A report by the British Council for Offices (BCO) recommends a new method for calculating the amount of space needed per person to keep up with shifting employment patterns and trends.
The BCO report recommends a more generous allocation of space, based on space per person rather than desk, to meet employers’ commitments to promote staff performance and comfort by providing a variety of settings in the workspace.
The report shows that its new recommended ratio of 10-12 sqm per person would alleviate most common workplace issues such as over-crowding and noise pollution.
By contrast, higher office densities, of less than eight sqm per person, are more likely to impact on occupant comfort, wellbeing and performance in most organisations.
The report, The future of UK office densities, commissioned by the BCO, says the impact of the Covid pandemic on the office sector combined with energy and carbon reduction targets means the traditional office space metrics – which were based on space-per-desk – are less relevant.
Most organisations surveyed for the research reported mid-week peaks in occupancy. Reflecting this shift in office occupancy patterns, the report recommends office designers, owners and occupiers plan workspace for varying occupancy levels with contingency for higher mid-week peaks.
There is also shift in office dynamics, away from single desk use towards collaborative working and thus more demand for amenity and breakout space.
On top of this, less densely-occupied buildings are less carbon intensive, it is suggested. An office designed to support higher densities requires additional mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, which increases the carbon embodied in the building as well as energy used while in operation.
BCO’s technical affairs committee is chaired by Neil Pennell, Landsec head of design innovation and property solutions. He said: “The UK has adopted a legally binding net zero carbon target for 2050 and the built environment has an important role to play in helping the country meet its ambitions. Making sure workplaces are designed and operated in the most efficient way will be key to reducing both embodied and operational carbon. Our latest report finds that updating the allocated space per person, and optimising office facilities, is one way to make our workspaces more sustainable, whilst also supporting wellbeing and productivity.”
BCO chief executive Richard Kauntze added: “The pandemic has prompted many organisations to adopt a greater amount of agile and hybrid working, resulting in suggestions that there will be a dramatic reduction in the amount of office space they require. However, the BCO’s latest research shows that this is partially offset by adoption of a more generous ratio of space-per-person, as employers seek to attract their staff to the office and to support productivity by providing an environment that promotes wellbeing and collaboration.
“Our latest report on office density reflects these changes in working patterns, as well as the need to achieve UK net zero targets for 2050 combined with increased energy costs. This report aims to help office designers, developers and owners, as well as occupiers, to achieve the optimal level of density to support the competing demands being placed on today’s offices.”
According to the BCO, UK office densities are among the highest in the world. In 2001, the average density in UK offices was approximately 14.8 sqm per desk on a typical floor but by 2018 it was just 9.6 sqm per desk.
The report’s new recommendation of 10-12 sqm per person will now inform future versions of the BCO’s Guide to Specification and Guide to Fit-Out.
Lead author Nigel Oseland, director at Workplace Unlimited, said: “The ‘sweet spot’ we have identified is based on research evidence and balances the competing demands of the modern office. On one hand, the post-covid shift that has seen increasing numbers of office workers spending more of their time working from home, with many companies implementing hot-desking for their staff when in the office. And on the other, occupiers’ and building owners’ sustainability targets, which are expected to become more pressing as energy bills rise in the coming months.”
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