Offices will become more sustainable next year, a report has predicted, as the commercial property sector continues to undergo a transformation following on from the pandemic.
Global architecture and design firm Gensler outlined what trends they expect UK offices to adapt in the new year.
Sustainability is key
The group said intense weather and climate change will mean that sustainable designs will shift from an “option to an obligation”.
“By 2024, the building and real estate industries around the world will recognise the value of environmentally conscious design and its ability to mitigate risk,” Gensler said.
“Higher standards for products and materials, the adaptive reuse of existing buildings, net zero energy strategies,and regenerative design principles will define our sustainable future.”
‘Plan for in-person experiences’
Over the last two years the office market has had to adapt to a new style of hybrid working.
Gensler said next year the focus will shift “less on how many people come into the office and more on what the future of work looks like to support their people’s needs”.
“In 2024, organisations will continue to plan for in-person experiences in spaces that are agile and flexible enough to evolve with the changing demands of the workforce and useful enough to earn people’s commutes,” the firm said.
Expect to see more residential conversions
A squeeze on housing supply coupled has meant many developers are eyeing empty office spaces as potential new homes.
“Office-to-residential conversions and other creative repositioning will represent a new value proposition for the building industry,” Gensler explained.
“In 2024, expect more government municipalities to incentivise adaptive reuse strategies and conversions whose renovations breathe new life into cities and offer vital infrastructure enhancements—and do it in an environmentally responsible way,” the group said.
