Search Results for: environment

The evolving workplace in the hybrid working era

The evolving workplace in the hybrid working era

by • Company news, Flexible working, Technology

A little over five years ago, most knowledge workers went home — and dialed into the office remotely. The pandemic triggered a massive uptick in the “virtual workforce,” and organizations raced to provide technology to make connectivity possible. The limitations of those early “quick and dirty” solutions became apparent as the majority of the workforce settled into a hybrid model. (According to Gallup, 51 percent of US workers with remote-capable jobs follow a hybrid schedule while 28 percent are fully remote.) (more…)

Connected Realities theme will explore the fusion of physical and digital workplaces at the 2026 Workspace Design Show

Connected Realities theme will explore the fusion of physical and digital workplaces at the 2026 Workspace Design Show

by • Company news, Workplace design

The 2026 edition of the Workspace Design Show in London will explore how the boundaries between physical and digital workplaces are becoming increasingly blurredThe 2026 edition of the Workspace Design Show in London will explore how the boundaries between physical and digital workplaces are becoming increasingly blurred. The event, taking place at the Business Design Centre on 25–26 February 2026, will centre around the theme Connected Realities, which examines how technology and design combine to create more responsive and human work environments. According to the organisers, the show will focus on how hybrid working models, immersive technologies and smart environments are influencing workplace design. (more…)

Can we all stop shouting about AI (and start listening to each other instead)?

Can we all stop shouting about AI (and start listening to each other instead)?

by • AI, Comment, SF

Next time we see a debate about AI that gets a little heated, maybe we need to ask ourselves, why are we so afraid to admit it isn’t perfectRecently, the conversation around AI has been hotting up. This is not as a result of experts sharing new and innovative developments, but rather through grown adults exchanging insults and name-calling. LinkedIn is flooded with posts shouting about how the only people who don’t support and advocate for AI are running scared. Scared of progress. Scared of technology. Scared of the future. These posts read as childish and bullying and, whilst admittedly likely to be AI generated (or at the very least having had AI cast a glance or two over the content), they are positioning humans in a dichotomous way; for or against. You’re either with AI and therefore in the gang, or you are an ignorant luddite who is unwilling to get with the programme.

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Is a smart building worth it? My research says the answer is an unequivocal yes

Is a smart building worth it? My research says the answer is an unequivocal yes

by • Comment, Property, Technology

Too often, clients have paid contractors for the design and delivery of a smart building whilst ignoring the operational sideFor my book, The Smart Building Advantage, in which I tracked the evolution of the recent built environment, I trawled through more than a decade’s worth of data. I wasn’t short of material. I studied the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, 22 Bishopsgate in London and NEOM in Saudi Arabia, amongst many extraordinary examples of how buildings and technology can work together. From these, I concluded that smart buildings are like chameleons in the way they’ve adapted to meet the shifting demands of the corporate zeitgeist. (more…)

Accurate feedback doesn’t necessarily dent people’s overconfidence

Accurate feedback doesn’t necessarily dent people’s overconfidence

by • Business, News

A new study suggests that overconfidence can persist even in situations where people receive frequent and accurate feedback about their performance.A new study suggests that overconfidence can persist even in situations where people receive frequent and accurate feedback about their performance. The findings, published in The Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, raise questions about how effectively feedback mechanisms improve self-awareness in professional settings. Researchers analysed data from 3,388 competitive chess players across 22 countries. Chess provides a clear test of confidence and self-assessment because performance is tracked continuously through the Elo rating system, which adjusts after every match. Players have access to detailed, objective feedback, allowing them to compare their results with others and track progress over time. (more…)

The real reason why your workplace strategy isn’t working

The real reason why your workplace strategy isn’t working

by • Comment, JB, Workplace

In a world where how we work keeps evolving, it’s worth stepping back to ask: What are you about as an organisation? Not your product. Not your structure. Your purpose. Your direction. Your why. What are you ultimately trying to achieve as an organisation and why? What’s the bigger outcome you’re working toward? How do you want your people, your customers, your industry to be different because you exist? These aren’t just philosophical questions. They’re practical ones because your answers shape everything including your strategy, your team structures and your culture.  It also shapes a seemingly straightforward question on your workplace strategy. (more…)

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

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

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace design

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…)

Britain’s AI ambitions face delays from planning and energy challenges, report warns

Britain’s AI ambitions face delays from planning and energy challenges, report warns

by • AI, News

The UK risks losing momentum in the global race to build the infrastructure for AI because of planning and energy constraints, according to a new report from the Centre for British Progress think tank. The study, Unblocking AI Growth Zones, argues that outdated regulatory processes, environmental approvals and pressure on the electricity grid could slow or derail major data centre projects. The authors say that while private investment of more than £30 billion has been committed to new sites, barriers in the planning system may prevent projects from being delivered quickly enough to compete internationally. (more…)

Business leaders are told to move fast and break things. But sometimes they shouldn’t

Business leaders are told to move fast and break things. But sometimes they shouldn’t

by • Business, Comment

Business leaders are often told to embrace uncertainty, shake things up, and move fast. But this mantra masks the dangers of disruption, which can just as easily harm as help.Business leaders are often told to embrace uncertainty, shake things up, and move fast. But this mantra masks the dangers of disruption, which can just as easily harm as help. In recent research with Richard Haynes, Ingo Marquart, and Hai Anh Vu, we examined a disruptive leadership approach called “annealing.” My summary view: Although annealing can prompt change and innovation, most leaders should pause and reflect before trying. (more…)

Mandates fail to bring people back to the office, but design and flexibility might

Mandates fail to bring people back to the office, but design and flexibility might

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

Rigid return-to-office mandates are doing little to increase attendance, according to new research from international design practice Hassell. The firm’s latest Workplace Futures Survey, titled The Mandate Mirage, suggests that the real motivator for people to work in person is choice, particularly when supported by offices designed to offer more than just a desk. The sixth edition of the survey, which polled 3,000 office workers across the UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea, finds that strict policies are more likely to generate dissatisfaction than compliance. In the UK, poorly executed mandates cut compliance by up to 41 percent, while organisations that offered bonuses or travel subsidies saw attendance increase by a third. Recently renovated offices also boosted in-person working by 15 percent. (more…)

Text to video GenAI will help drive energy consumption of OpenAI to same level as India

Text to video GenAI will help drive energy consumption of OpenAI to same level as India

by • AI, Environment, News

A new study has raised concerns about the energy consumption of text-to-video (T2V) models, warning that the technology could become one of the most power-intensive forms of artificial intelligence yet developedA new study has raised concerns about the energy consumption of text-to-video (T2V) models, warning that the technology could become one of the most power-intensive forms of artificial intelligence yet developed. The research coincides with reports from within OpenAI that the firm’s energy consumption will match the current energy use of India within 8 years. The paper, Video Killed the Energy Budget: Characterizing the Latency and Power Regimes of Open Text-to-Video Models, published on the open research platform arXiv, presents a detailed analysis of the power usage of advanced open-source video generation systems. Conducted by researchers Julien Delavande, Régis Pierrard and Sasha Luccioni, the study benchmarks several models and quantifies the way in which video generation consumes energy. (more…)

Mitsubishi Estate announces £800 million London Southbank mixed use development

Mitsubishi Estate announces £800 million London Southbank mixed use development

by • News, Property

The Japanese developer will deliver a 600,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme, to be called Vista, which will combine offices, studios, galleries and exhibition areas. As part of the development, 40,000 sq ft has been allocated as affordable workspace for creative businesses, a measure intended to support start-ups and smaller firms in the sector.Mitsubishi Estate has announced plans to invest £800 million in the redevelopment of the former ITV Studios site on London’s South Bank, a project that is expected to create 4,000 jobs and provide significant new space for the capital’s creative industries. The Japanese developer will deliver a 600,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme, to be called Vista, which will combine offices, studios, galleries and exhibition areas. As part of the development, 40,000 sq ft has been allocated as affordable workspace for creative businesses, a measure intended to support start-ups and smaller firms in the sector.

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