Name:
What is your role? (please tick one)
User / Facilities manager / Architect
Client / Surveyor or agent / Contractor
Visitor / Engineer / Project manager
Supplier
What building are you using the DQI to analyse?
Where is the building located?
At what stage of development is your building? (please tick one)
Inception / Construction / Design
In use
What type of development is your building? (please tick one)
New build / Refurbishment / Mixed
What is the primary purpose of your building? (please tick one)
Housing:
Private / Social / Mixed
Non housing:
Utilities / Sport and recreation / Religious
Factories / Medical / Retail
Offices / Warehouses / Education
Hotels / Civic / Culture and leisure
Please list your three likes and dislikes of the building:
Likes:1
2
3
Dislikes:1
2
3
How satisfied are you with your new building overall?
Very satisfied / Fairly satisfied / No opinion
Fairly dissatisfied / Very dissatisfied
Impact
Please tick the three statements within each section that you feel are the most important for your building / Strongly disagree / Disagree / Tend to disagree / Tend to agree / Agree / Strongly agree / Not applicable
Character and innovation:
The building provides a sense of security
The building lifts the spirits
Visitors like coming here
The building reinforces the image of the occupier’s organisation
The building is widely acclaimed for its quality
The building has character
The building makes you think
There is clear vision behind the building
The building’s design and construction contributes to development of new knowledge
Form and materials:
The shape of the building is pleasing
The building is well composed
The building takes advantage of its orientation on site
The form and materials are well detailed
The materials used in the building add to its quality
The use of colour and texture enhances enjoyment of the building
Internal environment:
The building is a pleasure to use
The building does not feel cramped or overcrowded
The building reduces stress for users
The circulation spaces and common areas are enjoyable
The natural light in the building is of high quality
The artificial light in the building is of high quality
The indoor temperature of the building is comfortable in all seasons
The indoor air quality is pleasant
The building has good acoustics
The building provides good views
The level of personal control of the internal environment is appropriate
Urban and social integration:
The building is sited well in relation to its context
The area immediate outside is pleasant
The landscape around the building contributes to the neighbourhood
The building is well located in relation to local facilities
The people in the neighbourhood like the building
The building contributes to the neighbourhood
The building stimulates social and economic regeneration
Impact summary
Having addressed the sections above, please indicate the relative importance to you of these four aspects by allocating a total of twenty points to them. You can give any aspect no points if it is not at all important but the total must add to twenty. An example is given below:
Character and innovation: / 5
Form and material: / 5
Internal environment: / 5
Urban and social: / 5
Total points: / 20
Build quality
Please tick the three statements within each section that you feel are the most important for your building / Strongly disagree / Disagree / Tend to disagree / Tend to agree / Agree / Strongly agree / Not applicable
Performance:
The building is easy to clean
The building withstands wear and tear in use
The building is easily maintained
The building design has responded to the site microclimate
The building will weather well
The building’s structure is efficient
The building’s finishes are durable
There is sufficient daylight in the building
The artificial lighting levels in the building are sufficient
The thermal climate in the building is appropriate to its use
The acoustics quality is appropriate to its use
The air quality is appropriate to its use
The building is easy to operate
The building produces a low number of complaints/faults reported by users
Engineering:
The building is energy efficient
The components in the building are easily replaced when necessary
The engineering systems work well
The engineering systems area easy to operate
The engineering systems operate quietly
The design minimises CO2 emissions
The requirement for heating is minimised by the design of the building
The requirement for mechanical ventilation is minimised by the design of the building
The requirement for cooling is minimised by the design of the building
The requirement for building controls systems are minimised by the design of the building
The building controls systems work well
There is a clear fire safety strategy
Engineering systems are well co-ordinated
The building is healthy to use
The building is safe to use
Construction:
The fabrics and materials are appropriate for the building’s purpose
The methods and materials used in construction have been well thought through
The building has been designed so that it can be safely constructed
The building is designed for demolition and recyclability
The layout, structure and engineering systems are well integrated
The building’s fittings and finishes are well integrated
Future climate change has been considered in the design of the building
Build quality summary
Having addressed the sections above, please indicate the relative importance to you of these three aspects by allocating a total of fifteen points to them. You can give any aspect no points if it is not at all important but the total must add to fifteen. An example is given below:
Performance: / 5
Engineering: / 5
Construction: / 5
Total points: / 15
Functionality
Please tick the three statements within each section that you feel are the most important for your building / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Tend to Disagree / Tend to Agree / Agree / Strongly Agree / Not applicable
Use:
The building works well
The building easily accommodates the users’ needs
The building contributes to the efficiency of the organisation
The building enhances the activity of people who use it regularly
The building provides good security
The building is adaptable to changing needs
The lighting is versatile for different user requirements
The layout allows for changes of use
The heating, ventilation and IT installations allow for changes of use
The structure allows for changes of use
Access:
There is good access to public transport
There is sufficient car parking
The building provides good access for all
The building caters for cyclists
The layout and landscape around the building provides good access for people
There is safe and secure access for goods
The layout is intelligible
It’s easy to find you way round the building
The signage is clear
The building caters for the needs of those people with impaired sight
The building caters for the needs of those people with impaired hearing
The building is accessible to wheelchair users
Space:
The building is the right size for all its functions
The building’s layout and the relationships between rooms work well
The circulation space works well
The ratio of usable space to the total area is good
The building’s layout provides a good balance of communal and private spaces
There is adequate storage space
Functionality summary
Having addressed the sections above, please indicate the relative importance to you of these three aspects by allocating a total of fifteen points to them. You can give any aspect no points if it is not at all important but the total must add to fifteen. An example is given below:
Use: / 5
Access: / 5
Space: / 5
Total points: / 15
Comparative analysis
Having addressed the impact, build quality and functionality sections above, please indicate the relative importance to you of these three aspects by allocating a total of fifteen points to them. You can give any aspect no points if it is not at all important but the total must add to fifteen. An example is given below:
Impact: / 5
Build quality: / 5
Functionality: / 5
Total points: / 15

Context for the project

The design quality of a building is greatly influenced by the response given to meet the financial, time, environmental and resourcing contexts set out in the brief.

These are pragmatic issues which are high on the agenda of developers, commissioners and financiers of buildings and which can constrain or enable the design quality of the building.

It is important for the following contextual issues to be addressed by someone familiar with the detail of the project. Your building can then be analysed with other similar ones with a different location, context and brief.

Time
What will be/is the anticipated life for the building?
Less than 3 years / Less than 10 years
Less than 25 years / Less than 60 years
How much time (months) will be/was spent on the project for?
Inception to start of design:
Assembly and construction:
Design development:
In your opinion, are/were these allotted time scales?
Inception to start of design:
Too short / About right / Too long
Design development:
Too short / About right / Too long
Assembly and construction:
Too short / About right / Too long
How many months has the building been in occupation?
Financial details (ex VAT)
What will be/is the outturn total capital cost of construction? £
Please give an approximate breakdown:
Land purchase:£
Legal and planning offsite:£
Infrastructure: £
Furniture:£
Foundation and structures:£
Consultant fees:£
Fit out: £
Construction: £
External works and landscape: £
What will be/is the total:
Gross floor area in m2
Net usable area in m2
Will/was whole life costing (be) used to direct the design development?
Slightly / Not at all / Considerably
Do you consider that the finished building will be/is good value for money?
Slightly / Not at all / Considerably
Environmental conditions
What will be/is the location of the building?
Urban / Suburban / Rural
Brownfield / Greenfield
What method of assessing environmental sustainability will be/was used to guide the design and construction process?
BREEAM / ECOPOINTS / ENVEST
SPEAR / Other
To what extent will/was environmental sustainability (be) an important driver in the design of the building?
Slightly / Not at all / Considerably
Other influences
What will be/was the procurement method for the building?
Traditional lump sum
Design manage and construct
Design and build
PFI/PPP
Construction management
Other
Management contracting
What will be/was the contractor selection process? (please tick one box only)
Single stage tender / Two stage tender
Negotiated / Partnering
Other
To what extent will/did planning and legislative requirements influence the quality of the project?
Not at all / Slightly / Considerably
Who or what will drive/drove the design of the project?
Will/did the client champion design quality?
Slightly / Not at all / Considerably
Project delivery
Please tick one box only.
Add any further comments regarding the project delivery process if necessary.
Cost; the final account was agreed:
With some project contingency still unspent (+5)
Within project contingency (+2)
Between project contingency and available university annual surplus (-2)
Beyond contingencies but less than university annual surplus (-5)
Equivalent to or greater than university annual surplus (-10)
Comments on cost control:
Scope; the building was fit for intended purpose:
Required some modifications with no significant impact on client (+2)
Required some modifications with some impact on client (-2)
Required major modifications with some impact on client (-5)
Comments on scope:
Defects; the building was handed over with:
An acceptable level of defects that could be rectified with no significant impact on client (+2)
Some defects that created some impact on client (-2)
A very high level of minor defects that needed significant organisation to complete (-5)
Some significant functional defects that affected performance of the building (-10)
Comments on defects control:
Time; the building was handed over in a time that:
Was within tolerance including a critical fixed term date (+5)
Was within tolerance (+2)
Outside of tolerance but caused little business impact (0)
Outside of tolerance and missed a critical term start deadline (+2)
Outside of tolerance and caused significant business impact (-5)
Comments on time control:
Safety; the building was constructed with:
No reportable incidents (+2)
Reportable incidents (-2)
Fatalities (-5)
Comments on safety control:
Project delivery summary
Having addressed the sections above, please indicate the relative importance to you of these four aspects by allocating a total of twenty points to them. You can give any aspect no points if it is not at all important but the total must add to twenty. An example is given below:
Cost: / 5
Scope: / 5
Defects: / 5
Time: / 5
Total points: / 20