Search Results for: environmental

WorldGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment expands scope to include embodied carbon

WorldGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment expands scope to include embodied carbon

WorldGBCWorldGBC has announced an update to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment (the Commitment), expanding its scope to recognise enhanced leadership action in tackling embodied carbon emissions from the building and construction sector. More →

Metrics can help businesses define their impact on the environment

Metrics can help businesses define their impact on the environment

impact on the environmentToday, companies cannot shy away from their responsibilities towards the environment. With Extinction Rebellion keeping the climate crisis firmly on the news agenda, and COP26 in November gathering more international attention than ever, how businesses approach and champion sustainability is under significant scrutiny. At a local level, organisations are being set targets by the UK government to commit to 100 percent renewable energy sources by 2050, and failing to meet these objectives could have substantial repercussions. More →

Hybrid working pushes up corporate Australia’s carbon emissions

Hybrid working pushes up corporate Australia’s carbon emissions

hybrid workingWhile lower occupancy has reduced the carbon footprint of many commercial office buildings amid the pandemic, higher CO2 emissions from hybrid working significantly outstrips these declines, according to data analysed by Cushman & Wakefield’s sustainability team. More →

Landlords and occupiers must work together to meet climate change challenge

Landlords and occupiers must work together to meet climate change challenge

flexible work and climate changeDisruption, cost, building style, individual goals, responsibility and shared space are cited as the key sustainability challenges for the flexible office sector, according to the latest research report from The Instant Group. But while there is still a lot of work to be done in the sector as the role of the workplace evolves, Instant says that flex operators have an opportunity to lead the way in meeting the challenge of climate change. By creating innovative, low-carbon buildings, curating a clear engagement strategy with occupiers and landlords, and ensuring a low-carbon ambition is understood and adopted by everyone, flex operators can be the first to implement highly sustainable workplaces. More →

Business confidence back to pre-pandemic levels, with fewer plans to shrink offices

Business confidence back to pre-pandemic levels, with fewer plans to shrink offices

CEOs of the world’s largest businesses are increasingly optimistic about the outlook for their own business, according to the latest KPMG CEO Outlook Survey. Despite a slower ‘return to normal’ than expected, their confidence in the global economy has returned to levels not seen since the start of the pandemic. The number planning to reduce their office footprints has fallen dramatically since the height of the pandemic, and instead there is a growing focus on introducing flexible working cultures. More →

The focus on indoor air quality is a welcome outcome of the pandemic

The focus on indoor air quality is a welcome outcome of the pandemic

indoor air quality in officesHow has COVID-19 affected your office management practices? And what adaptations are you expecting to keep, as other parts of the building experience go back to normal? One area of adaptation that is prime to be kept long-term is greater effort spent monitoring property health and wellness metrics. While occupancy and cleaning frequency are both important to keep track of, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is also critical for landlords to keep an eye on. More →

Herman Miller increases use of ocean-bound plastic with Aeron chair

Herman Miller increases use of ocean-bound plastic with Aeron chair

The Aeron Chair Portfolio, including new colourway Onyx Ultra Matte, and other product and packaging solutions will incorporate mismanaged plastic waste found near waterways as part of the company’s commitment to use 50 percent recycled content in all materials by 2030. More →

Built environment must accelerate decarbonisation to support net zero goal

Built environment must accelerate decarbonisation to support net zero goal

environmentWhile the built environment is going in the right direction, it is still not moving fast enough to decarbonise building stock, according to the latest annual sustainability report produced by RICS and World Built Environment Forum. More →

Southeast office take-up higher than five-year average

Southeast office take-up higher than five-year average

officePent-up demand on hold in 2020 has returned with office take-up in the first half of this year nearly a quarter above the five-year average, according to Savills‘ data. Demand is outstripping supply with a development pipeline equal to five months take up in an average year said the property agent. More →

We need to take a long term view on workplace sustainability 

We need to take a long term view on workplace sustainability 

workplace sustainabilityOne of the more welcome outcomes from the pandemic has been a reinvigorated and better conversation about the environment in general and workplace sustainability in particular. There were some immediate quick wins in the Spring of 2020. Cleaner air became evident in atmospheric readings and satellite images. People literally took to the streets as traffic all but vanished. Planes were grounded. We could hear birdsong. Wild animals populated some streets. It was as if Nature itself breathed a sigh of relief.   More →

British Safety Council launches updated Five Star Audit specifications for 2021

British Safety Council launches updated Five Star Audit specifications for 2021

British Safety CouncilThe British Safety Council has revised and updated their Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit. It now places greater emphasis on assessing how effectively an organisation manages the combined risks to workers’ health and wellbeing, as well as business resilience and recovery. More →

Firms don’t use artificial intelligence much, so the current hype is tripe

Firms don’t use artificial intelligence much, so the current hype is tripe

a long road ahead for artificial intelligenceMany governments are increasingly approaching artificial intelligence with an almost religious zeal. By 2018 at least 22 countries around the world, and also the EU, had launched grand national strategies for making AI part of their business development, while many more had announced ethical frameworks for how it should be allowed to develop. The EU documents more than 290 AI policy initiatives in individual EU member states between 2016 and 2020. More →