Research reveals challenges facing development of the Office of the Future

Survey of commercial property professionals reveals top concerns for the industry

Article posted: 20 Jun 2011

Research commissioned by the British Council for Offices (BCO) has revealed that the office sector will continue to be shaped by increasingly rigorous environmental legislation, making the risk of office space in the UK becoming obsolete even greater. On top of this, developers will need to keep pace with changing occupier needs and the continued technological advancements that are shaping the way in which we do business.

The research argues that despite numerous predictions in the 1990s, the office is not dead. In fact, the report found that only 2% of the UK workforce works from home. Instead, occupiers are increasingly requesting amenities that bring the comforts of home into the workplace. Several interviewees highlighted the desire for facilities such as restaurants, leisure space and healthcare to be incorporated in the workplace, to support the 24/7 lifestyle that is becoming the hallmark of 21st century working life.

Increasingly stringent environmental regulation will have a growing impact on architects, developers and occupiers, whilst also having a knock-on effect on investment in commercial property. The report found that the majority of industry professionals surveyed agreed that demand would increase for low-and-zero carbon offices, and noted that legislative changes place existing stock at risk of obsolescence.

Neil Thompson, Portfolio Director, at Great Portland Estates, a major sponsor of the report, and owners of several offices in Central London, said: "The research demonstrates that offices will continue to be central to our working lives and offers a pragmatic discussion of the key issues that will shape office development in the future, including the infiltration of the home into the office, the impact of increasingly rigorous sustainability legislation and the outlook for investment in the office sector."

Developers of new offices in the UK now strive to achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” rating on their schemes, such as KPMG’s 15 Canada Square offices in Canary Wharf (pictured) which were recently awarded a best Corporate Workplace award by the BCO, recognised as a highly original and sustainable building for the future. Another new development recently commended by the BCO for its green credentials is One Glass Wharf which comprises 216,172 sq ft of environmentally friendly and energy efficient office space in Bristol.

The report is available to BCO members to download from the BCO Research Portal.

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Posted by Jules