December 12, 2022

The ethics of AI, liveable cities, unf*cking work and how the office needs to be more like your home…

by Mark Eltringham • IN Magazine, News, Premium Content

IN13 is in production but you can see the digital edition of issue 12 of IN Magazine here. It continues to explore the most up to date topics for workplace managers and executives. Including: a look at the reality of liveable cities; why offices now need to offer people more privacy, peace and quiet; how firms need to address the challenges of the circular economy; a case study from the dynamic city of Ljubljana; David Sharp on the ethics of AI; Chelsea Perino on hybrid working; a critical review of Neil Usher’s new book; Marie Puybaraud of JLL in conversation; and much more. All back issues of IN can be found here. And why not check out Works Magazine and Work&Place Journal too. More →

December 11, 2022

Lambeth plans major expansion in sustainable office space

by Jayne Smith • Company news, Environment, Property

Lambeth is set for London’s biggest increase in sustainable office space over the next decade with an estimated six million square feet of extra space for business set to be created. A report commissioned by Lambeth Council details this expansion, how it supports the borough’s growth priorities and delivers space fit for the future of work. The report ‘Lambeth: The Future of Sustainable Work’ sets out how expansion supports the council’s bold ambitions to foster well-paid jobs in growth sectors for the borough’s young people, to achieve its Net Zero by 2030 outcome and to create an environment for local entrepreneurs to flourish. More →

December 2, 2022

Poor indoor air quality is a threat to health, say people coming into the office

by Neil Franklin • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A new poll claims that ‘hybrid employees’ in the UK are worried about how healthy their work environments are as we approach the winter season, with 53 percent saying they’re concerned poor air quality and ventilation will impact their general health, rising to 70 percent amongst London-based hybrid workers. The survey of 2,000 UK people by OnePoll, on behalf of Infogrid, claims that hybrid workers are facing a Catch-22 moment as we enter the colder months; balancing worries over the cost of working from home with concerns about their own wellbeing in the office as a result of poor indoor air quality. More →

December 2, 2022

Office sector net zero targets require significant shift in thinking

by Jayne Smith • Environment, Facilities management, News, Property

A new report, Delivering Net Zero Carbon in the Workplace [BCO members only] produced by University College London Consultants (UCLC) for the British Council for Offices (BCO), claims to identify the barriers that businesses are facing as they strive to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of their offices. The report, informed by over 100 office occupiers and building professionals, outlines the measures that those working in the office sector can take to overcome these barriers at what the report suggests is low or zero cost. More →

November 10, 2022

Retrofitting buildings essential to reduce energy costs and combat the global energy crisis

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Property

A new report from JLL claims that rising energy costs are expediting the move toward more efficient buildings. JLL’s Retrofitting Buildings to be Future-Fit research suggests that net-zero carbon (NZC) intervention measures directly impact a building’s bottom line and that failing to decarbonise leads to significant financial risk. For many buildings, meeting 2050 decarbonization targets put forward in the Paris Climate Agreement is grounded in retrofitting current spaces, which can also garner higher rents, reduce financial risk and generate higher occupancy rates and tenant satisfaction. More →

November 8, 2022

Zero carbon tech for building materials gets $12 billion commitment at COP27

by Neil Franklin • Architecture, Environment, Facilities management, News

The World Economic Forum and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate announced today at COP27, the expansion of a coalition of global companies, to commit $12 billion in 2030 purchase commitments for zero carbon and green technologies to decarbonise the cement and concrete industry and other hard-to-abate sectors. The latest expansion of the First Movers Coalition – made up of 65 companies with a collective market value of approximately $8 trillion – focuses on cleaning up one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industry sectors through purchasing commitments for low-carbon technology. From construction and engineering to real estate and developers, newly announced First Mover companies have committed to purchasing at least 10 percent near-zero cement and concrete per year by 2030. More →

November 4, 2022

Woven Image introduce Array and Fuji: stunning design-driven acoustic solutions for ceilings

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Works Magazine

Array and Fuji are part of Serene Contours, a visually arresting collection of design- driven acoustic ceiling and wall finishes from Woven Image. The ‘office’ has increasingly become a place for people to connect and collaborate, exchanging ideas and information. Serene Contours addresses these advances in workplace design where the cohesion of acoustic function with trending aesthetics has never been more important. This collection welcomes the Fuji range of ceiling acoustic tiles: Roku, Juni and Ku along with Array, a dramatic customisable acoustic ceiling baffle system. More →

November 3, 2022

NeoCon 2023 calls on contributors to share their knowledge and expertise

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Events

NeoCon, the office design and interiors event that takes places in Chicago each year, is inviting thought leaders, researchers and industry specialists, to submit proposals for its onsite and virtual show conference programme, which takes place from June 12-14, 2023, at THE MART in Chicago. Contributors are also sought for the event’s year-round educational offerings. The announcement builds on the success of a lively NeoCon edition this past June that the organisers claim united and inspired the industry. More →

October 24, 2022

Home office products from Bisley debut on JohnLewis.com

by Freddie Steele • Company news

British office furniture designer and manufacturer, Bisley, has launched on the JohnLewis.com website with 27 core products in a multitude of colourways. The range leads with products from the brand’s Belong collection, which was created during the pandemic and influenced by the evolving requirements of the 2020 workplace. Nearly 1 in 5 products ordered via the Bisley website are now home office focused items, in a marked evolution from their long heritage as a workplace brand. More →

October 14, 2022

Office fit out and rent rises will hit occupiers worldwide this year

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Workplace design

Occupiers around the world are facing a 10 percent increase in office fit out costs with rental rises also squeezing budgets for those in EMEA, according to a new report from Savills. The firm’s Prime Office Costs (SPOC) analysis for Q3 2022 suggests that fit-out costs in key office markets around the world have continued to climb with inflation, rising an average of 10%, with increased rents in many markets also contributing to higher total net effective costs for office occupiers. Overall, the markets which have seen the largest increases in net effective costs (including fit-out costs, rents and other costs) over the quarter are largely clustered in the EMEA region, including Dublin (+7%), London City (+5%), Dubai (+3%), and Berlin (+3%). More →

October 10, 2022

Leading UK employers call for flexible working recruitment by default

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A joint letter from 21 leading employers – including several in the FTSE 100 – is calling on employers across the UK to advertise all vacant roles with flexible options by default. The full text is: More →

October 5, 2022

Gallery: British Council for Offices announces winners of national awards

by Mark Eltringham • News, Property, Workplace design, Works Magazine

Sunderland City Hall was celebrated as ‘Best of the Best’ at the British Council for Offices’ (BCO) National Awards at the Grosvenor House hotel in London last night, also taking home the ‘Corporate Workplace’ award. The office was joined by six other award winners recognised as leading examples of excellence in office space across the UK. The BCO’s National Awards programme claims to recognises top quality office design and functionality and says it sets the standard for excellence across the office sector. More →