Postoccupancy Evaluation Performed in Elementary and High Schools of Greater São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The focus of this study is on postoccupancy evaluation (POE) in 24 elementary and high schools located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil, designed and built since the mid-1940s. More than 50% of these schools were designed and occupied during the 1960s and 1970s. Often the public schools are built without consideration of cultural, socioeconomic, and local climatic conditions or their importance to the community of the districts where they are located. Future school projects can benefit from the resulting diagnosis of a POE, improving its quality. The study's emphasis is on the satisfaction levels of occupants (teachers, students, and employees) regarding functional factors, environmental comfort, maintenance, and safety regarding fire and crime. Knowledge of these performance environments during their use will lead to a database comprising project guidelines and parameters for preventive maintenance programs.