Barriers to the implementation of POE practices in the Saudi Arabian building industry

This study aims to identify and assess the major barriers to post-occupancy evaluation (POE) implementation in the Saudi Arabian building industry. A literature review was conducted to identify 27 barriers to POE implementation in the building industry. A questionnaire survey was completed by a targeted sample of 150 building industry professionals, including 30 representatives of each influential discipline, namely architectural/engineers (A/Es), construction engineers (CEs), real estate developers (REDs), facilities managers (FMs) and owners. The findings indicated a low level of awareness of POE among these professionals, especially owners. The five most significant barriers according to the five parties were ‘lack of /inadequate resources for the POE (financial, time and man-power)’, ‘POE is not an integrated element of the standard facility delivery process’, ‘lack of knowledge on POE procedures and processes’, ‘there is no legal provision for POE in the building industry’, and ‘management's preference to increase income at the expense of conducting POE’. This research represents the first study to conduct a thorough survey of the key barriers to POE implementation in Saudi Arabia. The findings highlighted the significance of the economic barriers in the implementation of POE practices. The study also demonstrated the lack of awareness about the practice of POE among the owners of building projects. Finally, recommendations for overcoming the barriers to POE implementation in the building industry were provided.