The UK branch of the company has set up a campus in the heart of London’s technology district in Shoreditch, covering over 2300-sq-m of space, which will offer office space rentals for new business starters.

Along with an event space able to hold a maximum of 140 people, the campus includes 16 meeting rooms, various ’break out’ social spots, a café and in excess of 200 office desks.

The east London campus office design has been fit out with a modern but non-established look embracing recycling through the use of materials such as raw plywood, recycled vegetable crates and inexpensive linoleum.

Google will be using the venue themselves as a venue for their mentoring program and there will also be a number of networking events where guest speakers, such as entrepreneurship experts will be invited to offer invaluable guidance and know-how.

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Transport chiefs have detailed the space planning for the hub, which will be in the basement of the City Tower offices in Piccadilly Gardens and could open for the first time this summer.

The service will be a paid-for-membership scheme, with users needing electronic smartcards to get inside. The hub will provide 200 cycle spaces, changing areas and lockers.

The scheme was awarded £4.9 million by the Government in 2011 to boost sustainable transport and has outlined plans for 13 hubs throughout Greater Manchester.

The report outlines how the hub will be created in partnership with the building’s owners Bruntwood.

There is also the possibility of a shop being created to sell accessories and provide bike maintenance.

"Positive discussions have taken place with cycle retailers regarding the retail unit with a view to the letting of this unit by the time the centre is opened," the report says.

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The £43.8 million scheme, which will see the council’s listed offices brought up to date and made suitable for its 1,400 staff, is now underway and is due to be completed by next March.

The West Offices building used to be a major railway station, and many English Heritage officials were initially concerned that any project to update it would not be in keeping with the building’s history.

However, after seeing the new plans, chief executive Dr Simon Thurley dubbed the scheme a "national model", with the new ideas for the building on Station Rise seen to have shown "respect and sensitivity" for its unique history.

Following an official visit to the new site by representatives from English Heritage, Dr Thurley said: "The very best way of conserving old buildings is to find appropriate new uses for them.

"With remarkable vision, the developer has created what is, in effect, a new open-plan structure within the envelope of the existing building without compromising its integrity."

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’Pick a Pod’ offers the use of a phone, office and desk in unoccupied office buildings around Dublin.

Organisers claim it offers flexible and affordable corporate-level office space to start-ups and small businesses.

Occupancy costs in the Irish capital currently stand at the equivalent of around £375 per square metre, making long-term leases a non-viable option for many small companies.

Launching the concept at the city’s Smithfield’s Glass House Building, co-founder Paula ter Brake said the scheme offered office space to businesses for as little as £8 an hour.

She said: "Pick a Pod offers start-ups, small businesses, individuals and organisations a flexible, fully functioning and centrally located office option without having to enter into a costly long-term lease.

"Users can simply go online, specify a time and book and pay for a POD (Phone, Office and Desk) in the heart of Dublin’s business sector from periods of one hour upwards. We also provide boardroom facilities, hot desks and virtual offices."

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The exhibition, now in its eleventh year, is a premier trade event and an opportunity for clients to view the latest high-end products and services. Run by dmg events, the showcase will take place from May 15 to May 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

As well as product displays and stalls, there will also be interactive seminars, keynote guest speakers and leading architects, designers and executives on-hand to offer industry opinion on the latest issues in office design.

However, the Office Exhibition is not just aimed at clients from the Middle East, as thousands of high-level architectural and interior design firms are expected to attend the event.

The organisers have also said that they plan to run a series of workshops and lectures led by local and international design experts. These talks will give trade professionals the opportunities to ask questions, share knowledge and view the latest in office interiors and design.

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Austin John Interiors, based in Spalding, will move from Pinchbeck to The Crescent in Mill Green Road. The new outlet will open at the start of April.

The firm’s founder, Nikki Austin, said the move means she will now be able to show her customers samples from Wright’s - her favourite carpet supplier - which is based next door.

Mrs Austin, who started the company working from home, said: "I am so passionate about great design and helping people to get it right."

Austin John Interiors are moving into The Crescent, which was previously occupied by the Judith Bosworth dress shop. The dress shop recently changed hands.

The CAB offices in The Crescent were also a base for Spalding’s Ringrose Law firm, which then moved into temporary office space.

Ringrose - a long-established county company - will open a new Spalding branch in May or June.

The legal business has handed in a planning application for change of use in to the council, in the hope it can move into a Hall Place unit which was previously Bargain Books.

Sally Hubbard, head of employment law at Ringrose Law, said about eight to 10 people are likely to work at the branch, which will run as a full legal firm.

The company will cover conveyancing, employment, family and criminal law.

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Kevin Friery, clinical director at Right Management Workplace Wellness, said that space planning is important for creating a positive work environment.

However, Mr Friery added that managers seeking a new office design should not be seduced by theories and concepts of popular psychology as there has been little scientific evidence to back it.

He said changing the colour scheme of the office interiors will be more significant than the final colour itself because it allows staff to get involved in the process and encourages integration within the team. Mr Friery believes that consulting and engaging workers in any office refurbishment is a "golden rule".

He added: "Staff need to be involved in decisions about their working environment. Consultation while managing people’s expectations about the final decisions is crucial."

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At present, the reservoir is set below ground level, but the new plans could lead to the development of office space with natural temperature controls and solar-heated water.

Chartered engineer Richard Bennett has now outlined proposals for the new Watershed scheme, which will be constructed at the site of the North Ferriby reservoir.

He said that he intends to make the most of the site’s "earth-sheltered" features. It is hoped that both the costs and time scales involved in the construction project will be reduced as a result of plans to make use of the reservoir’s existing walls and floor.

Mr Bennett added: "I am very excited about the project. Because the building is surrounded by an earth bank, it retains heat very effectively. This would make it very cost effective for tenants, as well as carbon neutral. However, I am looking to remove the need for boilers by introduces earth-to-air heat exchanges."

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It will take up residence in a 1,000 square metre space on the third floor, with space available for offices as well as presentations and events.

"This new and more flexible space is a fantastic example of how great design can create places which are good for business, people and the environment," said Design Council chief executive David Kester.

The organisation said the lease is up at its current base - Covent Garden.

The Angel Building, shortlisted in 2011 for the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize, provides sustainable design features. These include heating through biomass and toilets flushed with recycled rainwater.

Cancer Research and Expedia are currently based at the building in Islington.

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An 89,000 sq ft (8,268 sq m) commercial site will be built at Chilcomb Park, near Winchester, potentially creating contract opportunities for office design firms in the area.

The site, which has been unused for eight years, was last used as a headquarters and distribution centre by fashion chain Pilot.

Cavendish & Gloucester has been granted permission to design and build the business park, while real estate advisers Hughes Ellard and Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) have been charged with the task of marketing it as office space for businesses.

Russell Mogridge, Hughes Ellard business space director, said: "Chilcomb Park would provide much-needed commercial space on the eastern outskirts of Winchester, helping with economic prosperity and enhancing a site which was previously used for commercial purposes."

He added that given its close proximity to the M3, Chilcomb Park is likely to attract interest from the corporate business sector.

Steve Williams, LSH’s south coast agency team’s associate director, said interest in office space in the region improved in 2011 compared to the previous year.

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Nearly half (46%) of all electricity usage by firms is run up outside traditional office hours of 8am to 6pm, data from thousands of smart meters has revealed.

Examples of power-hungry appliances left on overnight and at weekends included vending machines, lights, computers and car park lighting.

The cost to firms can total more than £1,000 a year, according to British Gas, which carried out the study.

Forward planning and sustainable office design could see businesses make significant savings on their bills.

British Gas Business’s Marc England said: "Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the UK. They tell us that reducing their costs is essential to competing in a challenging economy.

"However, many don’t understand their electricity costs, and how they could reduce them."

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The guide, which has been drawn up by 90 members of the BCO, sets office design standards for across the UK, including issues which will affect the procurement and occupation of modern commercial space.

Specific sections in the guidelines include how offices should adapt to meet workplace demands, how to site a development and how to ensure targets are met in the most cost-effective manner possible.

BCO chief executive Richard Kauntze said: "The BCO’s Guide to Specification is widely recognised as having set the industry standard for the specification of offices since its launch in 1994.

"It is unique in bringing together expertise from within the BCO’s broad membership, which spans the full range of those who design, build and occupy office space."

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Research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that residents of high-income countries are more likely to suffer neck pain than those in poorer nations, with those working in offices, especially women, most likely to be affected.

The study also advised neck pain sufferers that spinal manipulation, as practised by osteopaths, is more effective at sorting out problems than medication.

In fact, patients who are taught self-massage techniques are also more likely to relieve their symptoms than sufferers who rely on medication, whether it is over-the-counter or subscribed by a GP.

Kelston Chorley, head of professional development at the British Osteopathic Association, said: "Pain relief medication can be expensive and learning self-massage techniques mean individuals can be empowered to help manage their pain."

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The Design Museum is to move to the Kensington site in 2014 which is expected to double the number of visitors to half a million.

The new venue at the Grade 2 listed building, empty for more than 10 years, will enjoy three times the space as that available in the current museum. The interior was designed by John Pawson.

Praise for the move came from Mayor of London Boris Johnson who said the capital is the epicentre of design, thus deserved a world-class museum to celebrate "the amazing work being created here in the UK and around the world".

Mr Johnson said the new museum puts design in the spotlight and will become a must-see destination for visitors, designers and students, remarking that it would be housed in an iconic architectural landmark and offer state-of-the-art learning facilities.

Culture minister Ed Vaizey also praised the UK as leading the world in design and architecture, adding: "The new Design Museum will be a truly outstanding visitor attraction, learning resource and celebration of the best of British creativity."

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The Prime Minister unveiled the plans in a bid to stimulate economic growth while also giving start-ups and fledgling firms a helping hand for a period of 12 months.

With the cheap rates pledged it could leave some cash over for enhanced office design and extras such as new furniture too.

Cameron announced the move to make more than 300 under-used premises available during a visit to the north of England.

He said: "The British Government has a huge stock of buildings at our disposal. The first priority for the ones we aren’t using is to sell them off, but in the meantime many are going to be sitting idle.

"So let’s match the capacity we’ve got with the need that’s out there. Let’s provide office space where we can to those who can use it."

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The local authority is aiming to save £750,000 a year by closing Browfort offices in Devizes, the Bradley Road offices in Trowbridge, and Urchfont Manor in Urchfont.

Its main customer services point is based in Devizes, but it could also be moved under the plans - something which could lead to some office refurbishment being carried out along the way.

If the proposals are given the green light, work could begin in the autumn.

A council spokesman said that any savings could be ploughed back into services provided by the authority.

"The council is responding to the current economic climate and the ongoing budget pressures by rationalising and modernising its property portfolio," a council spokesman said.

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Sheffield umbrella supplier Booth Brothers - which is housed in a former mill dating back to the 18th century - is set to receive subsidies for using an underfloor heating system. It takes power from a heat pump which uses renewable energy.

And five East Yorkshire holiday lets will be paid under the Government’s incentive.

The lets - at Broadgate Farm Cottage in Beverley - will use renewable energy for heat and hot water, and this will be provided by a ground source heat pump.

These businesses are the first to be accredited under the incentive scheme, which is costing £860 million.

The aim of the scheme is to increase the number of companies which use biomass boilers, heat pumps and solar thermal panels - all heating systems with a low carbon output which can help with sustainable office design.

At the moment, about 50% of carbon emissions in the UK are derived from heating, and 95% of generated heat is made by the burning of fossil fuels.

Greg Barker, climate change minister, said: "Renewable heat is a largely untapped resource and an important new green industry of the future.

"It’ll help the UK shift away from fossil fuel, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging innovation, jobs and growth in new advanced technologies."

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The building has also had a library and grassed picnic area added.

Melbourne, which provides computer-server hosting, says it has spent £150,000 refurbishing 6,000 sq ft of its space on the Hulme campus.

Managing director Daniel Keighron-Foster said: "At Melbourne our most important asset is our team. That’s why we wanted to create a space that would reflect the ethos of the company: a family-run business that puts its staff at the heart of everything we do."

He continued: "For us, creativity and productivity go hand in hand. If people are inspired by their working environments, they are more likely to perform to the best of their ability. Grey and boring is not what we’re about, and this new space completely reflects our personality."

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This has been helped by the fact larger firms are reining in their spending. Companies are said to be learning lessons from the past few years’ economic crisis, putting tighter management and more fiscally-sound practices further up the agenda.

The use of property, such as offices, tends to be among the least flexible aspects of a company’s operations, so moves to become more effective in this should come as no surprise.

According to data from officebroker.com, which brokers serviced offices, the volume of so-called flexible office space rented between January and November was up 10% on the same period the year before.

Serviced offices are usually available on short-term deals and are charged per desk. The price typically includes business rates as well as rent.

Around 2,500 sites in the UK currently offer serviced space.

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The study, from video communications firm LifeSize, said that more than 60% of the 1,000 senior staff they surveyed think video conferencing and other technology is too much of a complication to introduce.

However, results from another survey showed that when it comes to goals for 2012, boosting flexible working is top of the list for a quarter of firms.

Many firms may also be looking into ways to boost their working environment next year, perhaps with an office refurbishment programme.

Michael Stephens, of LifeSize said: "Businesses of all sizes are cutting costs across the board but perceive that it is too complex to implement the required technologies to enable their staff to work efficiently from any location."

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A report launched by communities secretary Eric Pickles shows billions could be made as office costs would be slashed, desk space would be freed up and sickness levels could drop.

Public services could share back-office accommodation, depots and customer service desks to save money, the Leaner and Greener II: Putting Buildings to Work report suggests.

It maintains that if these changes were implemented, productivity would be boosted by between 5% and 15%. By the report’s calculations, a 5% increase would equate to £8 billion of staff time.

Civil servants should be "ruthless" when it comes to cutting costs, said Mr Pickles.

The report also suggests local services, such as councils and health organisations, should merge their property assets to allows buildings to be put to the best use for each area.

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And contrary to popular public opinion it revealed that the vast majority of employees (79%) do not work from home at all.

The YouGov poll of 1,000 UK office workers also challenged the fashionable switch from desk ownership to open plan offices.

Some 68% believe their personal workspace is a vital element of office design and 67% think it has a positive impact on their ability to work efficiently, according to the survey commissioned by the British Council for Offices (BCO) to promote publication of its new Guide To Fit-Out.

The BCO suggests firms should consult employees before redesigning office space to support flexible working.

Only 35% said they had ever been consulted on this issue yet 77% said they would like to be involved.

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Organised by Diversified Business Communications UK, the Office Interiors exhibition will bring together suppliers of office lighting, storage, relocation, design and fit-outs. There visitors could be inspired by stylish and space-saving office design.

The suppliers’s services will be on view alongside the Office* show from September 12-13 2012, at the Olympia Exhibition Centre.

"Our research confirms that we need to get to a broad audience, ranging from architects and interior designers, to office and operations managers," said Office Interiors’ event manager Ali Mead.

"We intend to put the spotlight back on the importance of inspiring, creative work environments."

The commentator added: "Office Interiors follows the success of our Office* show, launched just two years ago, where many visitors commented on the lack of an effective exhibition where they could go to seek inspiration and meet leading suppliers at one event."

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In the face of a tough economic climate, companies up and down the country are looking for ways to save money. Peter Job, chief executive officer at Cambridge-based Intergence Systems, claims becoming more energy efficient is one of the best ways of achieving this.

Drawing on a range of ways companies can go green, Mr Job said taking simple steps such as adjusting the air conditioning in an office can help.

"People don’t realise that very often, turning up the air conditioning to a higher level actually saves power," he explained.

The expert said that becoming more energy efficient can also reduce a firm’s carbon footprint, making it a more sustainable business. Mr Job said this was particularly cost-effective considering the Carbon Reduction Commitment, the Government’s carbon credit system.

"So there is a real direct cost saving there, not just from a carbon point of view, but also [in terms of] saving energy," he said.

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Hub Westminster, in Haymarket, is a 12,000 sq ft building which offers office space from just £20 a month. With rock-bottom rent prices, they are unlikely to remain vacant for long.

Cllr Brian Connell, Westminster’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, said the venue was "a fantastic place to inspire and provide a next generation of start up companies".

"We hope that by providing affordable membership we can give budding entrepreneurs a real chance to succeed and to help kick start our economy.

"We have designed the space to provide all the tools for innovation and invention to support a start up’s daily work space needs."

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