The aim of this document is to provide a collaborative approach for engaging with building users and occupants during the design process for building refurbishment and design. The Introduction outlines the objective of the report and the general principles which were adopted to guide the development of the approach to occupant and user engagement. Section One reviews the current state of play regarding the involvement of building occupants and users in building design and post-occupancy evaluation.
Section Two outlines the process of stakeholder engagement which was undertaken as part of the research for this report. Section Three of the report outlines a wide range of methods that can be used to engage with building occupants and users and involve them in the design process. Each of these methods is described in Section 3, as well as characterised in terms of the depth of participation it affords; its capacity for promoting inclusivity; the timeframe required; the costs involved; the demands made on participants and the supports required; and the design phase with which it most closely aligns.
Section Four draws the previous work together to develop a coherent and flexible approach to occupant and user engagement. Five models of engagement are laid out, with recommendations for the specific engagement methods to be applied at each stage of a refurbishment project. In the final section, a suite of engagement methods, matched to the different stages in the design process, is proposed for each of the five models of occupant and user engagement.