Effects of Newly Designed Hospital Buildings on Staff Perceptions: A Pre-Post Study to Validate Design Decisions

Area of Science:

• Healthcare facility design
• Occupancy evaluation
• Building performance assessment

Background:

• Large university medical center undergoing phased building renewal (200,000 m²).
• Emphasis on evaluating new building performance to inform future design phases.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess the impact of new non-patient-related buildings on staff perceptions.
• Determine if building design objectives were met.

Main Methods:

• Pre- and post-occupancy evaluation with a control group.
• Online survey measuring perceived building performance (n=729 pre-study, n=664 post-study).
• Longitudinal multilevel analysis comparing old and new buildings.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements noted in indoor climate, perceived safety, working environment, well-being, facilities, sustainability, and overall satisfaction.
• No significant improvements in employer commitment, working atmosphere, orientation, work performance, or knowledge sharing.
• Results linked to specific design choices.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of measuring performance improvements from new building designs.
• Validated specific design decisions through post-occupancy evaluation.
• A focused design approach prioritizing safety, comfort, and sustainability yielded measurable benefits.