Office design uk, office interior design consultancy - Morgan Lovell

Firms to be paid for renewable energy

Morgan Lovell — 2012-01-09T12:00:00.00+00:00

An umbrella firm and a holiday cottage company are the first businesses which are set to be paid for generating heat energy from renewable sources, the Government has revealed.

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."

Flexible office space more popular

Morgan Lovell — 2011-12-21T12:00:00.00+00:00

A less expensive office fit out which can be used flexibly is said to be selling well, with uptake of such sites rising 10% this year.

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.

Firms 'can save 20% on energy costs'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-10-24T12:00:00.00+00:00

Implementing energy efficiency measures can save UK companies between 15% and 20% on energy costs, a chief executive has said.

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.

Firms 'should offer home working'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-09-27T12:00:00.00+00:00

Employers should offer flexible home working hours to reduce staff absences and increase their output, experts have claimed.

Allowing employees days out of the office environment can boost their morale and encourage them to work harder, according to a report by Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA).

The group suggests that this type of informal working practice gives people a more positive approach to their job and provided a better work-life balance.

Working from home could also create a more sustainable office design by reducing employees’ travel and carbon consumption.

And by lowering their desk ratio to 10 workstations for every 15 employees, companies can cut their office space costs by as much as 40%, AWA said.

The group believes that employers will become increasingly likely to consider a move to home working to reduce costs in the future.

AWA managing director Andrew Mawson said: "Ultimately, we foresee a future where more than 4 million people - about 10% of the current workforce - will work at home on a formal basis, and where almost all employees will demand some form of flexible working."

BCO conference set for Manchester

Morgan Lovell — 2011-08-26T12:00:00.00+00:00

Office design will be among the hot topics at the annual conference of the British Council for Offices (BCO) when it is hosted in Manchester in 2012.

More than 350 delegates will descend upon the city for the three-day event, which will be held at the Manchester Central Convention Complex from May 23-25.

Manchester last played host to the event in 2004 and BCO's conference chairman James Wates has decided the time is right to bring the highlight of the property sector calendar back to the city, after the recent programme of investment in the venue.

He said: "We're delighted to bring the BCO Annual Conference back to the North West after an absence of eight years. In that time, Manchester has been transformed into a top global location.

"The city's culture of innovation and enterprise provides an excellent platform from which to consider how we might cultivate signs of recovery within the market as a whole."

Contracts to cut energy consumption

Morgan Lovell — 2011-07-13T12:00:00.00+00:00

A number of Government-owned offices are being given energy efficient makeovers after contracts agreed as part of a pilot scheme to cut costs-generated six-figure savings.

British Gas Business and public service provider Amey have signed payment-by-results energy management contracts with 350 Home Office buildings in London and the south-east - 90% of its estate - after saving the department £212,000 within eight months.

The three-year contract will see the two firms overhaul the way in which the buildings consume energy and will focus on the condition of equipment and how users can change their working practises to reduce energy consumption. It will also invest in new energy systems for the buildings if they are deemed necessary.

Referring to the contract agreement, a statement from Amey said: "They are on track to save the Home Office more than £1.3m and cut its carbon footprint by 15% over the lifetime of the contract."

Helen Kilpatrick, Home Office commercial and financial director general, said: "In harnessing the best of private sector practice and bringing in fresh ideas, we are delivering real change."

Copyright Press Association 2011

Whitehall slashes carbon emissions

Morgan Lovell — 2011-07-07T12:00:00.00+00:00

Key government buildings have reduced carbon emissions by almost 14% in one year, David Cameron has announced.

The figure beats the Government's 10% target and provides a £13 million saving on energy consumption.

The Department of Education tops a league table of 19 government departments, after slashing carbon emission by 21.5%, while the Department of Energy and Climate Change recorded a reduction of 21.3%.

However, with office design increasingly centred on sustainability, Whitehall must go further and cut emissions by 25% by 2015, the Prime Minister told department heads.

The Cabinet Office explained that the 10% target related to about 300,000 civil servants in 3,000 buildings. Between May 14 2010 and May 13 2011, more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 was saved, it said.

Cameron said: "To be the greenest government ever we need to do more to stamp out energy waste in Whitehall and make it easier for people and business to use energy more efficiently.

"That's why I'm committing the government to go further by reducing emissions by 25% by 2015."

Deregulation of CRC 'will have positive business impact'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-07-06T12:00:00.00+00:00

Further deregulation for businesses in compliance with CRC would have a significant benefit for UK firms, it has been claimed.

John Barwise, chair of the Cumbria Green Business Forum, said new proposals from the government will include a lot less red tape and that can only be a boon to businesses looking to comply with the guidelines.

Indeed, the proposed fixed-price allowance should be less complicated for smaller firms.

He commented: "The government has at least listened to the business community this time and made CRC easier to understand and implement."

Mr Barwise added that positive steps from Westminster will lie in a move away from the auctioning of allowances, as well as a reduction in the number of fuels covered under the scheme.

According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, CRC was launched last April and aims to help companies improve their environmental standing through greater regulation of carbon emissions.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Businesses 'could benefit from popularity of renewables training'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-07-05T12:00:00.00+00:00

Companies across the UK could benefit from a growth in the popularity of renewable energy training courses that has been seen in recent years, a sector expert has claimed.

Keith Tolwin, sales director at MET UK, said it is important that only trained individuals carrying out sustainable office design upgrades such as the installation of photovoltaic solar panels, as work that is carried out improperly could hold serious dangers for health and safety.

He commented: "There are certain [courses] that are far more difficult than others, but the renewable energy ones generally are fairly straightforward."

Mr Tolwin added that ground source heat pumps are also a renewable technology that are easy to install and maintain for both business and home users.

According to minister of state for energy and climate change Greg Barker, the government's new Green Deal will see energy-saving packages worth thousands of pounds installed in millions of homes and businesses up and down the country.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Businesses 'focused on impact of climate change'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-29T12:00:00.00+00:00

UK businesses are becoming more focused on the impact of climate change and this is having a positive impact on the uptake of sustainable office design and green practices in the UK, it has been claimed.

Iain Watt, principle sustainability advisor at Forum for the Future, said the challenge is now for firms to translate this green approach into improved customer awareness of these actions, ensuring the good environmental work done behind the scenes is publicised.

He commented: "The transition we're starting to see is companies really thinking through strategically what the implications of climate change are going to be and then interacting with the issue in an entirely different way."

According to figures compiled by UK Trade & Investment, the UK market for low-carbon and environmental goods and services is valued at more than £112 billion, within a global market value in excess of £3.2 trillion.

However, it predicted that by 2015, the global market is expected to be worth over £4.3 trillion. Furthermore, the UK sector could be worth £150 billion and employ over 1.2 million people.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Cuts 'hurting green technology growth'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-29T12:00:00.00+00:00

Government cuts are having an impact on the development of green technologies in the UK and their uptake by businesses, it has been claimed.

A spokeswoman for the Centre for Alternative Technology said the sustainable office design sector must make the uptake of new technologies as desirable as possible to firms to ensure that confidence in the industry does not take a hit and the popularity seen for renewable diminishes as a result.

She commented: "The high up front capital costs of investing in renewables mean that people and councils are less likely to invest in renewables at this precarious financial time."

Meanwhile, Iain Watt, principle sustainability advisor at Forum for the Future, recently said that while it is true that sustainability is becoming a bigger issue for consumers, firms should not simply implement any old policy in order to get the jump on their rivals in this area.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Young generation 'are more green-conscious'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-27T12:00:00.00+00:00

The UK's young generation of workers are becoming more green-conscious and therefore issues like sustainable office design, recycling and environmental impact are high on their agenda when applying for jobs.

Peter Thomson, director of research at the Telework Association, said environmental awareness is right at the forefront of this group's minds, with issues like flexible working and energy consumption in office interior space are serious issues to be addressed and discussed.

He commented: "This is a generation who are green-conscious, who are taught environmental studies at school and are quite rightly saying 'Hang on - you, my parents' generation, have polluted the planet'."

According to the latest CBI/Harvey Nash Employment Trends Survey, firms cite a range of positive spin-offs from the uptake of flexible working practices, from improved employee relations (74 per cent), heightening recruitment and retention (61 per cent), improved productivity (37 per cent) and lower absence rates (38 per cent).

Posted by Ian Johnson

Sustainable office design 'should not be a knee-jerk reaction'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-27T12:00:00.00+00:00

Businesses have been warned they need to plan sufficiently in order to implement a well-thought out sustainable office design strategy and it cannot simply be a knee-jerk reaction in order to beat competitors.

Iain Watt, principle sustainability advisor at Forum for the Future, said while it is true that sustainability is becoming a bigger issue for consumers, firms should not simply implement any old policy in order to get the jump on their rivals in this area.

He commented: "That's really different from ... viewing it as an opportunity to innovate, to come up with new products and services to gain an advantage."

Mr Watt also recently noted that companies need to put in place long-term green strategies in order to tackle the issue of climate change.

He argued that businesses need to understand the impact of improved sustainability across their entire organisation, with the transition to a low-carbon economy requiring companies to produce an overview of their actions.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Sustainable office design advice for firms

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-24T12:00:00.00+00:00

UK companies have been offered advice on how best to implement sustainable office design measures and other green initiatives.

Dominic Wood, programme co-ordinator for Groundwork, said firms should begin by looking at legislative requirements. By doing so, they are then able to formulate energy-efficiency plans to ensure wholescale improvements can be made to green credentials across a company's infrastructure.

He advised: "Benchmark existing performance - what is your current status? If you don't know what it is, you can't take steps to improve."

According to Martin Sandbrook, director of education programmes at the Schumacher Institute, companies could cut up to 15 per cent from their carbon footprint through small changes to the way they manage their IT.

He said simple measures like turning off electrical equipment overnight and installing timers on plugs are just two such solutions.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Businesses 'need long-term sustainability strategies'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-24T12:00:00.00+00:00

UK companies need to realise that climate change is an issue that will affect them over the long term and therefore planning for the future to incorporate sustainable office design and other green measures should be viewed as essential.

Iain Watt, principle sustainability advisor at Forum for the Future, said many businesses are taking up the gauntlet of improving energy efficiency, but it is an issue that requires significant long-term planning.

He commented: "Whether they have policies and strategies in place is only the start of a much bigger picture."

Mr Watt added that firms need to understand the impact of improved sustainability across their entire organisation, with the transition to a low-carbon economy requiring companies to take an overview of their actions.

According to Andrew Boddington, marketing director for Return On IT, companies could improve their sustainable office design credentials by reusing their old IT equipment in order to reduce the amount of electrical devices that are thrown away.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Firms 'should embrace IT recycling'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-22T12:00:00.00+00:00

Companies have been advised they could improve their sustainable office design credentials by reusing their old IT equipment in order to reduce the amount of electrical devices that are thrown away.

Andrew Boddington, marketing director for Return On IT, said smaller companies in particular can benefit from this practice, as often they do not have the financial clout to fully upgrade IT systems in one swoop.

He commented: "I think these days - partly with legislation and coming legislation - people know they've got to start thinking about doing the right thing."

Mr Boddington added that IT recycling has the benefit of being cheaper to install and is also more friendly to the environment.

According to Dominic Wood, programme coordinator for Groundwork, the latest technologies can be put to good use in office space across the UK to help companies rein in their carbon output.

Products like electrical timers and LEDs are excellent energy-saving devices, he added.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Sustainable office design 'is boosted by technology'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-21T12:00:00.00+00:00

Companies across the UK could boost their sustainable office design credentials by investing in the latest technologies, it has been claimed.

Dominic Wood, programme coordinator for Groundwork, said there are many new innovations that could help firms save in terms of their carbon output, from LED lighting through to timer plugs that switch off electrical equipment overnight and at weekends.

He commented: "There is a considerable range of technology available covering a wide range of applications and budgets which would help an organisation to reduce its environmental impact."

Mr Wood added that these technological additions do not have to cost the earth, but could have a significant impact on a firm's green credentials.

According to Martin Sandbrook, director of education programmes at the Schumacher Institute, companies could cut up to 15 per cent from their carbon footprint through small changes to the way they manage their IT.

He added that this can also have a beneficial impact on a firm's bottom line.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Companies 'can save by going green'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-17T12:00:00.00+00:00

Sustainable office design and green IT measures can help businesses to save, it has been argued.

Martin Sandbrook, director of education programmes at the Schumacher Institute, said companies could cut up to 15 per cent from their carbon footprint through small changes to the way they manage their IT.

Furthermore, this can have a beneficial impact on a firm's bottom line.

He commented: "After the initial easy steps, it becomes much more difficult. Then, it requires investment in new equipment, really rethinking the ways in which the business is run and so on."

Andrew Raingold, executive director of the Aldersgate Group, recently noted that the setting up of the government's new Green Investment Bank will offer companies access to considerable funds to improve their green credentials.

He added that up to £3 billion in funds will be available in the short term, with up to £15 billion available by 2015.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Green Investment Bank 'to offer sustainability opportunities'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-08T12:00:00.00+00:00

Businesses across the UK are to be offered opportunities for sustainable office design investment through the launch of the new Green Investment Bank.

According to Andrew Raingold, executive director of the Aldersgate Group, the new initiative will open up funding to firms enabling them to invest in the latest green technologies in order to reduce their overall carbon footprints.

He commented: "With initial capitalisation of £3 billion, this is expected to leverage another £15 billion in private sector investment and will create significant business opportunities for UK businesses."

Mr Raingold noted, however, that the delay in its full lending capacity until 2015 will likely constrain its initial impact.

A spokeswoman for Summit Systems also recently argued that the government should be doing more to support companies that wish to embrace sustainability.

She added that cuts in funding for the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust need to be offset by additional funding.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Education 'important for business energy reduction'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-07T12:00:00.00+00:00

Companies across the UK could make savings on the amount of energy they use by investing in the education of their staff about sustainable office design and best practices, it has been argued.

Paul Edwards, chair of the British Council for Offices' Environmental Sustainability Group and head of sustainability at Hammerson, said most offices should have little to no energy use at night - save for a few PCs possibly being on standby.

However, a lot of premises across the UK will be lit up like a Christmas tree each evening.

Mr Edwards commented: "Get people to turn off the lights, turn off their computers, turn off printers at night, turn off machinery and equipment that doesn't have to run. There are lots of things that you can do that are fairly simple."

According to Trewin Restorick, chief executive officer of Global Action Plan, World Environment Day - which took place on June 5th - was the perfect opportunity for businesses around the world to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable office design and working towards a greener future.

Posted by Ian Johnson

World Environment Day taking place this month

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-03T12:00:00.00+00:00

World Environment Day (WED) is set to take place on June 5th and could be the perfect opportunity for businesses to make a lasting change to their sustainable office design efforts, it has been stated.

Trewin Restorick, chief executive officer of Global Action Plan, said companies should take this opportunity to make a lasting engagement with green efforts, ensuring environmental issues in the workplace remain a top concern over the coming years.

He commented: "Making sure the enthusiasm of WED lasts with a plan that keeps employees involved is really important. Exploring attitudes and barriers to change is an easy, cost-effective way to build employee engagement."

According to the organisers of the event - the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - WED was first launched in 1972 and the global initiative is a call to make sustainability a lasting commitment.

This year, the event's theme is the conservation of forests, with UNEP highlighting the fact that every year, 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed around the world.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Govt 'should help firms go green'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-02T12:00:00.00+00:00

Businesses across the UK should receive more help from the government in order to achieve better sustainable office design, it has been stated.

According to a spokeswoman for Summit Systems, any cuts in the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust need to be offset by the government providing more support for firms that wish to embrace green measures in the workplace.

She said: "Certainly in this particular area it is not good, because it is a growing area and it needs firm investment and assistance."

Indeed, local councils will have to become much more proactive in delivering support and government funding, the representative added.

Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, recently claimed that the introduction of the government's new Green Deal could prompt significant demand for individuals who have skills in retrofitting workplaces.

However, Mr Berry noted there is a present shortage of people with suitable skills to carry out these sustainable office design jobs in the UK.

Posted by Adrian Norman

Sustainable office design skills 'could be in demand'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-06-01T12:00:00.00+00:00

Individuals across the UK who have skills in sustainable office design could be in high demand following the upcoming introduction of the coalition government's new Green Deal, it has been stated.

Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, said the retrofitting of properties will be one of the main drivers of the Green Deal, but at present there is a significant skills shortage in this area.

Indeed, the details of the plan are still to be fully finalised, meaning it remains uncertain as to what skills will actually be most required.

He commented: "How we create that demand still hasn't been worked out. Hopefully next year we will see an uptake in the demand for retrofit skills."

According to Wilkins Kennedy, the number of businesses going bankrupt in the construction sector rose by 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2011 to 948 from 796 in the previous quarter.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Popularity 'will reduce the cost of renewables'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-05-27T12:00:00.00+00:00

As more people put money into renewable energy in the UK, the cost of delivering this resource will get less, it has been claimed.

William Worthington, managing director of Eco Switch, said businesses can make a difference to their sustainable office measures by using suppliers that are committed to the development of renewable energy sources and this will also send a message that renewables are the way forward.

He commented: "[As it's an] economy of scale the price will reduce naturally, particularly with fossil fuels going up in price this year, and many of the big providers increasing prices by as much as nine per cent."

According to Ernst & Young's May 2011 edition of the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index, the UK ranked sixth in terms of attracting investment in this area.

The report identified the steps the coalition government has made towards making the UK more viable for renewables investors, but criticised the review of the feed-in tariffs.

Posted by Ian Johnson

Green Deal 'needs to be incentivised'

Morgan Lovell — 2011-05-27T12:00:00.00+00:00

The government needs to offer significant incentives in order to get businesses and consumers to buy into its upcoming Green Deal scheme, it has been stated.

Gordon Miller, sustainability and communications director of Sustain Worldwide, said the crux of the matter is that there needs to be real detail provided for the initiative, with a clear focus on the cost versus benefit for those who embrace sustainable office design and other green practices under the proposal.

He commented: "Clearly, a well thought-out marketing campaign will notify people of the benefits of the Green Deal and energy efficiency."

Mr Miller added that rising fuel costs for gas and electricity could be a factor in the uptake of energy-efficient technologies in the future.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the governments must look to the green economy to find new sources of growth and jobs.

The organisation argued they should put in place policies that tap into the innovation, investment and entrepreneurship driving the shift towards a greener economy.

Posted by Ian Johnson