Despite
an increasing demand for energy-efficient design, it is generally accepted that
architects rarely return to their creations to ensure that they are performing
as intended: to talk to users, observe how the buildings work and have been
adapted, and whether the environments created are enjoyable places to be in.



While
most building professionals recognise the value of follow-through and
involvement after handover, there are many perceived barriers to undertaking
this work in practice. This book provides a bold vision for how some of these
perceived barriers can be overcome.



Better
Buildings
provides architects with the inspiration and tools they need to deliver truly
sustainable design. Through essays and illustrated case studies, this essential
book explores how sustainable buildings are occupied and work and sheds light
on the methods used to observe this. It illustrates that in observing building
performance in-use, sustainable architecture has moved beyond simply creating
beautiful spaces, to deliver on the low-energy performances promised.