Development and Application of a Sustainable Post-Occupancy Evaluation Model for the Regeneration of Non-Designated Historic Buildings

Cultural heritage plays a pivotal role in shaping identity, fostering social cohesion, and advancing sustainable development. However, a vast number of non-designated historic buildings face ongoing risks of degradation or disappearance due to their unacknowledged value. Addressing this issue, this study investigates pathways for their sustainable reuse. Employing a multi-criteria decision-making framework, we developed a post-occupancy evaluation model comprising four dimensions: historical value preservation, adaptive reuse efficacy, regional development impact, and management service quality. The model was empirically applied to three cases of Meizhou Hakka architecture, in which such buildings were repurposed as guesthouses. The findings reveal that, unlike officially protected heritage buildings, the successful reuse of non-designated historic buildings depends not primarily on the strict preservation of historical value, but rather on superior adaptive reuse efficacy—namely, contemporary performance metrics such as functional adaptation rationality, spatial utilization efficiency, environmental comfort, and structural safety and reliability. Quantitative weighting results indicate that historical value preservation functions as a fundamental baseline, while empirical analysis demonstrates that adaptive reuse efficacy is the decisive determinant of successful regeneration. Achieving sustainability requires establishing a dynamic conservation model based on community symbiosis, wherein a building’s vitality is continually sustained through interaction with its social and cultural context. This study provides both a scientific tool and practical guidance for the assessment and management of non-designated historic buildings. It also underscores the necessity of a broader paradigm shift, contributing both theoretical and practical insights to the advancement of more inclusive and sustainable human settlements.