New perspectives on the design of the buildings

The design of buildings has mainly focused on energy performances during the last decades however, it is also important to emphasize human needs and behaviour. Our research projects aim to advance knowledge of sustainability concepts in building design by investigating how buildings communicate with users towards sustainability, how are buildings perceived and used, and the roles of the individual factors such as habits and norms. Empirical studies have been conducted in the laboratory-based and real world environments such as home, educational and healthcare facilities and office, using a multidisciplinary approach and mixed methods from design, technology and psychology disciplines. The overarching model of human-environmental interaction has been used to evaluate experiences and behaviour at an individual level. The physical environments have been measured both objectively and subjectively, and the perceptions of social environment is taken into account. The research would provide a better understanding of human-environment interaction in relation to sustainability aspects of buildings. To reach sustainable solutions, the environmental conditions from both technical and human perspectives are needed to be considered. The findings would contribute to building design improvements as well as support the practical implication of sustainable building research.