Is it time to refurbish or remodel your office space?

Many companies are finding their office is failing to meet the current and future needs of their business. Embarking on an office refurbishment or remodeling project presents an opportunity to increase productivity, achieve operational cost savings, reduce energy usage and improved working environments and facilities.

Through good office design, a refurbishment can future proof an office for years to come and allow companies to focus on their day to day business tasks without the distractions of a poor workplace environment. A contemporary and highly functioning office space makes it easier to recruit and retain premium staff as completion between businesses continues to grow.

Redesign & Refurbishment

The high demand for premium city centre office accommodation has led to an increase in large scale refurbishments of existing offices in lieu of fit-outs in new office locations. Many companies underestimate the potential of their existing building and a comprehensive review and redesign allows for a substantial increase in space utilization to meet the workplace needs.

With increasing commercial rents and a lack of growth space we are seeing rising occupational densities within city centre offices. This makes the design decisions more important and valuable to a business. It is crucial to develop a detailed understanding of your space and operational requirements before any design work commences. A successful office design should maximize the relationship between people and the physical space. The delivered office design should be adaptable, flexible, inspiring and motivating.

Space Utilization

The Building Consultancy were recently appointed to redesign and refurbish Mazars’ Dublin offices. By reviewing the changing requirements for Mazars as a business we identified a range of proposals to achieve a much greater utilization of the office space. The new office layout designs, furniture systems, IT installations, printing hubs, meeting & training rooms and staff facilities combined to deliver a more efficient and functioning environment. The number of workstations provided within the 33,000 sqft office space increased by 100 to cater for the growing staff numbers.

The developments of wireless networks along with portable laptops and tablets facilitate mobility and reduce the reliance on the anchored desktop PC. More people are working outside of their own office from their home to cafes, trains and client/consultant offices.

The average workstation is only occupied 42% of the working day and is the second highest cost to most businesses. Therefore modern day staff working practices should be factored in the new office design. Companies are moving towards agile working office environments, introducing collaborative working, breakout spaces, desk sharing, hoteling and various types of workspaces.

Energy Savings

The cost of an office fit-out/refurbishment often pales into significance when compared to the rent tenants are paying over the life of the building. By reviewing lease terms and budget fit-out costs it can be clear to see the substantial costs benefits a refurbishment will deliver. Furthermore, investment in new mechanical and electrical infrastructure can deliver reduced running costs and enable companies to comply with their corporate responsibilities.  A well designed and comprehensive refurbishment can also offer the chance for a building to achieve a BREEAM built environment sustainability standard.

Staff Benefits

It is important the office environment is appealing in order to attract and retain the best, predominantly young staff. High expectations have seen a growth in facilities such refreshment bars, chill-out pods to yoga and meditation rooms. Ultimately a comprehensive office design is an opportunity to develop a more social, cultural and productive working environment