This study explores the use of sensory gardens by observing the zones and how they are utilised, by children with special educational needs. Methods applied were interviews, observation and behaviour mapping, which was used in conjunction with affordance theory. Affordance were categorised by landscape furniture, soft and hard landscape in relation to three categories of activities: Sensory stimulation, physical and social skills. The findings discovered continuous pathways that link the sensory garden to the site context, with easy access to the features, have the highest number of users. Another finding found that users spent a longer time in zones where sensory, rather than aesthetic value, were emphasised

Successful implementation of bioclimatic design strategies not only reduces energy use, but more importantly increases the resident’s satisfaction. A post-occupancy evaluation, a form of survey method, was used in assessing the satisfaction and perception of residents in two residential colleges, at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Both Case Study A (CS-A) and Case Study B (CS-B) represent the uppermost and moderate implementation of bioclimatic design strategies. The results showed that 414 questionnaires were retrieved fully filled by occupants at CS-A while 155 respondents from CS-B returned their questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents were asked to rate the levels of satisfaction and perception with various aspects of the building, including the immediate environment. A detailed survey on thermal comfort had also been done by adopting the predicted mean vote index. As initial findings, the implementations of bioclimatic design strategies at the selected residential colleges were able to provide comfort for the residents.

Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Association of Malaysian Environment-Behavior Researchers, AMER (ABRA malaysia). doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.18