WATCH THIS SPACE…


Graham Bird, Strategic Space Consultant at Baker Stuart, explains how energy consumption in the office can be reduced through workplace observations and behavioural analysis.


When it comes to making improvements to a working environment, knowledge is king. Over the years, workplace analytics have allowed us to better understand how our workplaces function, and most recently, workplace efficiency. We are now able to make informed, rational decisions about office improvement, based on evidence. However, the benefits of workplace analysis can go further than workplace efficiency. These same methods of analysis are now proving beneficial when it comes to managing levels of energy consumption.


WHAT IS ‘WORKPLACE


ANALYSIS’? Typically, the analysis of a workplace focuses on the utilisation of a space, and involves hourly observations of all areas within an office environment, usually over a period of one working week.


Most recently, behavioural activity has become the subject of workplace analysis. Here, the assessor will observe the actions of each staff member. Their exact behavioural details are recorded within the precise location at the time that the activity occurs. These findings can dictate how energy can be managed or reduced.


UNUSED SPACE AND


DOWNSIZING The first thing a utilisation or


34 | FEATURE


behavioural assessment will reveal, is the staggering level of unused space. The average office is only ever 54% occupied, which indicates that there will be various ways of adapting your environment to lower energy usage. Often ‘signs of life’ such as a laptop on a desk, or a coat over a chair, mislead us into thinking these spaces are utilised.


Accurately assessing space usage will reveal that you are unnecessarily lighting, heating, cooling and maintaining unused areas. The best way to address this will be to analyse behavioural activity and evaluate what it is your staff are doing. For example, are there large numbers of staff in meetings for long periods? Are staff regularly collaborating around desks? Are they meeting informally? Are these meetings incidental?


Using the findings, you may discover that break out spaces, pods, team or collaboration zones, project rooms, recreational space or contemplative areas will consume less space and therefore energy, than having fixed workstations for every single staff member. Downsizing according to utilisation, and adapting your space in relation to staff activity, will place you in good stead for beginning to manage energy consumption more efficiently.


MEETING ROOMS Designated meeting rooms are a


perfect example of space that is underused, and these can have


a significant impact on energy consumption. For example, 68% of meetings are between two and four people, yet most buildings have rooms that cater for eight, ten, fifteen or more.


At first glance, you may be under the impression that these rooms are always fully booked. However, behavioural analysis may reveal, firstly how often this room is utilised, and secondly - what people are doing in it and most importantly why.


It may be, for example that it is used 72% of the time for contemplative work. This knowledge will tell you that for the majority of the time a large room is used for one or more people looking to concentrate. A space that will be more appropriate for this activity can be developed by adding a screened booth or pod with limited acoustic baffling. This kind of space will free a large area up, and by sharing the open plan resources such as heating/cooling and lighting it will not need additional energy or maintenance.


Recreational spaces for example, may consume high levels of energy and space, but may be seldom used. You may discover that phone calls are made in this area 55% of the time - so maybe a simple phone-booth could replace the need for this space. Analysing staff behaviour will also give you an understanding of the times when energy usage can be reduced.


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