Post-occupancy environmental performance of a household-model residential aged care facility: a same-site sequential evaluation (Phase 2)

Purpose Built residential aged care (RAC) facilities adopting household models are widely promoted as assets that improve environmental quality and resident comfort. However, post-occupancy evidence verifying whether these facilities deliver measurable improvements against health-relevant acoustic, lighting and thermal benchmarks remains limited. This study aims to report a Phase 2 post-occupancy evaluation of a newly constructed household-model RAC facility, comparing realised indoor environmental quality (IEQ) performance and occupant perceptions with established benchmarks and a pre-relocation baseline evaluation (PrBE) from the legacy facility it replaced. Design/methodology/approach Environmental monitoring was undertaken over two consecutive 14-day deployments in March 2025 across private bedrooms, communal lounges and dining areas and transitional spaces. Minute-resolution acoustic, lighting and temperature data were collected using industry-grade IC-NSRT and HOBO MX2202 loggers. Performance was evaluated against World Health Organization (WHO) and AS/NZS 2107:2016 acoustic criteria, pragmatic circadian-supportive lighting thresholds (=1,000 lux daytime; =10 lux night) and thermal guidance emphasising diurnal variation (=2°C) and avoidance of prolonged operation above 22°C. Parallel surveys of residents, proxies and staff captured perceived environmental conditions and operational influences. Findings Compared with the legacy facility, the household model building demonstrated improvements in night-time acoustic conditions in bedrooms, enhanced daylight availability in communal spaces and modest reductions in nocturnal light intrusion. Daytime illuminance in bedrooms improved but remained variable, influenced by orientation, shading and resident use. Thermal conditions were generally cooler and widely perceived as comfortable, with increased diurnal variation evident in some spaces. Survey responses indicated improved satisfaction with acoustic and lighting conditions, while perceptions of thermal comfort remained consistently positive across phases. Practical implications Findings indicate that architectural change can deliver measurable IEQ gains but that full alignment with health-relevant benchmarks depends on post-handover operational tuning, staff awareness and adaptive use of environmental controls. Residual performance gaps are best understood as opportunities for optimisation rather than design shortcomings. Originality/value The study contributes longitudinal same-site sequential post-occupancy evidence from an RAC redevelopment, integrating objective environmental monitoring with occupant perceptions to support evidence-informed facilities management and post-occupancy optimisation.