Post Occupancy Study of The New York Times Building: Survey Findings Assessing Occupant Comfort and Satisfaction

The New York Times (NY Times) building located at 620 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan was designed to include state of the art, environmentally-sustainable features intended to enhance occupant satisfaction and save energy. Some of the features in the NY Times space, including daylight dimming controls, automated window shades, and an advanced under-floor air distribution (UFAD) system, were first of their kind ventures on this scale in the US. The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) actively supported the design and construction of this new facility with significant incentives toward the innovative features of the facility.

In order to understand occupant satisfaction and comfort levels associated with these new technologies, NYSERDA is providing support to the NY Times Facility Management staff with a simplified post occupancy review, assisting with development and analysis of an occupant satisfaction survey. The survey (survey instrument attached as Appendix 2) was intended to determine the level of occupant satisfaction with certain aspects of the indoor environmental quality of the NY Times Building, with a special focus on lighting and comfort quality provided by the innovative lighting/shading control and UFAD systems. In distributing the survey, it was stated that results from the survey would be shared with occupants, and will also inform Facilities Management in their operation of the building.