March 12, 2024

No more zero sum games … the Workplace Cocktail Hour with Joe Croft

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Podcasts, Premium Content, Workplace Cocktail Hour

For the second week running, the football talk takes place off mike. Joe Croft shares a coffee and a chat with Mark Eltringham. Instead of the mixed fortunes of Middlesbrough and Stoke City, they talk about everything to do with sustainability in office fitout and construction. They discuss the limit of accreditations and standards, the need to get beyond box ticking and greenwash and what best practice really looks like. They also discuss what might happen when our favoured recycled materials become scarce, and also how resource hungry the online and digital world is. (more…)

March 12, 2024

Modus announces new partnership with Canadian office furniture giant Teknion

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture

UK based furniture maker Modus has announce a partnership with Canadian office furniture giant Teknion. Modus is the first British manufacturer to become a Teknion partner and this new venture enables both parties to expand their global presence and localise their manufacturing capabilities. The firms say this strategic approach will help significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its products for the UK, European, and North American markets, while at the same time driving sales. (more…)

March 11, 2024

TRILUX illuminates award-winning one Portwall Square with cutting-edge lighting solution

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Lighting

In the heart of Bristol’s bustling commercial district stands a beacon of innovation and sustainability: One Portwall Square. This ground-breaking office development, adjacent to Temple Meads Station, prioritises occupant wellbeing and environmental responsibility in a post-COVID world. TRILUX, the renowned technical lighting expert, was pivotal in providing a comprehensive lighting solution for this award-winning project. (more…)

March 7, 2024

The sector responds to the Spring Budget

by Neil Franklin • Business, News

Yesterday’s Spring Budget included a number of announcements that affect the various people, place and technology professions in the UK. These include a cut in National Insurance, pension fund reforms, support for working parents, AI, helping people back in to work and more. You can see the Government’s own summary here. The various industry sectors have been quick to respond to the announcements. You can see what some people have had to say below, in no particular order. (more…)

March 5, 2024

Joanna Knight

by Mark Eltringham •

Joanna Knight has over 30 years’ experience in marketing, sales, PR and journalism in the office / workplace sector and is currently moderator for the Sustainability and Circular Economy Group at Women in Office Design and Council member at the Furniture Industry Research Association.

March 5, 2024

MillerKnoll’s top office fit out trends for 2024

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture

The last few years have seen a major shift in how businesses approach their office spaces. With more emphasis on aesthetics, functionality, and employee wellbeing, 2024 will showcase some of the most exciting trends for future-ready workplaces centred on connection, wellbeing and change. As a leader in workplace design, MillerKnoll talks about the top six emerging trends shaping office spaces this year. Based on decades of expertise, MillerKnoll identifies shifting priorities that empower companies embracing conscious design attuned to modern needs. (more…)

March 5, 2024

Best of NeoCon Awards are now open for entries

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Events

NeoCon has announced that it is now accepting submissions for the prestigious Best of NeoCon competition, the show’s official awards program that recognizes exceptional new products from show exhibitors. Since its establishment in 1990, the program has been a beacon of innovation, garnering a diverse array of entries across various commercial sectors, including workplace, healthcare, hospitality, and education. The program will bestow Gold and Silver awards alongside honours in Innovation, Sustainability, and Business Impact in 55 categories showcasing a comprehensive look at the diverse product offerings. (more…)

March 4, 2024

Major built environment institutes renew joint pledge to tackle global instability as cities boom

by Neil Franklin • Cities, Company news, Environment

With almost 70 percent of the world’s population predicted to live in cities by 2050, major built environment professional institutes, including architects, planners, structural engineers and landscape practitioners, have renewed their joint pledge to collaborate to tackle urgent global challenges. Members of the UK Built Environment Advisory Group (UKBEAG), a group first launched in 2016 comprising the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and the Landscape Institute (LI), have committed to work together for at least another 5 years. (more…)

March 1, 2024

They call it mellow yellow. Issue 19 of IN Magazine lands

by Mark Eltringham • Environment, Flexible working, IN Magazine, Premium Content, Property, Technology, Workplace design

The new issue of IN Magazine has been published online today. In this issue: we ask why firms are so reluctant to change what they do; a dream of the past and future of work; Andy Lake talks about his new, visionary book; how AI might make cities worse; what inclusive design means; a panel of experts discuss what changing work practices mean for major business districts; why we must rethink how we light our streets and squares; how to strike the right balance when it comes to creating meetings in offices; and we take a grand tour through the Bucharest HQ of the world’s biggest travel group. (more…)

March 1, 2024

Siemens, Enlighted, and Zumtobel Group partner to advance smart building solutions

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Lighting

Siemens and Enlighted, a property technology company owned by Siemens, announce a strategic partnership with Zumtobel Group, the lighting provider, to advance the adoption of smart building technologies including intelligent IoT lighting, setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability in building operations worldwide. At the core of the partnership lies the technical integration of Enlighted’s industry-leading smart sensors into Zumtobel Group’s lighting portfolio, both under Zumtobel and Thorn brands. (more…)

February 29, 2024

Two in five architects say they are already using AI on projects

by Jayne Smith • AI, Architecture, News, Technology

New research by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) suggests that 41 percent of UK architects are already using artificial intelligence (AI) on at least the occasional project, and of those, 43 percent think it has made the design process more efficient. The RIBA AI report includes the findings of a survey asking architects how they are using and plan to use AI. In the next 2 years, 54 percent of architects expect their practice to use AI, and 57 percent think it will improve efficiency in the design process. However, this ambition this doesn’t yet seem to be matched by investment, as 69 percent say their practice has not invested in AI research and development, and only 41 percent expect their practice to invest. (more…)

February 23, 2024

Less than a week to go before the Workspace Design Show opens its doors

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

In just a few days the eagerly-awaited Workspace Design Show, the trade show that brings together the UK workplace interiors community, will open its doors. Held at London’s Business Design Centre, handily placed in the heart of Islington, from 27-28 February 2024, the event offers attendees the chance to explore the latest industry trends, see the latest products, and find inspiration in the thought-provoking talks programmes. (more…)