model (POEM) will be develop based on sustainability holistic pillar in order to assess and redefine the current sustainability assessment criteria for future sustainable development. Urban sustainable rating system in Malaysian is rather new. Even though Green Building Index Township Assessment Criteria (GBI-TAC) has been developed and implemented but there is lack of post-occupancy evaluation being conducted in assessing the sustainability level of the certified development. Thus, embarking on the research problem whether urban neighborhood assessment criteria and certified project fulfilled the sustainability concept according to sustainability dimension pillars (SDP). The research objective is to identify and formulate POEM based on SDP towards sustainable neighborhood development (SND). The scope of the study focus on GBI-TAC and three (3) certified GBI neighborhood projects in Malaysia which were occupied for more than one year. The stakeholder-inclusion approach is used in this research in order to gather experts’ opinion, professional’s stakeholders’ views and end-users experiences regarding the proposed POEM. The research design will be formulated into six key stages, which are; 1. Content analysis, 2. Expert’s surveys and semi-structure interviews, 3. Building’s professional surveys, 4. Development of POEM handbook, 5. On-site Household Surveys and 6. Revision and Finalizing of POEM. The collected data are analyzed using qualitative and quantitative analysis method and structural equation modelling. The findings have indicates that a comprehensive Stakeholder-Inclusion Approach method in developing POEM for SND, supported by key issues of SDP understanding in SND and guided by clear and comprehensive POEM Handbook procedures, can oversee and foster the neighborhood and it’s communities towards an enhanced, balanced and holistic sustainable development. The findings for research problem based on POEM Handbook on-site testing from selected case studies through end-users/households’ opinions, the study concluded that the existing GBI-TAC and certified SND DO NOT FULFILL the post-occupancy effectiveness and sustainability level according to SDP. For research hypothesis 1 and 2: Stakeholders-Inclusion Approach Analysis, SEM modeling and POEM Handbook on-site implementation findings suggested that there is a SDP gap in evaluation criteria between Phase 2 (Pre-Occupancy) and Phase 3 (Pre-Occupancy), and pre-occupancy assessment for SND sustainability level differs from post-occupancy evaluation sustainability level perceived by the end-users/households concluded that POEM evaluation criteria and theory would differ from the pre-occupied assessment criteria and theory; therefore, there is a room for improvement and enhancement upon post-occupancy within the community’s neighborhood context. Hence, SDP method will improve sustainability and in supporting this hypothesis. The study outcome suggested there is still a sustainable dimensions gap that need to be addressed in maintaining the continuity neighborhood community sustainable practices and management upon occupancy. Thus, this study claims that the adoption and implementation of POEM for SND will facilitate to enhance the current and future sustainable condition of urban development. The expected output of this research is the POEM Handbook for future SND in Malaysia and similar development phenomenon in the ASEAN region and country throughout the world. The POEM is also expected to be a reference model for future review and revision of GBI-TAC, Local Authorities and Ministries related sustainable and green policies.