Search Results for: environmental

The greenest building is no building, our false craving for silence and some other stuff

The greenest building is no building, our false craving for silence and some other stuff

by • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design

As climate scientists issue increasingly stark warnings about the global environmental catastrophe that is increasingly likely within a very short time frame, Will Jennings issues a timely reminder in the Architects Journal that the greenest type of building is no building at all. And that is doubly so when the building we are talking about is The Tulip, which would clearly be a very bad idea at any time. The author takes particular exception to the glossy environmental pledges made by high profile architects when contrasted with the ugly, vacuous grandstanding typified by The Tulip. (more…)

Top ten cities in UK for economic growth led by Edinburgh

Top ten cities in UK for economic growth led by Edinburgh

by • Cities, News

According to the 2019 Vitality Index by Lambert Smith Hampton, Edinburgh is the city with the best prospects for UK economic growth, with Cambridge and Manchester coming in second and third place, despite the UK’s uncertain economic and political environment. Compiled every year, The Vitality Index claims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the health of UK towns and cities, considering education, entrepreneurialism, affluence, productivity, growth and environmental factors.

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In defence of open plan office design

In defence of open plan office design

by • Features, Workplace design

The Johnson Wax building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was an early example of open plan office designNoisy, distracting, toxic and disastrous. These are just a few words that have been used to describe open plan office layouts. Though the open office layout model was originally conceived to promote collaboration, innovation and stronger workplace relationship, if recent press is to be believed, it’s had the opposite effect at many companies. (more…)

Air, light and comfortable temperature enhance performance

Air, light and comfortable temperature enhance performance

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

Report shows effect of office air, light and room temperature on performanceWorker performance could increase by 20 percent if the fresh air supply in offices and meeting rooms is improved, finds a new report developed by Sharp and workplace psychologist Dr Nigel Oseland. Creating the perfect meeting environment claims to highlight the importance of creating the right conditions for meetings in order to boost productivity and reviews the role of indoor air quality, temperature and lighting on office worker performance and wellness in meetings. The report identifies temperature as a key environmental factor that has an impact on memory recall, attention span, and creativity, which all affect performance.

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Biophilia in the corporate HQ: an historical perspective

Biophilia in the corporate HQ: an historical perspective

by • Architecture, Environment, Facilities management, Features, Workplace design

In recent years, the concept of biophilia and the inclusion of greenery in the working environment has captured the media’s attention, which has depicted it as an important aspect of wellbeing in the workplace, seemingly the crucial indicator of a great office. For this reason, and beyond the superficial or cosmetic use of plants in the office, I would like to analyse the relationship between nature and the corporate world from a historical perspective in an effort to understand the role of greenery within the architecture of the corporate headquarters.

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Majority of workers think their workplace is unpleasant

Majority of workers think their workplace is unpleasant

by • Facilities management, News, Workplace design

A still from Ikiru showing an unpleasant workplace environmentMany of the UK’s workplaces are unpleasant, uncomfortable and at risk of driving down productivity, according to a new survey from Aspect.co.uk. The poll of 2,000 people claims that 83 percent of UK adults consider their workplace to be an “unpleasant” environment, with many citing uncomfortable temperatures, lack of natural light, unpleasant smells, damp and mould, poor ventilation and even vermin and insects among their complaints. The study set out to identify the most common causes of employee discomfort at work. On the whole, issues related to physical comfort were the most common complaints. 46 percent complained of workplaces that were “too hot”, 43 percent complained of workplaces being “too cold” and 28 percent complained of workplaces having poor ventilation.

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BCO announces winners of North of England property awards

BCO announces winners of North of England property awards

by • News, Property, Workplace design

Manchester-based businesses dominated the BCO Northern Awards with Hanover, PwC Manchester and No. 1 Spinningfields all being recognised as some of the best workplaces in the North of England at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) regional property sector awards held at The Principal Hotel in Manchester. In addition to the three winning buildings, 35 Dale Street in the city’s Northern Quarter also received Highly Commended in the Best Refurbished/ Recycled Workplace category. Janet Nash House, Durham and Live Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North East were recognised as two of the best workplaces in the North. (more…)

Wellbeing, a pile of turtles, office culture and some other stuff

Wellbeing, a pile of turtles, office culture and some other stuff

by • Features, Flexible working, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace design

acoustics and wellbeingThis week is Clerkenwell Design Week amongst other things, and as part of it I chaired a discussion on Tuesday about acoustics at work in the showroom of Flokk and their effect on wellbeing. We were fortunate to have a panel that involved the likes of Nigel Oseland, Michelle Wilkie of tp bennett, Joachim Schubert of Offecct and Lee Jones of Wellworking as well as an informed audience, if for no other reason than everybody’s ability to talk about the subject as complex and multi-faceted and, to some extent, hardwired. (more…)

Workers value employers with right approach to sustainability

Workers value employers with right approach to sustainability

by • Environment, News

HP has published a new study underscoring the importance of sustainable business practices in recruiting, hiring and retaining top talent. It suggests that employees are more productive, motivated and engaged when working for an employer who is leading the charge in social responsibility. The global, 20,000-participant survey suggests that 61 percent believe sustainability is mandatory for businesses. Of those interviewed, 56 percent believe that ignoring environmental impact in the workplace is as bad as ignoring diversity and inclusion. (more…)

Hiring the best people is bad for creativity

Hiring the best people is bad for creativity

by • Comment, Workplace

A child's hand shows creativity covered in many paint colours and a smiling faceWhile in graduate school in mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I took a logic course from David Griffeath. The class was fun. Griffeath brought a playfulness and openness to problems related to creativity and other issues. Much to my delight, about a decade later, I ran into him at a conference on traffic models. During a presentation on computational models of traffic jams, his hand went up. I wondered what Griffeath – a mathematical logician – would have to say about traffic jams. He did not disappoint. Without even a hint of excitement in his voice, he said: ‘If you are modelling a traffic jam, you should just keep track of the non-cars.’

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Green Building Council launches framework for net zero carbon

by • Environment, Facilities management, News, Workplace design

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched a framework for the UK construction and property industry which it claims will shape the transition new and existing buildings to become net zero carbon by 2050, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement and a new government ambition.

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The meteor strike of coworking and the beasts that will remain

The meteor strike of coworking and the beasts that will remain

by • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Workplace design

The concept of coworking has only been with us for a short time, but there are already signs that it is evolving into something rather different. The most common misperception about the way evolution works is that it is based on some steady progression, driven by the merciless principle of survival of the fittest, with the best adapted climbing towards the top of an evolutionary tree. This gives rise to one of the most common questions posed by sceptics: if we evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

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