Workspace Design Show returns (and so do we)

Workspace Design Show returns (and so do we)

by • Events, Features, Flooring, Furniture, Lighting, Workplace design

A few of you may already know this story. It was some 15 months ago and three old friends met up for the first time in quite a while (well, we had been through lockdowns etc). Having caught up with each other’s news, the subject turned to industry journals, what the three friends felt the market was missing and the possibility of collaborating in the not too distant future. That conversation occurred at the inaugural Workspace Design Show – which the three amigos were all hugely impressed by. The result of that conversation (and a few more chats and meets, of course) is Works. So, here we are, all those months later, pulling together a preview of the 2023 edition of WDS, which – we’re delighted to say – we’re very much a part of. And we don’t just partner with any one, you know. (more…)

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

by • Facilities management, Lighting, News, Workplace design

The Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices to reflect trends such as hybrid workingThe Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices [paywall for non CIBSE members]. There have been considerable developments since the previous edition, published in 2015. The new guide considers hybrid working, addressing uncertainty around how office space will be used in the future. With increased hybrid working and the use of portable devices, people are spending less time at their desks and in the office. This revision of Lighting Guide 7 now includes home office lighting advice. (more…)

TRILUX energy efficient lighting proves fit for the flexible, inclusive workplace of the future

TRILUX energy efficient lighting proves fit for the flexible, inclusive workplace of the future

by • Company news, Lighting, Workplace design

The reception area of the new TRILUX installation for JLLA new installation at 20 Water Street in London allows a world leading, real estate services company to create a user-friendly, innovative workspace. The impressive downlight range from TRILUX opened the door to a complementary, tech-smart sustainable workplace lighting scheme – fit for the future of work.  Global real estate advisor JLL’s new Canary Wharf office is in one of the most sustainable buildings in the UK. It recently relocated some of its London-based teams to the second and third floors at 20 Water Street, Wood Wharf. The move is part of its commitment to shaping the workplace for its employees, providing a flexible and inclusive work environment underpinned by a sustainable and technologically advanced workplace that boasts excellent connectivity and amenities. (more…)

SLL publish specialist lighting guide for FMS

SLL publish specialist lighting guide for FMS

by • Lighting, News, Workplace design

lightingThe Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) has published its first guidance document designed specifically to address the key lighting tasks required of facilities managers. Lighting is absolutely critical to providing a safe and productive working environment and much of the management required to procure, maintain and optimise lighting systems falls to facilities managers. (more…)

FUTURE Designs launches revolutionary air and surface purifier

FUTURE Designs launches revolutionary air and surface purifier

by • Company news, Lighting

Lighting innovator FUTURE Designs has introduced FUZONE500, a unique lighting solution that harnesses all the anti-viral and anti-bacterial elimination qualities of ultraviolet light without any of the harmful effects to humans or physical surfaces. With over 38 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 600,000 in the UK alone, Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the way we live and interact with our surroundings. Cases are increasing at an astronomical rate and finding effective solutions to control its spread has become paramount. (more…)

The lights are on and there is definitely someone home

The lights are on and there is definitely someone home

by • Features, Flexible working, Lighting, Workplace design

As COVID -19 has taken hold and the very necessary lockdown begins, there are A large number of workers thrown into semi-permanent work settings that we hadn’t anticipated a month ago. The transitions will be easier for some than others but we all need a space that feels comfortable AND is conducive to productive working. (more…)

Friday, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with staring out of the window

Friday, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with staring out of the window

by • Comment, Knowledge, Lighting, Wellbeing, Workplace design

There is or was a running joke within IBM that their buildings don’t have windows, they have outside awareness ports. It’s an idea that not only reflects the culture of long hours spent staring at computer screens – something you don’t have to work for Big Blue to be aware of – but also one that acknowledges our need to be aware of the wider world when we are at work. Our gut instinct tells us that we are better off either outdoors or looking at it. (more…)

Why new technology can still make employees happier, healthier and more efficient

Why new technology can still make employees happier, healthier and more efficient

by • AI, Comment, Flexible working, Lighting, Technology, Wellbeing

New technology can still make employees happier and more efficient

For many years, we became used to new technology being treated with excitement. Essentially, people thought technology made their lives better. More recently this consensus has been tested. On a very practical level, there is growing concern about the impact of everyday technology. ‘Screen-time’ has become a byword for anxiety and disengagement from the real world. Meanwhile, there is trepidation about the impact of future technology, such as the automation of jobs. Whilst caution is needed, there is a danger that we are forgetting the many benefits technology can bring. As an example, look to the workplace. Already, offices are gaining hugely from technology that benefits employee wellness and productivity.  However, we have only just begun to feel its impact. A ‘fast’ office may sound like an oxymoron. A building isn’t going to win a 100-metre race. Yet fast offices, which allow employees to control their immediate environment, are becoming increasingly common.

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As we enter our darkest hours, quality of office lighting needs attention

As we enter our darkest hours, quality of office lighting needs attention

by • Facilities management, Lighting, News, Wellbeing

As we enter darkest hours London commuters can get a light fix

As we enter the darkest days of the year, office workers in the UK are set to get virtually no natural light. For instance, today (18 December) sunrise in London is at 08:01 and sunset is 15:52, meaning office workers are commuting to and from their offices in the dark. The quality of lighting within many workplaces is often not much better, as despite 80 percent of UK office workers, saying good lighting in their workspace is important to them, two-in-five (40 percent) say they have to deal with uncomfortable lighting every day and a third (32 percent) said better lighting would make them happier at work. However today some Londoner’s will have the chance to get a much-needed dose of light at an uplifting Light Station supplied by Staples at Southwark Bridge tunnel which will be open to the public from 9:00 to 16:15.

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Greater attention must be paid to office design to attract younger talent

Greater attention must be paid to office design to attract younger talent

by • Facilities management, Lighting, News, Workplace, Workplace design

Greater attention must be paid on the aesthetics of an office to attract younger talentOver a fifth (21 percent) of 18-24 year olds admit that they have rejected a potential employer because of the poor design of the office or lack of amenities available, while 34 percent in the same age group would be willing to commute for a maximum of one hour each way to an office that is considered perfect – compared to 22 percent of 45-54 year olds. The research, commissioned by Mindspace, found that 16 percent of 18-24 year olds have actually left a job because of how poorly designed the office was in one of their previous roles. Overall, nearly a third (31 percent), of workers are bored with their current office environment and feel uninspired at work, with 28 percent of workers describing their place of work outdated and dull. The research also found that while most workers had access to amenities such as a kitchen (72 percent), meeting rooms (66 percent) and free tea & coffee (53 percent), what UK office workers desire the most to improve morale is more natural light, air conditioning and improved interior lighting.

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More than a third of workers say lack of natural light affects their performance

More than a third of workers say lack of natural light affects their performance

by • Facilities management, Lighting, News, Wellbeing

More than a third of workers say lack of natural light affects their performanceOver a third of workers are adversely affected by a lack of natural light in their office, others complain that the lighting is too bright and a significant proportion say the quality of light provided is so weak they struggle to read. This is according to a new poll which quizzed employees about the difficulties associated with workplace lighting and found that headaches and dizziness were a problem for one in seven. Other employees reported finding the lighting too bright and dazzling (12.4 percent), while one in 10 said they had to strain their eyes due to a general lack of light. A similar proportion said they were bothered by the position of the lights and by the ‘stressful environment’ created by their workplace lighting (9.3 percent each). The findings come as reports of ‘sick building syndrome’ — a condition associated with office work that causes symptoms including headaches and respiratory problems — continue to hit the headlines. Such symptoms are usually attributed to unhealthy or stressful elements of the working environment, such as poor ventilation and lighting.

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European businesses could save $243 billion by reducing wasted space in office buildings

by • Environment, Facilities management, Lighting, News, Technology, Workplace design

The Edge building in Amsterdam Research published to mark the beginning of World Green Building Week suggests that businesses in Europe could realise savings of up to $243 billion in reduced rental costs alone if their office buildings were refurbished to the most efficient standards. The analysis from Philips Lighting, claims the impact that could be made on rents across the world’s offices if business owners replicated the efficient usage of space achieved in a leading green building. The research suggests that in addition to reducing their carbon footprint, office tenants could see vast financial savings if their buildings were renovated in a way that uses space more effectively, particularly in buildings with a high number of empty spaces. The report calls for a doubling of the renovation rate of offices in developed countries to reach 3 percent per year, which it says will be a key factor in reducing emissions and offsetting increased global demand for energy from population growth and urbanisation.

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