Environmental and life quality low standards signal that the well-balanced relation between building and dwelling is jeopardized. Reliable data should be combined with the evaluation given by users. In fact, the study of occupants' perception and behaviour supplies designers with meaningful feedback and enables them to detect solutions which meet users' requirements better and reduce the gap between expected and actual building performance. This paper presents part of an operational approach that aims to rebuild the synergy among architectural design, building management and use: an in-depth enquiry conducted through surveys and questionnaires, that offers a new perspective aimed at validating the actual effectiveness and suitability of design solutions. The innovative aspect of this methodology is the contextual analysis and evaluation of objective and subjective aspects. The related outcomes concern the definition of actual, prior areas of action and strategies that are congruent with both building physical characteristics and people's perception. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.