The litigious climate surrounding high-rise residential developments mean that asking too many questions about performance gaps is unduly risky on the part of the developer, who’s primary aim after construction seems to be avoiding liability issues. It takes an impartial, and committed, research team to properly assess the usage patterns of this important technology so that useful feedback can be produced for the designers who are pushing ahead with innovative design strategy and for the building managers and customer support staff who are tasked with encouraging proper use. Despite the apparent “softness” of the approach, the use of occupant questionnaires is an important tool in understanding energy use, indoor environmental quality and overall satisfaction in these buildings.