Search Results for: commercial

Commercial sector bucks downward UK construction trend

Construction figsConstruction business activity fell by the third month running in January, with new orders at slowest pace since October 2012 according to the latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). There were some reports that snowfall had contributed to reduced output volumes, but the majority of respondents cited weak underlying client demand and a lack of new projects.  However commercial activity was the only sub-sector to buck the wider downward trend in output during January with the latest data indicating unchanged volumes of commercial activity, ending five months of contraction. (more…)

Europe’s commercial property investors opt for safe cities

German cities dominate the investment prospects for Europe’s commercial real estate sector as investors favour safe havens according to a new report – Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe 2013. Munich tops the league table followed closely by Berlin in second place and Hamburg in fifth position, with investors taking comfort from each of the cities’ strong local micro-economic climate and resilient property market conditions. London, which is seen by many as Europe’s safest investment, is the largest riser in this year’s report taking third position.  (more…)

Greenest commercial building in the world opens for business

The Bullitt Center, proclaimed as the greenest, most energy efficient commercial building in the world, is opening in Seattle. The goal of the Bullitt Center is to change the way buildings are designed, built and operated to improve long-term environmental performance and promote broader implementation of energy efficiency, renewable energy and other green building technologies. Tenant are now moving into the six-storey, 50,000 square-foot building located at the intersection of Capitol Hill and the Central District in Seattle, Washington. (more…)

Commercial property deals on the rise in Yorkshire

Investors have almost doubled the value of commercial property transactions in Yorkshire, according to property consultants Lambert Smith Hampton.However, the level of deals is still slightly below the level at the same time last year. LSH says the total value of Yorkshire investment deals in the third quarter of 2012 rose to £303 million from £172 million in the previous quarter, but was below the £306.5 million total for the third quarter of 2011.

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Canary Wharf leasing activity continues to improve

Canary Wharf leasing activity continues to improve

Office leasing activity at Canary Wharf has risen sharply this year as higher rents in other parts of London prompt more occupiers to consider the Docklands district.Office leasing activity at Canary Wharf has risen sharply this year as higher rents in other parts of London prompt more occupiers to consider the Docklands district. Data from CoStar suggests that the availability of office space at Canary Wharf has fallen to below 10 percent, its lowest level since 2018. Two years ago, vacancy stood at about 23 percent. More than 500,000 square feet of space has been leased so far in 2025, the highest level since 2019, with further deals expected before the end of the year. (more…)

Amsterdam’s Workspace Design Show Unveils Sensory-Driven Feature Spaces

Amsterdam’s Workspace Design Show Unveils Sensory-Driven Feature Spaces

The Workspace Design Show showcases the latest transformative workplace interiors products, from furniture, seating, lighting, acoustics, surfaces, biophilia, tech and moreThis November, Workspace Design Show (Wednesday 5th to Thursday 6th November 2025, RAI Amsterdam) doesn’t just ask what the workplace should be; it lets you feel the answer. Five of the Netherlands’ most creative design studios have turned conversation into atmosphere, theory into tactility, and workplace talk into spaces you can smell, hear, shift and claim as your own. (more…)

Design Festival North is back for 2026, but with Birmingham replacing Manchester

Design Festival North is back for 2026, but with Birmingham replacing Manchester

Design Festival North, the regional design event organised by Design Social North, will return in 2026 with an expanded programme visiting Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool.Design Festival North, the regional design event organised by Design Social North, will return in 2026 with an expanded programme visiting Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool. The one-day festival, which takes place on 12 March, will bring together architects, interior designers, specifiers and suppliers to explore new products and ideas from across the design and built environment sectors. The organisers say the event aims to strengthen connections between creative professionals and foster collaboration across regions outside London. (more…)

UK regions receive additional £20 million to support science and technology growth

UK regions receive additional £20 million to support science and technology growth

Three UK regions will receive an additional £20 million each to support science and technology development as part of a government initiative to drive innovation outside London and the South EastThree UK regions will receive an additional £20 million each to support science and technology development as part of a government initiative to drive innovation outside London and the South East. The Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Glasgow City regions will see their total funding rise to £50 million each through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund. The announcement coincides with the first Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham, where government ministers, local leaders and business representatives are discussing ways to strengthen regional economies through research, innovation and private investment. The funding is intended to help local partnerships expand projects in areas such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and life sciences, translating research activity into commercial growth. (more…)

Interface introduces In The Mix, a new terrazzo-inspired LVT 

Interface introduces In The Mix, a new terrazzo-inspired LVT 

Interface, the global flooring solutions company and sustainability leader, has introduced In The Mix™, its latest resilient style blending the on-trend look of terrazzo with the performance benefits of LVTInterface, the global flooring solutions company and sustainability leader, has introduced In The Mix™, its latest resilient style blending the on-trend look of terrazzo with the performance benefits of LVT. Available in versatile neutral colourways, the product brings a modern lens to a classic design in a way that supports high-performing commercial spaces. With In The Mix, Interface is responding to the need for terrazzo-inspired flooring solutions without the complexity and upkeep of traditional terrazzo. The aesthetic is now available in a modular tile format, providing more design flexibility while still delivering on the signature look that terrazzo is known for. And the product, like all Interface LVT, is easy to install and maintain, making it a better solution for many projects.    (more…)

Circular design and human-centred innovation celebrated at BCO National Awards

Circular design and human-centred innovation celebrated at BCO National Awards

An office built entirely on circular design principles, a 3,300 sq m living wall and the transformation of a Victorian infirmary into a modern workplace were among the projects recognised at the British Council for Offices (BCO) National Awards. Held on 7 October at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, the event brought together more than 1,200 senior figures from across the office sector to celebrate excellence in workplace design, development and operation. (more…)

Not just cuckoo clocks. Why Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country

Not just cuckoo clocks. Why Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country

Switzerland retains its long-standing position as the world’s most innovative economy, followed closely by the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and SingaporeIn Orson Welles’ famous scene-stealing cameo in The Third Man, his character Harry Lime comes out with that (in)famous speech about Swiss culture. “In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance,” he says. “In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” This does the Swiss a disservice in a number of ways, not least that a major new report claims that Switzerland is maintaining a long tradition as the most innovative country in the world. (more…)

Service charges rise as firms invest to encourage people to spend more time in the office

Service charges rise as firms invest to encourage people to spend more time in the office

Office occupiers faced a 9 percent increase in service charges last year as landlords and managing agents invested more heavily in maintenance and amenities to encourage people back into workplacesOffice occupiers faced a 9 percent increase in service charges last year as landlords and managing agents invested more heavily in maintenance and amenities to encourage people back into physical workplaces. The findings come from BDO’s latest PropCost benchmarking report, which tracks more than £600 million of expenditure across over 1,000 commercial properties. The data shows the average cost increase for offices followed a 15 percent rise the previous year, underlining the pressure on both landlords and tenants from higher running costs. (more…)