Search Results for: sustainability

September 26, 2013

New microsite shares sustainability knowledge with the built environment

by Sara Bean • Company news, Environment, Property

One of the biggest design and construction firms in the UK, BAM Construct UK, has launched a sustainability microsite to share its green building knowledge. The website is broken into six key performance indicators: sustainable design; carbon; resource efficiency; sourcing responsibly; community; and health and wellbeing. BAM Director of Sustainability Nitesh Magdani said: “The sustainability team at BAM includes a range of professionals from site managers and environmentalists to architects. We advise our teams on issues including sustainable design; waste and environmental management; community engagement; LEED and BREEAM certification; Post Occupancy Evaluations; and air quality issues.” (more…)

September 5, 2013

EU lags behind upward trend in the sustainability of global real estate

by Sara Bean • Environment, Facilities management, News, Property

There has been a clear and upward trend in the sustainability performance of global real estate, but despite the continued focus of EU regulators on the built environment, Europe lags behind other regions. According to the results of the GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) 2013 Report – based on sustainability data gathered from 543 property companies and funds, providing aggregate information on 49,000 properties across the globe – the real estate sector significantly reduced its environmental impact, decreasing energy consumption by nearly 5 per cent over the 2011-2012 period. Over the same period, greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 2.5 per cent, and water consumption by 1.2 per cent. (more…)

July 19, 2013

FMs must overcome engagement barriers to sustainability implementation

by Sara Bean • Environment, Facilities management, News

There is overwhelming support for sustainability to be embedded into business operations, but still some challenges in its successful delivery, according to the 7th annual Sustainability in Facilities Management survey from the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM). Of the top five barriers to implementation success, three related to engagement; engagement overall, amongst senior management and middle management. The report also found that many FMs are not targeting the areas of highest priority relating to behaviours or processes which have the highest impact, but tend to focus on technologies. (more…)

July 2, 2013

New Construction Strategy focuses on sustainability and efficiency

by Sara Bean • Environment, Facilities management, News, Property, Public Sector

An industrial strategy for construction – ‘Construction 2025’ is being launched by the Coalition Government today which aims to tap into the considerable growth opportunities predicted for the global construction market. The strategy has been developed in partnership with the new Construction Leadership Council, jointly chaired by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Sir David Higgins, Chief Executive of Network Rail, formed to help oversee the delivery of the action plan and its strategic priorities. The strategy’s vision to 2025 includes ambitions for a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment, and an equal reduction in the trade gap between total exports and total imports for construction products and materials. (more…)

February 13, 2013

Net-Zero buildings top measure of sustainability success

by Sara Bean • Architecture, Environment, News, Property, Workplace design

the Crystal

Net-zero commercial buildings, i.e. those that produce at least as much energy as they consume should be the long-term aim of corporate energy strategies, says a CoreNet Global statement. “Smart and responsible energy policies and practices reduce corporate carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions, (and) we encourage our members’ companies to drive energy efficiency to optimal levels with net-zero buildings as a top measure of long-term success.” The global real estate association calls on governments around the world to incentivise building owners, investors and occupiers who proactively reduce their carbon footprints. (more…)

February 5, 2013

MIT survey shows link between sustainability and profitability

by Mark Eltringham • Environment, Knowledge

A report published today by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group has found that more than half of companies see a rise in profits when they embrace a more sustainable business model. In addition to the link between sustainability and profitability, the number of companies reporting a profit from their sustainability efforts rose 23 percent last year, to 37 percent of the total, according to the report entitled The Innovation Bottom Line. The survey of 2,600 managers and executives around the world, also found that nearly half of respondents said their companies had changed their business model as a result of sustainability opportunities. (more…)

July 24, 2025

Calls for standardised product assessments address growing concerns about greenwashing

by Marvin Gort • Environment, Facilities management, News

A new industry-wide study has revealed widespread support for the introduction of mandatory Lifecycle Assessments (LCAs) on products used in the UK’s built environment to address widespread concerns about greenwashing. The findings, published in the report Greenhushing: Silence is Costing Credibility, show that 86 percent of professionals surveyed believe that LCAs are essential to reduce confusion and rebuild trust in environmental claims. Produced by Futurebuild in collaboration with The Anti-Greenwash Charter, The Carbon Literacy Project and communications agency Hattrick, the report draws on responses from over 3,000 people, including nearly 300 professionals in the built environment. It provides insight into the sector’s growing demand for standardisation and transparency in sustainability communications. (more…)

July 24, 2025

Better offices for all as occupiers shift focus away from cost cutting

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property, Workplace design

New research suggests a worldwide shift in workplace strategy, with portfolio optimisation and better offices now the top priorities for corporate real estate leaders, overtaking cost reduction for the first time. JLL’s 2025 Occupancy Planning Benchmark Report found that 73 percent of respondents identified portfolio optimisation as their main focus, compared with 70 percent who cited cost reduction and improved reporting. (more…)

July 24, 2025

TRILUX and Sweco deliver circular lighting upgrade in Maidenhead

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Environment, Facilities management

TRILUX has partnered with Sweco UK Ltd to deliver a circular lighting upgrade at the consultancy’s Maidenhead office. By refurbishing and upgrading the existing fluorescent luminaires, the project significantly reduced waste and improved the quality and efficiency of lighting in the open-plan workspace. Sweco UK Ltd, a leader in sustainable engineering and design, recently partnered with TRILUX to deliver a circular lighting refurbishment at its Maidenhead office. The project involved upgrading old fluorescent luminaires installed in multi-service chilled beams on the first floor, bringing a more sustainable, energy-efficient, and visually comfortable lighting solution to the space. (more…)

July 14, 2025

Cities must embrace the radical retrofit of buildings to meet future challenges

by Marvin Gort • News, Property, Workplace design

As cities continue to grow, the pressure on infrastructure, resources and the environment is intensifying. A new global study warns that urban centres must move beyond new construction and reimagine the buildings they already have. Retrofitting – enhancing and upgrading existing structures -is emerging as a key strategy to cut emissions, improve energy performance and boost urban liveability. The Radical Retrofit report by Economist Impact, supported by JLL, argues that making cities more sustainable and resilient will depend on retrofits that improve safety, health and accessibility, while also driving economic value. Though still in its early stages, the movement is gaining traction across global cities such as Singapore, New York, Paris and Dubai. Yet the pace must accelerate dramatically from today’s retrofit rate of 1 percent per year to at least 3 percent to align with net-zero goals. (more…)

July 4, 2025

Workspace Design Show returns to Amsterdam with focus on sensory workplace design

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

Registration has opened for the Workspace Design Show 2025, which returns to Amsterdam on 5–6 November with a focus on how sensory workplace design is influencing the modern office. Held at the RAI exhibition centre, the event will bring together over 5,000 workplace professionals, including architects, designers and commercial interiors specialists. This year’s theme, Activate the Senses, explores how sight, sound, scent and touch can influence how we feel and function at work. (more…)

July 4, 2025

Flexible office market in EMEA enters new phase of growth

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

The flexible office market across Europe, the Middle East and Africa is shifting into a new phase, according to new data from Colliers. The region’s flex workspace footprint grew by more than 348,000 square metres in 2024, despite difficult economic conditions and reduced capital availability. The firm’s Flexpansion: The Architecture of Agility report charts a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase in flexible space across 46 EMEA markets. The total now stands at 8.3 million square metres. (more…)