The Process of Delivery – A Case Study Evaluation of Residential Handover Procedures in Sustainable Housing

Abstract

At present research groups are developing a growing body of evidence quantitatively demonstrating through post occupancy evaluation, a significant gap between the actual physical performance characteristics and the design predictions of sustainable dwellings. In examining this documented performance variability this paper argues that a substantial proportion of this gap may be the result of mismanagement and misuse of sustainable systems by the occupants who have received little to no training in the specialised equipment and design techniques regularly employed in modern sustainable housing. Specifically this paper looks into the training and guidance given to new house owners during the critical handover phase. The research adopts a direct observational methodology in conjunction with a suitable housing case study and the associated handover process. By recording and analysing the handover procedures of a representative housing developer the study hopes to gain valuable insight into the current technological training and guidance provided to new tenants of modern ecologically certified housing. The study finds occupants are not receiving adequate training and guidance with regard to the sustainable measures employed in their housing. In addition the survey suggests that residents struggle to absorb the information provided in the current format. Ultimately the study proposes a complete reform of the handover process, based on existing commercial precedence and focusing on both the accessibility and content of the handover procedure.