The impact of sustainable higher education building spaces design on staff and students' experience

Humans spend more than 90% of time inside buildings and hence the built environment has an immense impact on our well-being, especially its influence on students' learning and their educational experience in Higher Education. The usability of innovative design in teaching and learning spaces is vital for designing sustainable workplaces and driving the sustainability agenda. A post-occupancy evaluation (POE) case study in a Higher Education building was carried out to investigate the impact of the adoption of various digital technologies on the design and performance of innovative teaching and learning spaces. The POE consisted of a users' survey as well as energy measurements. The results from this research suggest that there is a clear evidential need to develop methods based on the evaluations of user interaction with the design of space and the working environment itself, thus, focusing on broader and more relative aspects For the next generation of learning, teaching and office spaces in educational buildings, it is crucial that early involvement of potential users and building owners in the design planning processes, construction and the facilities management stages.