Category one: Built Environment

The majority of occupants are dissatisfied with the indoor environment.

• Top level management should be informed immediately of the impact on health and productivity of the occupants.
• Immediate steps should be taken by facilities managers to resolve the most evident problems (e.g. adjustments to the central HVAC system for improvement of thermal comfort, no smoking policy for improvement of indoor air quality, etc.).
• A strategy for improvement of the indoor environment should be developed, including assessment procedures and auditing.
• The building occupants should be informed of the implementation of an indoor environmental improvement policy.

A large proportion of the occupants are dissatisfied with the indoor environment.

• Top level management should be informed through appropriate reporting of the possible impact on the productivity of the building occupants.
• Immediate steps should be taken by facilities managers to resolve the most evident problems (e.g. adjustments to the central HVAC system for improvement of thermal comfort, no smoking policy for improvement of indoor air quality, etc.).
• A strategy for improvement of the indoor environment should be developed, including assessment procedures and auditing.
• The building occupants should be informed of the implementation of an indoor environmental improvement policy.

A significant number of the occupants express dissatisfaction with the indoor environment.

• Top level management should be informed through appropriate reporting of the possible impact on productivity.
• Immediate steps should be taken by facilities managers to identify and resolve the most evident problems (e.g. adjustments to the central HVAC system for improvement of thermal comfort, no smoking policy for improvement of indoor air quality, etc.).
• The existing strategy for maintaining the indoor environment should be re-assessed to determine the requirement for specific assessment procedures and auditing.
• An educational programme for the occupants on the appropriate use of the building facilities and the impact on the comfort levels of the indoor environment should be implemented.

The majority of occupants are satisfied with the indoor environment.

• Top level management should be informed through appropriate reporting that there is room for improvement in the indoor environment and of the possible impact on productivity.
• Immediate steps should be taken by facilities managers to identify and resolve the most evident problems through minor adjustments to building services.
• The existing strategy for maintaining the indoor environment should be re-assessed to determine the necessity for specific assessment procedures and auditing.
• An educational programme for the occupants on the appropriate use of the building facilities and the impact on the comfort of the indoor environment should be implemented.

The occupants are in general satisfied with the indoor environment which provides a comfortable and productive workplace.

• Steps should be taken by facilities managers to identify and resolve specific problems through minor adjustments to building services.
• The existing strategy for maintaining the indoor environment should be re-assessed to determine the necessity for specific assessment procedures and auditing.
• An educational programme for the occupants on the appropriate use of the building facilities and the impact on the comfort of the indoor environment should be considered.
• Top level management should be informed through appropriate reporting that the indoor environment is in general satisfactory.

The occupants are satisfied with the indoor environment which provides a comfortable and productive workplace.

• Occupants should be praised for their appropriate use of the building facilities and informed of the energy and environmental performance of the building.
• Individual complaints should be discussed on a person-to-person basis and the possibility of improving local control or relocation of the occupant should be discussed.
• Top level management should be informed through appropriate reporting that the building occupants are highly satisfied with the indoor environment.

• Contemporary design philosophies recognise that local control can improve occupant comfort and minimise energy consumption in buildings, however appropriately designed, commissioned and operated central control can also be effectively applied and overall building intelligence can be balanced by high intelligence in other areas (role of facilities manager, reporting, maintenance, etc.).
• Possible actions to be taken therefore depend on the levels of occupant satisfaction and the energy and environmental performance of the building. If occupant satisfaction is low, the central control should be optimised by the facilities management team and specific proposals made for improvement of the indoor environment and provision made for local control where appropriate.
• If occupant satisfaction is high, the energy and environmental performance of the building should be addressed to identify areas for energy conservation without impeding occupant comfort and the facilities management team should continue with the effective operation and maintenance of the central system. If the energy and environmental indicators remain high then a refurbishment strategy based on investment and payback will need to be implemented by the facilities manager or presented to top level management for approval.

There is an obvious risk to occupant health and safety that must be addressed.

• Top level management should be informed immediately of the risk to occupant health.
• Occupants should be informed of the necessary measures to avoid exposure.
• Immediate actions should be taken to remove the risk.
• An indoor environmental strategy should be developed, including auditing, assessment and follow up, and implemented.

• Top level management should be informed immediately of the risk to occupant health and productivity.
• Immediate and evident actions should be taken to improve the indoor environment, with particular attention to air quality and ventilation.
• An indoor environmental strategy should be developed, including auditing, assessment and follow up, and implemented in order to identify the cause of SBS complaints.

• Top level management should be informed immediately of the risk to occupant productivity.
• Immediate and evident actions should be taken to improve the indoor environment, with particular attention to air quality and ventilation.
• An indoor environmental strategy should be developed, including auditing, assessment and follow up, and implemented in order to identify the cause of SBS complaints.

• Top level management should be informed immediately of the risk to occupant productivity.
• An indoor environmental strategy should be developed, including auditing, assessment and follow up, and implemented in order to identify the cause of SBS complaints.

• Local sources of indoor environmental pollution should be identified and redressed in collaboration with the occupants affected.
• Top level management should be informed via appropriate reporting of any problems which have been identified and redressed.

• Top level management should be informed via appropriate reporting and references on the performance of other buildings and on the relevant performance of the building.

• Top management should be informed of the strategic benefits of adopting an energy and environmental policy.

• The “common knowledge” set of guidelines should be presented to top level management as the set of specific strategies which are currently applied.
• Proposals for strategic development of the energy and environmental policy should be presented.

• Management should be lobbied via specific proposals to adopt an energy & environmental policy through detailed presentation of the various voluntary agreements that exist and proposals for adoption.
• Detailed case studies should be presented as supporting material.

• The benefits of involved commitment should be presented to promote a higher degree of support from management.
• Detailed case studies should be presented as supporting material.

• Clear and concise executive reporting of the results of auditing should be regularly presented to management to maintain energy and environment on the corporate agenda.

• Clear and concise executive reporting of the results of external auditing should be regularly presented to management.

• Identify the basic design concept failures with respect to integration of the building with its surroundings and categorise them in terms of retrofit (envelope, systems, landscaping, etc. by considering options such as shading, ventilation, etc. in terms of energy requirements, occupancy comfort, etc.).
• Identify which design changes or retrofit options are applicable in terms of owner/occupier status, structural condition and mechanical systems performance.
• Prepare strategy for assessment.

• Identify design areas which have not been addressed.
• Identify which design changes or retrofit options are applicable in terms of owner/occupier status, structural condition and mechanical systems performance.
• Prepare specific proposals for assessment.

• Identify areas where active components or RES could be incorporated (photovoltaics, automated shading, for example).

• Identify which areas of indoor environmental comfort (thermal, optical, acoustic, indoor air quality) are not addressed by the existing systems and prepare proposals to focus on these areas.

• Assess occupancy awareness and satisfaction.
• Develop a strategy for systems maintenance.
• Identify possibilities for recycling and integration of work/social activities with the surrounding ecological system.
• Disseminate performance to top level management and corporate strategy together with proposals for refinement of the building-environment balance.

• Assess occupancy awareness and satisfaction.
• Develop a strategy for systems maintenance.
• Disseminate performance to top level management and corporate strategy.