July 10, 2024

Bloom Clerkenwell tenants connected via world mobile first from Freshwave

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Technology

All the current tenants at Bloom Clerkenwell in London are now enjoying indoor mobile connectivity from all four mobile network operators (MNOs) thanks to a world first from Freshwave. Connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider Freshwave’s Omni Network delivers 4G signal from all four operators combined into a single box, something which has never been done before with small cells. It was deployed at Bloom using CommScope’s ONECELL. More →

June 28, 2024

British Council for Offices Chief Executive Richard Kauntze to step down in summer 2025

by Jayne Smith • News

After soon-to-be 25 years of serving as Chief Executive for the British Council for Offices, Richard Kauntze will be stepping down in summer 2025. His successor will be appointed by the BCO Presidential Team in due course. More →

June 24, 2024

Sound and vision – Nigel Oseland makes himself heard for the IN magazine profile

by Mark Eltringham • Features, IN Magazine, Premium Content

Interviewing people involves trying to tease out a bit of personal colour. Sometimes I already know what that is or might be. That is certainly the case with Nigel Oseland who I have known for many years, know to be from Wolverhampton and who studied psychology and computer science at Keele University in my home town. He went on to focus on environmental psychology while working at the Building Research Establishment in Watford in the late 1980s and 1990s. More →

June 13, 2024

A new generation of workplace apps is transforming people’s experience of work

by Helen Parton • Facilities management, Features, Technology, Workplace design

Disseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days, workplace apps promise a much more sophisticated experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” More →

June 11, 2024

NeoCon announces best of show award winners

by Freddie Steele • News, Workplace design

The winners of the 34th annual Best of NeoCon Awards have been announced at this year’s show at THE MART in Chicago. This year, a total of 126 (!) awards were bestowed upon products in 50 categories for Gold, Silver, Sustainability, Innovation, Business Impact, and the coveted Best of Competition. The winners were selected by a group of 53 architects, designers, specifiers, enterprise clients, facility managers, and top business media who judged the products on-site over the weekend. This year, Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering’s collaboration with British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori (main image) received the coveted distinction of Best of Competition—marking the first time a product in the Wall Treatments and Textiles categories took home the top honour. More →

June 11, 2024

Fiona Cousins appointed new President of CIBSE

by Freddie Steele • Company news

CIBSE has announced the appointment of Fiona Cousins as its new President. Fiona, who holds several senior roles at Arup, brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to advancing sustainability and broadening the focus on building performance in the industry. Fiona takes over the presidency from Adrian Catchpole, to whom she extended heartfelt thanks for his contributions, especially in promoting STEM Ambassadors in schools and the certified practice initiatives. These efforts will continue to be a priority according to a statement from CIBSE. More →

June 10, 2024

What happens to work when the machine stops?

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

In 1909, E M Forster – not exactly known for a body of work replete with dystopian fiction – published a novella called The Machine Stops. You can read it here but the story describes a future in which people live below ground, in isolation but with all their needs met by an omnipresent Machine (you can see where this is going). More →

June 3, 2024

Forget Cannes. Commercial property sector hits the North to great effect

by Helen Parton • Cities, Comment, Property, Public Sector

An hour or two on the train from that part of the UK that gets talked about most and much better optics for local authorities to chase private investment than the South of France, little wonder the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UK REiiF) proved so popular this year. Over 13,000 attendees descended on Leeds for three days in May this year, a figure all the more remarkable when considering the event only started in 2022 with nearly 4000 attendees, which it nearly doubled the following year. Back to 2024 then and housing was a strong focus but that’s not to say some interesting stories from the commercial property sector didn’t also arise. More →

June 2, 2024

A brief history of the future of work

by Mark Eltringham • Features, Flexible working, Technology, Working culture

The past few years and our current predicaments should serves as a reminder of that tragic, unchangeable feature of the human condition, best expressed by Kierkegaard, that we are doomed to live our lives forwards but only understand them backwards. Retrospect is particularly important when we look back on sudden, large changes that knock us off our normal path. It’s important to remember this as we continue to grapple with the nature of the present and future of work in the wake of the pandemic. More →

May 31, 2024

People must take the lead on hybrid working to drive highest returns

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

A new report from workplace technology provider Eptura suggests that employee-led hybrid working models and connected technology drive the highest returns for businesses. According to its first half 2024 Workplace Index report [registration], companies with hybrid working models in which employees can choose when to come to the office are seeing the most benefit. This is because employees who work effectively in the office can generate an average revenue increase of 3-8 percent. The study also claims that globally, employees are now spending an average of 3 days a week in the office, with the biggest increase being seen in the Asia-Pacific region. The most common days for office attendance remain Tuesday through Thursday. More →

May 16, 2024

Manchester Airport City plan reinvented as £ 1 billion science and tech hub

by Marvin Gort • News, Property

In a significant development, the ambitious £1 billion plan to transform a 60-acre site adjacent to Manchester Airport is being rebooted. The project, now known as MIX Manchester, aims to create one of the largest science and innovation campuses in the UK, spanning an impressive 2 million square feet of advanced manufacturing and science space. Notably, it will be the only campus of its kind situated next to an international airport, promising exciting opportunities for growth and collaboration. More →

May 1, 2024

Hybrid working era means a boom time for workplace apps

by Helen Parton • Facilities management, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace design

Disseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days apps promise a much more sophisticated workplace experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” More →