May 6, 2024
Koelnmesse, the organisers of ORGATEC, and dmg events have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on developing trade exhibitions across the Middle East. The firms say this strategic partnership will ‘combine and leverage their respective brands, creating a dynamic synergy that promises innovative and impactful events’. Both see the Middle East as a growing and increasingly important opportunity. More →
May 1, 2024
The British Council for Offices Awards for London have gone to seven office buildings across the city. Held at the Park Plaza hotel, the BCO’s annual London Awards Lunch recognised projects that demonstrate best practice in office design, fit-out, operation and sustainability, setting the standard for excellence across the sector. More →
April 23, 2024
A report published by the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Urban Transformation sets out what its authors claim are best practices developed by pioneer cities that are reducing carbon emissions from urban development projects. As cities grow in population and importance, urban construction will continue to gather pace. It is estimated that the global floor area is expected to double by 2060, the equivalent of building out New York City every month for the next 40 years. The report, Reducing Embodied Carbon in Cities: Nine Solutions for Greener Buildings and Communities, highlights nine innovative solutions for all phases of construction and demolition. More →
April 22, 2024
Zurich tops the 2024 Smart City Index, with European and Asian cities dominating the rankings. The report, released by the IMD World Competitiveness Center’s Smart City Observatory and the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), analyses data and resident surveys from 142 cities globally. Seven of the top 10 smartest cities hail from Europe. These leading cities prioritize initiatives that improve residents’ quality of life, such as green spaces, cultural events, and social engagement. Additionally, they focus on attracting talent, fostering sustainable investments, and tackling inequality. More →
April 19, 2024
A new poll from hiring platform Indeed suggests that people now consider working in jobs that positively impact society (57 percent) and the environment (55 percent) more important than they did when they started their careers. Just over a quarter (26 percent) say they would take a pay cut and 44 percent would consider retraining to enter the environmental sustainability sector. The survey of more than 1,000 workers and job seekers and 500 employers in the UK, highlights the ongoing green skills challenge. Despite the clear appetite for sustainability-related jobs among working people, 42 percent believe there are still too many barriers to entry. More than a quarter (27 percent) have been trying to transition to the sector but have been unsuccessful so far. More →
April 18, 2024
More than half of young professionals feel comfortable or very confident about the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in various aspects of daily life, while only 15 percent reported feeling unsettled or scared about the prospect, according to new research from CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education. Half (50 percent) also stated that social media impacts their life positively, while only just over a quarter (27 percent) feel that social media has a negative impact on their lives. Overall, 70 percent of graduates said that they feel optimistic about the future. More →
April 18, 2024
Ahead of World Earth Day, a new poll from Zest, claims that workers across the UK are increasingly focused on sustainability and expect their employers to do more – particularly younger generations. Half (51 percent) of employees are keen to see their company invest more in sustainability, rising to 61 percent of younger workers aged 18-34. The survey from Zest also reveals that over half (53 percent) would like to see their company investing in more sustainable benefits such as electric vehicles, similarly rising to two-thirds (66 percent) of 18–34 year olds – and these demands are not going unnoticed. More →
April 16, 2024
The Sustainable Design Forum (SD Forum) – a one day interactive event designed specifically for workplace designers and specifiers – is returning to the Crypt on the Green in Clerkenwell, London on Thursday 25th April 2024. Incorporating an innovative format of presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, a materials lab and the SD awards ceremony, the SD Forum offers the opportunity for learning and collaboration between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and not-for-profit organisations. More →
April 10, 2024
With an estimated 27,000 delegates from 90 countries, MIPIM is still a force to be reckoned with when it comes to opportunities to network and learn as delegates, with organisations using the week to deliver news, insights and thinking. The theme for MIPIM this year was The Global Urban Community; and it really did feel more international than previous years, the majority of attendees are still from France, Germany and the UK, but there were significant delegations from the United States, Canada, Oman, Egypt and Hong Kong, more from Asia generally and a show stopper from Saudi Arabia, more of which later. More →
March 28, 2024
A parliamentary committee of MPs has called for a ‘long-overdue’ boost to statutory sick pay (SSP), emphasising the need to strike a delicate balance between workers’ wellbeing and employers’ financial constraints. The Work and Pensions Committee has recommended aligning the SSP rate with the flat rate of Statutory Maternity Pay, a move that they say could significantly improve the financial safety net for workers. More →
March 27, 2024
Following last year’s pilot, Urban Land Institute (ULI) Europe has launched a second edition of the PropTech Innovation Challenge (PIC), the Young Leaders-led initiative to foster innovation in the built environment and is calling for game changing solutions that meet the challenge of how to substantially reduce carbon emissions. The challenge, which reflects ULI’s mission priorities, and the urgent decarbonisation focus of ULI C Change, is focused specifically on the reduction of Scope 3 emissions for managers and investors and encompasses the indirect but critical emissions that occur throughout the value chain, and which are often overlooked. Indirect emissions arise from activities such as transportation and procurement. More →
April 17, 2024
From pixels to patterns: the unprecedented surge in screen time
by Dr Jennifer Tsai • Comment, Technology, Wellbeing