A Framework for Assessing the Performance of Adaptively Reused Buildings from Users’ Perspective: A Case Study of School Building

The positive relationship between building performance and users’ satisfaction and behavior in new buildings has been widely studied. However, in the context of adaptively reused buildings converted from historic buildings, how each performance aspect affects users’ perception is missing. To explore the design concerns needed to be considered related to the performance of adaptively reused buildings from user’s perspective, this paper proposed a framework to examine the effect of performance of adaptively reused buildings on users’ satisfaction and behavior using structural equation modeling. A total of 608 valid face-to-face interview questionnaires were collected at a school building converted from an abandoned industrial building. The empirical conclusions are as follows: (1) Building performance (including indoor environment quality, interior design, building services, and authenticity) all exerted a significant positive correlation with the learning behavior of students, among which indoor environment quality is the most critical factor affecting learning behavior of students. (2) Students’ satisfaction is positively affected by the building performance (including indoor environment quality, interior design, building services, and authenticity), among which authenticity has the greatest effect on students’ satisfaction. (3) The correlation between satisfaction and learning behavior of students is significant and positive. (4) Considering the mediator impact, authenticity indirectly affects learning behavior through satisfaction, while students’ satisfaction has a partially mediating effect between the other three performance aspects and learning behavior. This paper provides a framework for assessing the performance of adaptively reused buildings and gives practical strategies for the improvement of users’ satisfaction and behavior in similar projects.

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