Search Results for: mental health

Smart cities infrastructure investment to top US$375 billion in 2030

Smart cities infrastructure investment to top US$375 billion in 2030

smart citiesAccording to technology intelligence firm ABI Research, investments in urban infrastructure aimed at implementing new visions for smart cities will reach US$375 billion by 2030 as cities invest in brownfield and greenfield projects. Drivers behind urban innovation are numerous but both the digitalisation of lifestyles, accelerated by Covid-19, and the increasingly pressing need to address climate change are powerful engines for metropolitan transformation. Additional agents of change include the call for more equity and inclusiveness, scalable economic development, and more affordable living. More →

Waverley and QMotion bring wire-free motorised shading to commercial sector

Waverley and QMotion bring wire-free motorised shading to commercial sector

An innovative hybrid-power shading solution has been launched which brings all the benefits of motorised blinds with none of the costly power supplies and electrical works to occupants and designers of commercial buildings. Waverley, which specialises in improving the performance and aesthetics of public and working spaces, and automated window treatment experts QMotion have partnered to bring a completely wireless and near-silent shading solution to the commercial market, called the ShadeTech RBL-QM Hybrid Roller Blind. More →

HDR is providing engineering expertise on one of London’s most sustainable, all-electric office buildings

HDR is providing engineering expertise on one of London’s most sustainable, all-electric office buildings

Holbein Gardens, located at 7 Holbein Place in the heart of London’s Belgravia, will lead the way for future schemes on the road to achieving net zero carbon. Independent multidisciplinary engineering consultancy HDR has been commissioned by property business Grosvenor Britain & Ireland to provide engineering services on Holbein Gardens, a new office scheme located in the heart of Belgravia. More →

Working culture should align and balance with commercial objectives

Working culture should align and balance with commercial objectives

positive working cultureThroughout the pandemic, we have had to constantly adapt to new models of work and a new working culture. And what makes this process even more challenging is that we’re having to work against a backdrop of uncertainty at every turn. Business leaders that are emerging from the pandemic successfully have been clear on priorities throughout and know how to balance them. This is certainly easier said than done but is integral to leadership as we enter the next chapter of workplace transformation. More →

Why real estate businesses can’t afford not to invest in sustainability

Why real estate businesses can’t afford not to invest in sustainability

sustainabilityThe World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), a global network accelerating sustainability and decarbonisation in the building and construction sector, has set out the updated value proposition to drive investment in a sustainable built environment by launching a new flagship report ‘Beyond the Business Case’ at COP26 in Glasgow. More →

Millions of workers feel rushed back to the office before being ready

Millions of workers feel rushed back to the office before being ready

With more than 13.5 million workers having returned to their place of work for at least one day a week, more than four million say that they do not feel entirely safe doing so, claims new research by Direct Line Life Insurance. Some 5.5 million workers would work from home permanently if given the option and 3.6 million feel as though they are being rushed back in by their employer. More →

Helping the planet one chair at a time

Helping the planet one chair at a time

For Rainbow, looking out for the planet is just as important as taking care of clients. This is why they have been working hard to acquire the environmental standard ISO 14001, of which they have recently been accredited. Rainbow believes that receiving this attribution is important in illustrating their ongoing environmental commitments. More →

Hybrid working will define the future of work, but firms are unprepared

Hybrid working will define the future of work, but firms are unprepared

While the move to flexible and hybrid working is widely accepted by businesses, their preparedness to implement such a strategy is not yet fully realised. That is the key finding of a new report from Siemens subsidiaries Comfy and Enlighted. Commissioned by Siemens from analyst firm Verdantix, the study polled 75 corporate real estate (CRE) executives from global companies with annual revenues of over $1 billion on the strategic considerations of redefining workforce models due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More →

Developing a future of work strategy depends on asking the right questions

Developing a future of work strategy depends on asking the right questions

future of work strategyThe rapid changes to our working lives caused by the global pandemic have prompted a great deal of debate about the future of work, the workplace and corporate real estate generally. At the highest levels of management within many organisations, leaders are now reflecting on their experiences and asking searching questions about their ways of working. More →

Companies have unique chance to restore balance between wellbeing and performance

Companies have unique chance to restore balance between wellbeing and performance

wellbeingEighteen months since nationwide shutdowns, the global surge in COVID-19 cases is exacerbating the onset of virtual fatigue for many employees according to JLL. The new “How Regenerative Workplaces Can Restore Employee Wellbeing” report explores opportunities for companies to redefine what employee wellbeing looks like and achieve organisational resilience through the physical workplace. More →

Air quality guidelines from WHO aim to save millions of lives

Air quality guidelines from WHO aim to save millions of lives

air qualityNew World Health Organization (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) claim to provide clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously understood. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which also contribute to climate change. More →

The four day week won’t necessarily help us cope with workplace stress

The four day week won’t necessarily help us cope with workplace stress

four day weekScotland is to become the latest nation to trial a four-day working week, after the SNP government announced it was setting up a £10 million fund to enable some office businesses to cut workers’ hours without reducing their pay. Similar trials are underway in Ireland and Spain, following on from trials in Iceland several years ago. Some firms have also been experimenting with a four day week, while other nations such as Japan are encouraging their employers to think about it too. More →