buildings space provision
Whilst space efficiency has long been a central concern for building owners and tenants, pressure to make buildings comply with sustainability criteria is forcing the pace of change. Dr Brian Atkin looks beyond immediate concerns about space utilisation and efficiencies in the workplace to the provision of space based on what is affordable & sustainable into the future.
Space odyssey T
he need to justify available space is obvious, and few organisations would seriously hold on to any they did not need or for which there was no likely future demand. Space efficiency
is a key factor in the success of an organisation’s use of buildings and has implications for its wider business interests and financial wellbeing. Buildings that fit exactly the needs of an organisation confer an advantage in the marketplace, because of higher productivity and lower operational costs than would otherwise be the case. Current practices should rightly
concentrate on squeezing greater efficiency out of existing space by building-in flexibility and adaptability into the internal design. Measures such as re- configurable space have proven popular over decades and have helped to boost space utilisation rates. Similarly, the incorporation of features to support different activities at different times and providing space, fittings and furniture capable of adaptation for a range of purposes raises efficiency and utilisation
leading to higher returns on investment. Considerable research has gone into
The trouble with saying ‘this is the space we have’ and ‘this is the extent to which it is used’ is that the bigger questions of ‘do we really need it?’ and ‘can we afford it?’ are not addressed.
the design of more productive workplaces. Commercial offices are a prime example, but not the only one. In the UK, a huge effort has gone into school building where investment runs into billions. Increasing the use of modern IT and related concepts, such as flexible working, have also generated worthwhile gains and will continue as technology converges and becomes even more pervasive. Yet, despite the often impressive
results, it should be self-evident that it is possible to increase space efficiency only so far. Efficiency is not without limit. In parallel with these concepts,
commercial imperatives to right-size the organisation – a euphemism for downsizing and de-layering – have reduced net demand for space. This pragmatic action is a common form of restructuring and more evident in the past two years than at any time in the previous decade. The overall result is leaner, meaner organisations with a sharp focus on the present. For this reason,
14 l Property Management Select l july/august 2010 l
www.pm-select.co.uk
many will unfortunately lack an informed view of the medium to long term, seeing it as far enough away not to be a pressing concern; besides, all will become clearer in time or so the thinking goes.
Drivers for space
The deployment of new and more advanced forms of technology can release the workforce from rigid structures and re-equip them with more flexible and responsive, customer-focused practices. Yet, most of the gains are not from smarter technology, but smarter thinking. Through programmes of managed change, organisations can respond to shifting and consolidating markets and tougher legislation by altering the ways in which work is organised – for example, outsourcing, co-ventures and strategic alliances. These are some of the drivers that impact on the organisation and its space.
The planning of space required by the
organisation is also affected by trends in those drivers and the total cost of providing the required space. There can
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