Student residential apartment performance evaluation using integrated AHP-FCE method

Abstract

Student residents' perception of the student residential apartment environment has gained greater prominence. Developing a performance evaluation framework from students' perspective is essential to post-occupancy management. In this study, an occupant-oriented performance evaluation framework was established based on a student residential apartment complex in the Netherlands through literature analysis, expert interviews and a focus group discussion with student resident representatives. The innovative framework, which comprises three levels of building performance attributes, divides the architectural design and building services performance attributes into two major categories. A questionnaire survey designed based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) methods was used to evaluate the framework. Data on student residents' perceived importance of and satisfaction with the building performance attributes was collected by the survey. The analysis results show that building service performance attributes were considered less important to the student residents than architectural design attributes. Student residents' perceived priority weightings for various building performance attributes were compared by gender, educational level and length of stay. This study incorporates, in an innovative manner, student residents' perception into developing a performance evaluation framework for student residential apartments, and adopted the integrated AHP-FCE method to measure student residents’ perception on the overall building performance. The findings have important ramifications for the post-occupancy management stage.