Development of a Post-occupancy Evaluation Framework for Modular Student Housing – A Case Study in the Netherlands

Student housing is a niche market in the Netherlands . In the past decade, the lack of student housing supply has triggered an increasing growth of student housing construction, and the quality of student housing has been emphasised by housing associations in the Netherlands. The literature suggests that a systematic study on the building performance of student housing in the Netherlands is missing. Recognising this research gap, this study sheds light on student housing post-occupancy performance and adopts a user perspective in developing a post-occupancy evaluation framework (POEF) for modular student housing. A preliminary three-level hierarchy POEF was developed based on literature review. Expert interviews and a case study with student residents were conducted to validate the framework. The case study involves a walk-through visit and a focus group discussion with student residents in a modular student housing in the Netherlands. The findings reveal a performance gap between reassuring basic need and resident comfort. The POEF was validated to be effective in measuring the post-occupancy performance of student housing, but the performance attribute hierarchy is subject to minor changes to suit large-scale surveys. This study provides empirical evidence from the users’ perspective to develop a POEF for modular student housing.