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Flex space growth continues
Research sees flex accounting for 20% of London office market by 2030.
AI: rapid adoption but mixed success
Technology moving beyond early exploration in CRE and toward targeted, high‑impact use cases.
CRE AI investment climbing
Research finds continued commitment, especially for strategic advice and security.
NHS estate costs climb
Annual survey finds maintenance backlog costs surpassing total operational costs.
Research finds ‘yawning gap’ on building safety
What people say about the need to comply with the Building Safety Act and what they are doing in practice is often very different.
RICS offers insight paper on flooding and property
Paper focuses on growing challenges and responsibilities associated with flood risk across the UK.
Office over-contraction fuelling market demand
One in five companies looking to expand footprint following Covid-era reductions.
Consumer experience economy influencing real estate decisions
Global survey finds majority want seamless integration of technology into their buildings and spaces.
JLL moves on green leasing
New tech solution revolutionises transactions and leasing negotiations, firm says.
CRE facing ‘pivotal moment’
Three mega-trends set to accelerate change.
RICS launches AI standard
New professional standard covers responsible use of artificial intelligence in surveying practice.
CIC unveils strategic corporate plan for 2025–30
Plan reflects CIC’s ambition to be the unified voice for built environment professionals, shaping a resilient and future-ready industry.
Free retrofit solutions tool launched
Innovation tool helps design teams identify sustainable solutions for commercial retrofit projects.
BCO pilots new office grading system
Grade A definition no longer fit for purpose, say 97% of professionals working in the sector.
SFG20 warns on challenges of council devolution
Maintenance standard organisation cites five issues centred on non-compliant work on council estates.
Property trade bodies to merge
Three groups representing all sides of CRE vote to come together.
GPA extends BNP contract
BNP Paribas Real Estate secures a two-year extension of its Government Property Agency agreement.
UK retailers lose out without net zero upgrades
Most believe sustainability will boost profits, but lack of investment planning could leave shops as stranded assets with rising energy costs.
JLL brings AI into building operations
Artificial intelligence capabilities available as an add-on to Prism platform.
Savills warns on inconsistent EPC standards
A commercial building with the highest rating in one country could be graded up to four places lower in another.
Talent crunch leading to companies rethinking location
Survey finds majority of companies worried about talent availability.
Tech companies evolving workplaces as they move to AI
New report finds data-driven strategies are reshaping real estate decisions.
Commercial property sector broadly flat
RICS issues downbeat report for Q2 2025.
Financial services shifting operations outside London
Firms fuelling commercial property growth in regional cities.
New CEO for UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
Katie Clemence-Jackson has been appointed as chief executive officer for the standard.
Talent, flexibility and service reshaping real estate strategy
Corporate real estate priorities are evolving in response to multiple pressures, new report finds.
Boring buildings can make better investments
New report shows premium buildings may not produce the best returns on retrofits.
IWFM teams up with Government Property Profession
Partnership aims to drive up standards and innovation across the government estate.
BCO names new president
Helen Hare elected at British Council for Offices.
New service charge standard from RICS
Second edition updates 2018 standard for service charges in commercial property.
NHSPS offers estate optimisation guide
Aim is to help estate managers navigate one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare.
CIOB guide urges FMs to take whole-life value view
Chartered Institute of Building argues that optimum value from any building project comes from putting whole-life considerations at its heart.
NHS maintenance backlog: a strategy
SFG20 shares blueprint to help NHS tackle £13.8bn problem.
JLL injects AI into property management
CRE group has launched an artificial intelligence assistant designed to support real estate owners.
Safety Alliance offers golden thread tools
The Building Safety Alliance has published detailed guidance around the golden thread concept.
Home and away: FCDO warned on maintenance backlog
Whitehall’s mounting problem with neglected maintenance isn’t confined to just its UK properties.
Signs of recovery for UK commercial property market
But NI rise and new tariffs are creating pressure and uncertainty.
Demand grows for sustainable office fit-outs
Flight to quality paralleled by interests in energy efficiency and sustainability.
Report highlights performance of green properties
Data shows energy-efficient commercial property shows stronger capital growth and total returns.
NHS looking at return of PFI
Pressing need for investment in new facilities may see the Private Finance Initiative resurrected.
Manchester ranked top for EPC ratings
But over 80% of commercial real estate in major English cities is below EPC B.
C-Suite wants more from real estate
Appreciation is growing, but there is potential for further support of business strategy.
Record flexible office take-up in 2024
Level recorded was 12% ahead of total reached in 2023.
BCO launches new guidance for office design
Update reflects changed working patterns and net zero transition.
Commercial property: 2025 looks better?
RICS survey finds more positivity, especially around prime, energy-efficient space.
Government building maintenance backlog at least £49bn
NAO report finds MoD, NHS and school properties account for 88% of the total.
Five-year maintenance, cleaning and energy cost forecast
Good news, bad news: trend is down for the third and up for the first two.
Demand for ‘connected intelligence’ surges
Research shows innovative solutions emerging from drive for real estate optimisation.
JLL analyses key trends in commercial property
New report looks at ‘a pivotal year’ for real estate in a review of trends shaping the future.
Wates searching for sustainable innovations
Wates and partners aiming to boost emerging green innovators across the UK.
Offices: new-builds and refurbs down in London
Construction dips but developers remain optimistic.
CRE: fundamental shift towards flexibility
New report highlights ongoing post-pandemic change in the property industry.
RICS calls for urgent action on decarbonisation
Change is not happening fast enough, new report says.
Climate Group offers path to ‘renovation revolution’
New handbook from the non-profit climate action group sets out steps for Europe’s built environment.
Huge investment needed in office space
JLL identifies $1trillion cost globally to avoid obsolescence in the face of sustainability requirements.
Building Safety Act awareness rising
Awareness of implications growing across the building services sector.
Office occupancy rises across Europe
Average office occupancy rate has risen to 60% over the last six months.
JLL turns up the AI dial
New purpose-built platform will leverage the best of human and machine learning, says the CRE group.
BCO awards for UK’s best workplaces
Winners showcase creative, flexible and inspiring work environments that make a positive impact on their communities.
Smart buildings bring sustainability, security and cost benefits
Survey finds smart systems deemed essential in meeting business and environmental challenges.
Net zero standard pilot goes live
The pilot version of the UK’s first cross-industry standard to prove a building is 'net zero carbon' has been launched.
Experience economy trend shaping built environment
Creating high-quality experiences in the built environment will help future-proof corporate real estate portfolios.
BPF calls for unlocking investment in the NHS estate
Private capital and expertise could alleviate funding pressures, support sustainability, build capacity and modernise services.
Green buildings pay: part II
Energy-efficient commercial property assets continue to outperform inefficient counterparts.
Real estate should move faster on AI
New report from CBRE explores the significant value real estate firms can obtain from embracing AI technology.
SBTi targets net zero in built environment
New Science Based Targets initiative framework outlines 1.5°C pathways for new buildings.
AI: today London, tomorrow……
AI-related companies expanding rapidly, especially in London.
BCIS tackles underinsurance issue
Underinsurance is a persistent problem that leaves property owners vulnerable to significant losses.
JLL teams up with IBM on ESG reporting
IBM technology will support the property advisory group’s sustainability services globally.
Equans partners for climate resilience capability
The partnership will help organisations become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
BPF calls for CRE net zero roadmap
British Property Federation joins the list of organisations asking for action by the next government.
Refurbs leading London change
Latest Deloitte London Office Crane Survey finds developers turning to refurbishments in the face of economic uncertainty.
BCIS launches costs and carbon tool
The tool is designed to measure and report on whole-life costs and whole-life carbon emissions at the same time.
Corporates driving London flex offices activity
Corporate occupiers have driven an increase in activity in the London market, with the number of desks transacted up 30% year on year.
Maintenance professionals struggle with systems integration
Industry standard SFG20 has set out to solve that problem.
Repurposing of office space on the rise
Latest RICS survey finds 89% of respondents seeing offices being converted for other uses, as market uncertainties persist.
Property company targets 1m sq ft of flexspace
The London-based developer/landlord GPE plans to double its existing portfolio.
Economic outlook, technology and sustainability driving fit-outs
The office fit-out landscape continues to evolve, driven by a confluence of economic, technological and societal shifts.
Flexspace: faith in the future
One of the UK’s major property developers/owners has committed to converting 20% of its office portfolio to flexible space.
Compliance: the key concern in building maintenance
Survey finds 70% of maintenance professionals saying that staying compliant is the most significant problem in their business.
Property bodies call for clarification on MEES
The minimum energy efficiency standards went out for consultation in 2021 – so what now?
CIBSE welcomes NABERS
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers is the new administrator for the energy efficiency scheme.
BRE calls for raising the bar on building standards
The Building Research Establishment is calling on the next government to commit to world-leading standards for British buildings.
Lease markets: pressure grows for green buildings
The next two years will be a critical time for corporate occupiers looking for real estate that supports their carbon commitments.
Energy-efficient property leads the market
Energy-efficient assets showed stronger investment performance across all sectors in 2023.
Building control deadline extended
New mandatory competence assessment deadline extended by 13 weeks.
Could retrofit finance be the answer?
There is a huge CO2 emissions reduction opportunity for commercial buildings, says a specialist.
Policymakers act on decarbonising buildings
Two significant moves in recent days throw more weight behind climate change mitigation efforts.
UKGBC targets more rigorous carbon reduction
Latest UK Green Building Council guidance aims to build greater accuracy and clarity of Scope 3 emissions reporting.
NHS estate: action needed
Health and care leaders are calling for the next government to boost investment to repair and update dilapidated buildings.
Sustainability: help offered in acquisitions
A new Acquisitions Sustainability Toolkit is designed to help in assessing the sustainability characteristics of buildings.
Climate Group teams up to launch a ‘renovation revolution’
The climate and energy non-profit is underlining the need to upgrade millions of buildings every year to meet 2050 net zero goals.
Report: a transformative 3 years for CRE
Corporate real estate advisor Colliers is forecasting a new period of value creation opportunities for occupiers and investors beginning this year.
Service charges on the rise: breaking down the trends
Office buildings with the highest efficiency and sustainability ratings tend to have higher than average service charges.
Industry looking for embodied carbon regulation
As the UK prepares for an eventual election, industry bodies are increasingly calling on parties to make manifesto commitments.
BCIS calls for priority on repairs and maintenance
The Building Cost Information Service is asking the government to address urgent R&M issues.
BCO defines new research programme
The British Council for Offices hopes its new agenda will guide and inspire the office sector amid disruption.
Green lease toolkit launched
Revised for 2024, the toolkit aims to support the delivery of better buildings across the commercial real estate sector.
Property report finds mixed views
‘Slightly more positive outlook’ reflects caution and change in the commercial property sector.
Europe’s most climate resilient cities
Global real estate advisor CBRE has ranked European cities according to their resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Retrofit: significant opportunities being missed
So argues the UK Green Building Council, which has issued new guidance to support action.
Can owners and occupiers work together?
Progress on the decarbonisation of real estate is being held back by a lack of collaboration.
Key property drivers for 2024
Real estate advisor Savills is forecasting a stronger commercial property market, with four themes set to have significant impact.
Government sells £1bn of property
New figures in the Government Estate Annual Data Publication confirm £1.1bn of property sales in 2022/23.
New chair for Flexible Space Association
Andrea Kolokasi now chairs the flexible workspace providers group.
RICS launches 2023 sustainability report
Occupier and investor demand for green buildings grows but uncertainties and costs are holding the industry back.
Occupiers eyeing more space
International research indicates more organisations are planning to lease more space in the coming months.
Managing agents target energy performance
New framework aims to drive optimal in-use energy performance of commercial buildings.
Demand for sustainable buildings grows
New report identifies three key factors in making the case for investing in retrofitting and futureproofing.
Cushman & Wakefield to embed AI across operations
The property services group becomes the latest to roll out artificial intelligence to enhance client and employee outcomes.
London office development roars back
Too much office space? Maybe not, as development starts hit record levels.
RTO: wide variations across Europe
Employers in most countries expect people to be in the office more than we do in the UK.
Nottingham Trent launches retrofit centre
The University is investing £1.5m into developing skills, research, training and consultancy.
Office occupancy levels climb across Europe
Average office occupancy rates across eight major European cities have risen in the last six months.
Energy-efficient assets deliver better returns
More incentive to ‘go green’, as CBRE reports the results of its inaugural Sustainability Index.
WeWork acts to stave off collapse
It's been quite a ride, but now it's come to bankruptcy protection for the flexspace provider.
New research to plug net zero data gap
Lack of data is one of the biggest barriers to decarbonising buildings.
HqO aims to transform workplace experience
The platform has been selected for a series of UK science and innovation sites.
Workplace change: headwinds demand careful planning
Current volatile market conditions may give way to some stabilisation in 2024.
RICS releases healthy building guide
Taking on a broad but critical remit, the guide offers advice on designing, delivering and managing healthier buildings.
Offices: major investment needed
UK office landlords could spend over £65bn over the next 7 years to meet energy efficiency requirements.
Corporate backers for ‘definitive’ hybrid working study
The investigation into the impact of hybrid working on people, places and society is aiming for 10,000+ participants from around the world.
BCO names top UK workplaces
Barclays’ Glasgow campus was celebrated as the Best of the Best at the British Council for Offices National Awards last night.
RICS launches built environment manifesto
Timed to coincide with party conference season, the document is titled Empowering a Sustainable Future.
Data: key to decarbonising the built environment
The industry must not let up on its commitment to reduce its impact on climate change.
Building Safety Alliance looking for input
The cross-sector group is focusing on the building occupation phase and inviting input on golden thread tools.
Green Property Alliance sharpens focus on commercial sector
A relaunch includes a renewed purpose to stimulate industry-wide engagement on sustainability issues.
Flexspace: sustainability index launched
In a sector first, the index aims to ensure quality data on building performance, helping operators and occupiers track and report on sustainability initiatives.
Property services: changing landscapes
Change is the theme for Barclays’ annual property services conference this year.
CBRE: 1bn sq ft using AI-powered FM
Smart solutions are being used to improve operational reliability and drive efficiency at more than 20,000 client sites.
NatWest partners on retrofit learning
Teaming up with the Supply Chain Sustainability School will provide a free learning platform to build capabilities.
Study finds employers cutting back on space
Global research indicates many workers are still coming into the office less than two days a week.
JLL unveils GPT model for property
JLL GPT aims to provide private, secure generative AI services to amplify insights and client outcomes.
Commercial property: good news and bad
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Q2 UK Commercial Property Monitor is reporting a renewed downturn in the market.
Nearly 20% of office space could be unlettable
Without investment, this stock is unlikely to be fit for purpose in terms of meeting the needs of occupiers and complying with MEES legislation.
Buildings: new guidelines on inclusion
Guidance will ensure that inclusion is considered at every stage of the design and construction process.
Companies will pay more for sustainable offices
More evidence that there is a premium on green space, this time from the occupant side of the equation.
JLL backs 15 climate-impacting start-ups
In its first year, JLL Foundation investments are helping to catalyse efforts to achieve a more sustainable future.
Call for action on retrofitting
Consultancy and construction company Mace is calling on the industry and government to ramp up efforts to retrofit non-domestic buildings.
Net zero standard out for consultation
The campaign to establish a standard for verifying UK buildings as net zero carbon has reached a significant milestone.
Property and people coming together
Real estate decision-making and people-centric strategies are becoming more integrated, according to property advisor CBRE.
Proptech: Australian group builds presence in Europe
A recent acquisition shows the scale of the ambition and opportunity in this sector.
London refurbishment at all-time high
The looming spectre of obsolescence has seen a record level of office upgrade projects get underway in the capital.
BCO: Midlands and Central England award winners
Employee wellbeing, amenities and sustainability are at the core of the region’s leading workplaces, says the British Council for Offices.
Growing flexspace group unveils conference plan
The Flexible Space Association, the trade body for the flexible workspace industry, has hit the 1000-location mark.
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BCO names award winners in the south
South of England’s and South Wales’s outstanding workplaces have been announced, with awards going to six office buildings across the region.
Wellbeing: key theme at Scotland’s best workplaces
British Council for Offices regional awards highlight user-centred design, as well as creative implementation of wellbeing and sustainability measures.
Record flexible occupancy rates
Flexible workspace locations in the UK have hit their highest ever occupancy levels.
Occupier demand: quality over quantity
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors sees the UK property market remaining subdued, but there are signs of optimism too.
BCO names London’s best-in-class offices
Employee wellbeing and sustainability emerge as defining principles of the leading workplaces, annual awards reveal.
Polyteck takes stake in managed solutions provider
The construction and facilities management organisation has announced a multi-million-pound investment in MetSpace.
NABERS 2.0 launched
The energy efficiency rating scheme for existing office buildings has been extended to meet the needs of owners and occupiers.
Property and proptech groups to merge
The British Property Federation and the UK PropTech Association will join forces to drive innovation in the property sector.
Fit-out costs climbing fast
As post-Covid occupier expectations rise, so too have fit-out costs across key cities.
Green leases: collaboration is essential
Green leases can benefit both landlords and tenants while also serving to decarbonise real estate.
Office demand exceeds 10-year average
More mixed signals from the property world as 2023 office demand in London is up and more companies are upsizing than downsizing.
Office sector ‘in the eye of the storm’
A new report on the future of the office finds that while offices are here to stay, the sector is in “a full state of flux”.
Funds committed for delivery of building safety
Funding has been announced for recruitment and training of building control inspectors and fire inspectors working with the Building Safety Regulator.
Flexspace: Tech sector dominates
The Technology, Media and Telecoms sector dominated activity in the European flex market in 2022.
Energy regulations remain low on the office agenda
New research has found low awareness of new environmental standards despite increased demand for environmentally friendly office space.
Drees & Sommer brings forward AA acquisition
The property consultancy group is bringing forward its full acquisition of UK property and construction consultants AA Projects.
London property: crunch day coming
Over 50% of inner London commercial stock will be ‘unlettable’ from 2027 as MEES legislative changes loom.
Government jobs move north
More than 11,000 government roles have been relocated out of London to sites across the UK.
Data-sharing key to decarbonisation
That, and regulatory certainty, are needed to accelerate the decarbonisation of the property industry.
BCO guidance on greener and healthier offices
New recommendations come in an early update to the British Council for Offices Guide to Specification.
Sustainability: action can cut costs
Analysis of commercial property service charge data shows that greener buildings have substantially lower energy costs.
Property looks to accelerate decarbonisation
Market prospects may be uncertain over the short-term, but many UK property companies intend to increase investment in carbon reduction this year.
IFMA on change and the implications for FM
New research explores how changing organisational priorities are shaping the future of the built environment and FM roles.
Real estate in 2023: partnership and polarisation
JLL is forecasting more bridges built between occupiers and landlords, while the gap between good space and not so good will grow wider.
Flexspace: what to expect in 2023
The Flexible Space Association’s executive director, Jane Sartin, looks at what the industry is likely to see over the next 12 months.
Green buildings pay
Buildings with better sustainability credentials are achieving markedly higher capital values and rents.
What’s set to shape the built environment?
A new report looks at consumer influence on real estate decisions and identifies four themes that will shape decisions for the future.
Property management plans challenged
A new report warns that plans for managing the government’s extensive property estate portfolio are out of sync with market conditions and lack ambition to reduce costs.
Risk of stranded assets looms
Savills has joined the growing ranks of property advisors warning on the potential impact of new energy standards.
BCO warns on net zero targets
A new report calls for greater collaboration and data-sharing between office building owners and occupiers to improve progress.
Green buildings are worth more
That argument has been made for some years, but new research now shows a 6% rental premium for buildings with sustainability certifications.
London offices see ‘flight to quality’
A desire for high quality office space is driving increasing demand for Grade A accommodation in the capital.
Asbestos: a problem for energy renovation plans
Extensive asbestos remediation work is still needed on more than 100,000 UK buildings, according to a new report.
Retrofitting: UKGBC launches decarbonising project
Retrofitting is moving up the net zero agenda and there’s an opportunity to get involved at the UK Green Building Council.
Rising energy costs driving retrofitting
If there is a silver lining to the current energy crisis, it may be that rising costs are expediting the move toward more efficient buildings.
Government: double down on climate adaptation
The UK Green Building Council is calling on government to strengthen policies that will support a resilient built environment.
Offices: call for circular economy principles
A new report by the British Council for Offices urges the property industry to ‘retain, extend life, reduce impact’ to future-proof the office sector.
Life sciences: making assets more sustainable
New research from JLL highlights ways that life science occupiers, investors, developers and landowners can mitigate the climate impact of their assets.
Bouygues E&S launches Orbiter
This, the company says, is the first 360-degree online self-assessment tool to help owners assess their building’s performance.
WGBC launches climate change resilience guide
New guidance from the World Green Building Council collates “effective and practical steps” to build resilience to the changing climate.
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Equans supports smart building transition
Equans has been instrumental in the digital transition of a newly refurbished Leeds building into an industry-leading example of a smart building.
‘Hybrid hotchpotch’ brings problems
Evidence is growing that hybrid working works best when it is clearly defined and implemented in line with the needs of an organisation and its employees.
Workplace: flexibility, personalised experience are key
Most companies remain uncertain about what their post-pandemic workplaces will look like.
Sustainability: retrofit revolution needed
Retrofitting offices and industrial buildings can deliver the energy reductions required to support the UK’s 2050 net zero targets.
Flex trend continues to grow
Flex office stock in Europe will reach around 20% of total office stock over the next 10 years.
Industry calls for sustainable building task force
11 major players are calling for the formation of a new taskforce to ensure buildings are fit for the future.
Commercial property: climate resilience strategies
The Better Buildings Partnership has published new guidance on defining, measuring and reporting on climate resilient property.
Net zero group names leader
The Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard initiative has appointed David Partridge as chair of its recently convened Governance Board.
Demand for sustainable property on the rise
Progress is being seen in some aspects of the built environment on the drive to be more sustainable, according to the latest annual sustainability report from RICS.
Europe set to witness ‘nearshoring’ boom
European businesses are looking towards Romania, Turkey and Morocco as alternatives to production in Ukraine and Asia following months of supply-chain disruption.
Inflation affecting corporate real estate decisions
A new survey conducted by CoreNet Global, the association for CRE professionals, has found that high inflation is adding to the uncertainties felt in the sector.
Offices: London occupiers growing footprint
Contrary to the post-Covid expectations of many, the Central London office leasing market has seen occupiers expanding their footprint at record levels.
Workplace: the future is hybrid + office
Hybrid working is set to become the dominant model, but decision-makers still believe the corporate office is critical to doing business.
Post-Covid working: measuring the change
A global study of nearly 80 offices in 13 countries representing nearly 80,000 employees has revealed a seismic shift in working patterns.
Circular economy essential to net zero
The UK Green Building Council has published new insight into the positive impact circular thinking can have in delivering whole-life carbon reductions and value creation.
ISS Warsaw HQ scoops platinum award
The ISS Hub has received top marks for accessibility and usability, making it the first to ever reach Platinum status.
Government lacks good data on property
A lack of good data is a major barrier for central government in making effective decisions about property.
Demand for flex space on the rise
Flexibility is increasingly becoming a key strategic driver for businesses, in terms of future planning and gaining an edge in talent attraction.
Property groups backing climate action
The Better Buildings Partnership has announced three new signatories to its Climate Commitment, as a second group launches a complementary initiative.
BCO sees need for new design criteria
The British Council for Offices is proposing updated design criteria for its reference work, the BCO Guide to Specification.
GPA partners with BNP Paribas
The Government Property Agency’s new strategic partner will advise on national property and property-related financial services.
BCO: invest in design for neurodiversity
The British Council for Offices is calling for more inclusive design, regulatory change and also proposing design recommendations.
Net zero: expect more local regulation
City governments are setting ambitious sustainability targets, often well ahead of national goals.
Workplace investment aims to drive engagement
Employee engagement is the top priority for global businesses and nearly two-thirds are investing in their offices with this in mind.
Five days a week is so over
The majority of UK organisations seem to be settling into a middle ground between Covid-driven work-from-home practices and post-pandemic everyone-back-to-the-office policies.
CBRE increases commitment to flex space
The property services group has announced a new $100m investment in Industrious, a rapidly growing provider of premium flexible workplace solutions.
Majority still favour hybrid working
In CBRE’s latest EMEA Occupier Sentiment Survey 72% of companies said they are moving towards a hybrid workplace model.
Industry bodies to develop net zero standard
A cross-industry steering group has come together to develop a Standard for verifying UK buildings as net zero carbon.
Pushing forward the retrofit argument
The UK Green Building Council has published a guide to support the retrofitting of poorly performing commercial buildings.
Meeting the cost of energy standards
According to new research, proposed legislative energy targets could cost UK office landlords upwards of £40 per sq ft.
GPA identifies trends for 2022
This year will be a pivotal one for the workplace, says the Government Property Agency.
Workplace: the future is technology
That’s certainly the way IWG, parent to Regus and other flex space brands, sees it as it backs a merger with specialist The Instant Group.
Include active commuting in ESG policies, says BCO
Putting active commuting at the heart of ESG policies can shift commuters towards more sustainable forms of travel, improve individual health and wellbeing and help companies cut carbon emissions.
Avison Young commits to the flex market
The real estate advisor has grown its London Markets team by recruiting two specialists from WeWork.
Pandemic effects: cuts in corporate real estate
The impact of Covid-19 has led many companies to reduce their portfolios. Many expect growth over the next few years, but the overall trend is down.
RICS unveils IBOS framework
The International Building Operation Standard promises a new approach to measure and manage how buildings perform for people.
UKGBC advice for asset owning businesses
Ahead of mandatory requirements to disclose climate-related risks coming into force in April, the UK Green Building Council has published new guidance.
Savills buys workplace platform
In another significant move on the proptech front the firm’s investment subsidiary has acquired tenant and workplace experience platform Cureoscity.
Commercial landlords struggle to attract tenants
Recent market research found 62% of UK commercial landlords having trouble attracting prospective tenants to fill traditional office spaces.
Buildings require billions to reach climate targets
To meet climate change commitments, building stock investment must be three times higher than the current rate.
Many companies not ready for workplace change
A new report finds that organisations risk losing out on key talent unless they improve the quality of their real estate and embed flexible working post-Covid.
Property: definition of ‘green’ changing
With expectations for new buildings increasing in recent years, the conversation is shifting from the ‘value of green’ to a focus on longer term, broader based sustainability.
Offices: stark warning on the work environment
Office buildings that fail to demonstrate how they support the health and wellbeing of users will swiftly become redundant.
‘Marked recovery’ predicted for property in 2022
A growing economy and a strengthening of the labour market will provide a positive backdrop for real estate in 2022, with total returns for all UK property forecast at just over 6%.
Covid-19: massive hit to office property market
The amount of office space in England fell by millions of square feet during the peak pandemic period, reports the Financial Times.
Demand for flex space rising
As office occupiers adjust to pandemic uncertainties, many are taking the view that flexibility is the greatest benefit on offer.
Office occupiers plan workplace change
Nearly three-quarters of office occupiers expect to transform their workplace design in the next two years.
Built environment sector lacks clarity on emissions
According to new research, the majority of built environment professionals believe the sector is already doing enough to tackle its carbon impact.
Property spreads recruitment message to young people
A new website, backed by 12 major firms, aims to educate a new generation of young people about career choices in the built environment sector.
Employers retreat on flexible working concept
Commercial occupiers’ willingness to allow all employees the choice to work remotely fell from 39% to 26% between March and September 2021.
Real estate: the scale of the sustainability challenge
New research by Savills identifies the scale of the challenge facing the UK’s real estate sector in achieving net zero.
Cushman & Wakefield invests in WeWork
The real estate services firm has made a strategic investment of $150m in the global flexible space provider WeWork.
Flex space demand grows
Demand for flexible offices is expected to recover to more than 10% of overall UK office demand in 2022.
UKGBC offers guidance for local authorities
The guidance is designed specifically to drive up the sustainability of new commercial buildings.
NABERS ready to help with net zero goals
The world-leading energy rating scheme for UK offices is ready for use.
Hines means business with Helix buy
The international real estate firm has agreed a deal to acquire one of the UK’s leading specialist commercial property management companies.
RICS opens consultation on IBOS
The RICS-developed International Building Operations Standard is an innovative data-led standard that goes beyond the traditional ways of measuring building performance.
Covid-19: permanent shifts in the business landscape
Post-Covid changes are likely to bolster major cities outside London and boost UK productivity, as new work patterns stick.
Built environment must accelerate decarbonisation
The built environment is going in the right direction, but it is still not moving fast enough to decarbonise building stock.
Flex, tech and wellbeing moving up the agenda
CBRE’s latest EMEA Occupier Survey provides good insights into thinking across this dynamic sector.
Cluttons warns property owners on MEES
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard consultation, which closed in June, is designed to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in England and Wales.
C&W partners with WeWork
Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has teamed up with the flexible space provider to develop flex space solutions for landlords and occupiers.
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CRE & energy: could do better
Energy performance in commercial real estate is improving but has some way to go to meet upcoming targets.
UKGBC consults on net zero roadmap
The UK Green Building Council has launched a consultation inviting industry feedback on its Whole Life Carbon Roadmap draft proposals.
Demand for flexible space climbs
Savills-backed flexible office specialist Workthere is reporting enquiries for space up by 48% on pre-Covid levels.
RICS Global Conference 2021: review
Some 16 months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, it feels like we’ve reached the final stages of grief.
Commercial buildings lag behind on clean air tech
In preparation for reopening their buildings, four-fifths of UK businesses have already implemented clean air technology or plan to in the next twelve months.
UKGBC seeks views on verification of net zero
A new survey invites feedback on market drivers, expectations and characteristics for a potential net zero carbon buildings verification scheme.
Offices: post-Covid gap between occupiers and providers
A new report argues that occupier expectations for building performance are not being met, and that could harm long-term property values.
Awards: BCO crowns best offices
Taunton’s UK Hydrographic Office Headquarters was named Best of the Best at the British Council for Offices’ National Awards last night.
Employers to reduce office space by up to 9m sq ft
The latest addition to the ongoing debate about the future of offices in the UK comes from PwC’s latest Occupier Survey.
Offices: four trends shaping the future
The office sector is on the cusp of considerable change, says Helical chief executive Gerald Kaye.
Offices: occupiers and landlords out of step?
New research suggests tenants expect changes in space use post-pandemic while landlords don’t.
Responsible property management toolkit to launch
The toolkit is designed to be a practical guide to best practice in responsible property management for asset, property and facilities managers.
Hybrid working: lease terms may limit take-up
A survey of UK business leaders has found that many organisations may have to wait to adopt a hybrid working model because of being locked into a long-term lease.
Build back greener: new UKGBC advice
The UK Green Building Council has published new guidance to help developers and owners increase nature-based solutions within the construction and operation of built assets.
Shaping the future of work
As more employers begin to plan a return to the office, the shift toward a worker-centric model should be top of mind, says JLL.
Call for views on energy rating policy
Central government is seeking views on proposals to introduce a national performance-based policy framework for rating the energy and carbon performance of large buildings.
Law firm to review workplace strategy
International firm Clifford Chance has appointed Cushman & Wakefield to carry out a strategic review of its London occupational requirements.
Chief inspector of buildings named
The Health and Safety Executive has announced the appointment of Peter Baker to establish and lead the new Building Safety Regulator.
Security: vacant and minimally occupied buildings
Covid-19, with or without formal lockdowns, has left many organisations with property that is sitting unused, or all but. How do they ensure it stays safe?
Climate site for built environment launched
The new Climate Framework website aims to cater for the needs and interests of all professionals working in built environment disciplines.
Mid-sized companies look to cut office space
Over a third of UK mid-sized businesses expect to reduce the amount of space they hold in the future.
2021: what’s in store for the flex space market?
2019 was a year of optimism and growth for providers, and 2020 was a year of uncertainty and challenge. So what comes next?
Covid-19 & CRE: the same but different
The property professionals group CoreNet Global has been tracking members’ views on the lasting effects of the pandemic. They have evolved but the themes remain consistent.
Real estate and the Covid-19 pandemic
The corporate property world was already changing when the coronavirus arrived. The real challenge now is handling the new pace of that change,
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Offices: shift predicted in central London demand
Demand for high quality office space in London will remain robust post-Covid, but what companies want and where they want it will change.
Cautious businesses hold back on decisions
Businesses across the UK are rethinking the role of the workplace in these pandemic-hit times, but many remain unwilling to commit to transformational change.
Good NABERS: energy rating scheme arrives
A new scheme for rating the operational energy efficiency of UK office buildings has been launched.
EY pioneers hub & spoke model
Regus parent IWG will provide both a home-base and remote working sites for the business advisor’s Norway team.
Work, workplace, risk: shaping property in 2021
Ten trends, all in play now, will shape the commercial real estate industry in the coming year.
Workplace: the future is more human-centric
The workplace of the future will be versatile and hybrid, focusing on employee-centric solutions, according to a global survey.
Workplace: a post-Covid flight to quality
The next three to five years will see a strong focus on flexibility, demanded by both workers and corporates, relating to work activity, space and location.
A “radically collaborative” approach to sustainability
The UK Green Building Council has announced a new partnership with Enfield Council, seeking radical solutions for the delivery of sustainability on large schemes.
A hub & spoke future?
Over a third of business leaders are considering downsizing their primary office space and shifting towards smaller satellite offices.
BCO reveals London award winners
Five businesses have been recognised in London at the annual British Council for Offices regional awards.
Is flex space the answer?
It could be, says a new report, at least for many UK occupiers facing an uncertain future and needing an alternative to traditional corporate accommodation.
Commercial property: time for a change
For a whole series of reasons there is change underway in the property world, but underlying this is a more fundamental question: what is property actually for?
Calls for POE on all publicly funded buildings
Post-occupancy evaluation should be standard practice to ensure all new buildings meet intended energy efficiency ratings and provide optimum value for money.
C&W enters flex space market
Cushman & Wakefield, the global real estate services firm, has teamed up with workplace operator Industrious to offer a flexible space solution.
MoJ's "naïve" approach to outsourcing slammed
A new report condemns the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service's "failure" in attempts to improve the condition and suitability of the prison estate.
Less space, close to transport
As Londoners start to return to the city, flexible space providers are seeing some clear trends emerge.
JLL identifies priorities for the property sector
Ensuring climate resilience and the transition to net zero carbon, delivering healthy buildings, and creating a fair society are all essential in a post-Covid-19 recovery.
CEOs see 'enduring shift' in office use
More than two-thirds of UK CEOs believe there will be a shift towards low density office usage as a consequence of the Covid-19 experience.
Net zero buildings: UKGBC turns to crowdsourcing
The UK Green Building Council is testing a new strategy for developing solutions to the built environment industry's carbon reduction challenge.
Online tool aims to get office occupiers thinking
A property consultancy has launched an online service to help organisations determine what their occupancy requirements will be in preparation for employees returning to the office.
Different sort of virus hits data centre plans
Cyber attacks will always be a worry, but Covid-19 has pushed its way towards the top of the list of issues shaping decisions around sourcing and managing data centre space.
RICS survey sees change coming
Occupier demand for floorspace is down across the board, not surprisingly, but the future looks different too.
We have seen the future and it is mixed
A report from property advisors JLL concludes that the pandemic working-from-home experiment is forcing companies to re-imagine the future of work and question the purpose of the office.
UKGBC opens consultation on social value
The UK Green Building Council is canvassing views on a definition of social value for the built environment sector.
Flex space: JLL benefits from Serendipity
Another vote in favour of a flexible workspace future as US provider Serendipity Labs appoints the property services group to develop a series of UK locations over the next two years.
Construction turns the focus to values
UK construction could soon be on the verge of a fundamental shift towards value-based decision-making involving all key stakeholders in a project.
Coronavirus driving demand for flexible space
The trend towards workplace mobility was not created as a result of the pandemic, but it was certainly accelerated by it.
Avison Young launches cost containment service
The new offer aims to support strategy development for a post-Covid environment, while building for a resilient and sustainable future.
The future of global office demand
A new report argues that increased working from home doesn't equate to reduced demand for office space. The situation is more complex than that.
KPMG and Planon extend technology cooperation
The business advisors and the software group are moving their collaboration to 'the next level', with the signing of a partnership agreement.
9 to 5 is so in the past
That's the conclusion of a survey of building occupiers carried out by CoreNet Global, the corporate real estate professionals group.
Offices are vital, but need to change
Property services group Savills has published the results of a survey of its clients, and it is clear that change is on the cards.
Businesses look to more remote working
71% of UK businesses are planning to permanently adopt flexible and agile working practices post the Covid-19 lockdown.
The future looks different
If the weight of opinion in survey research is a reliable indicator, there's no way the UK is going back to pre-Covid patterns once lockdown is lifted and 'normal' returns.
CBRE tests occupier sentiment
Occupiers across EMEA are planning to increase investment in technology, driven in large part by a post-lockdown focus on the employee experience.
Looking ahead: what happens when PFI contracts end?
Many public sector bodies risk underestimating the time, resources and complexity involved in managing the end of PFI contracts.
Property: corporates looking for more flexibility
Demand by corporate owners to release capital from their real estate assets is increasing, spurred along by the Covid-19 pandemic.
NBS and BESA partner to join-up digital construction
NBS, the leading specification platform for the construction industry, has announced a partnership with the Building Engineering Services Association to help drive digital adoption throughout the building lifecycle.
The future of the workplace: a mix of locations
The results of a global survey on working from home during the pandemic point toward a shift from office-based to a "total workplace ecosystem", balancing office, home and other locations.
JLL cites need for green, inclusive recovery
"Covid-19 has shown both the fragility and the resilience of society and the ecosystem, and as we enter the recovery period we must take the opportunity to build back better by focusing on a green and just recovery."
Employers plan cautious return
Most companies plan to take a gradual approach to bringing employees back to their workplaces as governments begin to lift restrictions tied to Covid-19.
Property sector hit hard by pandemic
A snap poll by industry journal Property Week has found that over half of the companies covered have furloughed staff.
UKGBC offers guidance on social value measurement
The UK Green Building Council has published new guidance aiming to de-mystify the practice of measuring the social value of buildings and places.
BCO: looking at change in the workplace
Screens to protect receptionists, touchless unisex toilets and reduced occupational density are all likely to be features of the post Covid-19 workplace.
JLL in second net zero move
To mark yesterday's Earth Day the property services group announced a plan to cut carbon emissions by two-thirds.
C&W launches post-covid recovery service
Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has formed a Recovery Readiness Task Force to assist clients with post-covid-19 returns to the workplace.
MRI Software buys social housing specialist
The real estate software solutions company is set to acquire Castleton Technology Plc, a provider of specialist software and services to the social housing sector.
Leesman unveils covid-19 research initiative
The workplace assessment specialist, backed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the International Facility Management Association, has launched a fast-track initiative to look into the impacts of covid-19 on FM and real estate.
Property industry looking for support for NHS
Property professionals have come together to back a dedicated website for offers of space, supplies and support that will help in fighting the covid-19 epidemic.
BESA offers guidance on building shut-down
With thousands of people now working from home or prevented from travelling, many commercial buildings are moving into shutdown mode.
Industry to provide buildings for key workers
Organisations representing thousands of professionals across the surveying, architectural and planning specialisms have written to the Prime Minister to offer their help in fighting back against the growing coronavirus epidemic.
Real estate companies drive energy reductions
The latest benchmarking report from the Better Buildings Partnership shows a continued fall in commercial property energy consumption.
Sustainable buildings pay: new research
Sustainable office buildings can deliver financial benefits to investors through a combination of higher rents and stronger leasing velocity.
Cushman & Wakefield unveils flexible workspace service
The property services group has joined others in the business, along with developers and property owners, with the launch of a flex offering.
Property industry launches best practice framework
A new framework aims to advance the social, environmental and economic benefits of responsible business practices across the real estate sector.
Professional bodies take on climate change
Twenty-five built environment professional bodies have pledged to work together to tackle climate change.
Calls for new safety regulator to have more power
As the board charged with implementing the new Building Safety Regulator meets and government begins to frame its legislation, a leading construction body has called for enhanced powers for the Regulator.
Fire safety consultation opens
The International Fire Safety Standards Coalition is seeking the views of industry experts on the development of the first global standard on fire safety.
UKGBC launches net zero resources
The UK Green Building Council has launched a catalogue of case studies profiling projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to achieving net zero carbon buildings.
Looking to the regions
Crane surveys show business buoyant in construction markets in four cities around the UK, no doubt tipping a growth in FM opportunities too.
Corporate real estate: what to expect in 2020
January is the traditional time to make predictions and resolutions for the year ahead and so it was that CoreNet UK brought together a panel to debate the big issues facing the industry. Cathy Hayward reports.
The future of work is the future of the city
A poll of over 30,000 full- and part-time workers across 50 cities in 18 countries has found people significantly more optimistic about their local communities than the state of their nations.
New advice for offices targeting net zero
The UK Green Building Council has published new energy performance targets for commercial offices that are aiming to achieve net zero carbon in operation.
Is coworking the answer?
The system of shared office space that offers tenants shorter leases and plug-and-pay spaces has made a big impact on the property world. But what's really behind its appeal, and does it have a long-term future?
Property group plans sustainability forum
An investors and developers group is inviting major corporate occupiers to collaborate in a new owner-occupier forum on sustainability issues.
Energy match-making platform launches
PowerPaired aims to link community energy groups and owners of land or property with renewable energy and energy saving potential to deliver social and environmental impact.
Knight Frank unveils flexible workspace offer
It's beginning to look like the corporate property advisors' must-have. The list of firms offering a flexible space service seems to growth monthly.
Flexible workspaces: good for local economies
New research from workspace provider Regus calculates the value that flexible office space and coworking locations would likely bring to local areas as operators look beyond major city locations.
Companies still finding their way on proptech
Real estate businesses are continuing to make slow and steady progress in upping their digital game, but enterprise-wide digital strategies remain far from commonplace.
RICS opens new Social Impact Awards
Entry is open for new awards which recognise the positive and transformational contribution that the built environment has on people's lives.
UKGBC calls for views on energy performance targets
The UK Green Building Council has launched a consultation exercise seeking feedback on proposals for energy performance targets for the offices sector.
IFMA & RICS working together on coworking event
The coworking concept is definitely 'in', while flex-space demand continues to reshape traditional property markets and the likes of WeWork continue to grab headlines.
Property owners in climate change commitment
23 of the UK's leading commercial property owners have signed up to tackle the growing risks of climate change through the delivery of net zero carbon real estate portfolios by 2050.
2 Television Centre takes top BCO award
The London site was celebrated as 'Best of the Best' at this week's British Council for Offices National Awards, topping a list that includes Interserve's Birmingham hub.
Targeting net zero carbon by 2050
A new report from the World Green Building Council aims to revolutionise the buildings and construction sector, moving it towards a net zero future.
Measuring up
A new set of metrics for the workplace was the subject of fierce debate at last week's CoreNet Global summit in Amsterdam. Cathy Hayward reports.
CBRE launches first three Hana sites in London
Hana, the property advisor's flexible workspace venture, has unveiled plans for its first three UK sites.
CoreNet takes on the productivity challenge
Optimising the human experience in the workplace to achieve greater productivity and creativity will be the focus of next week's CoreNet Global Summit in Amsterdam.
Flexible workspaces to increase by 56% by 2022
We're in the midst of a "coworking revolution" that will see the number of flexible workspaces continue to grow rapidly, say industry experts.
Flexible workspace drives Big Nine action
The Big Nine regional office markets saw a big uplift in flexible workspace activity during the second quarter of the year.
New BCO president to focus on wellness
Paul Patenall, projects director at regeneration group U+I, has been elected as president of the British Council for Offices, declaring his focus will be on the positive impact the industry can have on wellness.
CoreNet to focus on business success
CoreNet Global, which positions itself as "the world’s leading professional association for corporate real estate and workplace executives", is set to examine the role that CRE can play in fostering business success.
New BCO guide reflects new concerns
The British Council for Offices has published a revised Guide to Specification, which provides guidance on industry standards for workplaces across the country.
Flex space changing everything
There's a revolution going on in the commercial property world, with more variation in occupation solution offers piling up over the past three years than in the previous 30. So says property services firm JLL in its latest market report.
Savills launches into flex office market
The real estate services firm is the latest in this sector to unveil a new offer dedicated to helping landlords and owner occupiers to take advantage of the demand for flexible office space.
New partnership takes on energy performance challenge
Too often buildings designed for efficient performance don't deliver on their promise. Now the UK and Australia are teaming up to solve the problem.
Sustainable buildings: more understanding needed
A new report argues that though sustainable buildings are becoming more mainstream, there is also a lack of clarity around the costs and benefits of them.
Savills extends offer with workplace consultancy buy
The property services group has announced the acquisition of London-based workplace consultancy and design studio KKS with the aim of extending its range of services.
'Play it safe' design costing UK building operators
Analysis from the international engineering group Ramboll shows that building systems are often over-designed, providing up to 50% more electrical capacity and 30% more heating and cooling capacity than is ever needed.
Investors not feeling the heat on climate emergency
Is the message getting through? Perhaps not, as a RICS survey finds nearly half of real estate professionals saying that climate risks are not important or even irrelevant for property investors.
NHS launches space booking platform
Following a successful pilot, NHS Property Services has launched NHS Open Space, a booking platform designed to give users ready access to available spaces and increase utilisation efficiency for the health service.
JLL recruits head of flex innovation
If anymore confirmation is needed that flexible workspace is now a key ingredient in property markets, here's some.
UKGBC offers framework for net zero carbon buildings
The UK Green Building Council has published a framework for the construction and property industry to transition new and existing buildings to become net zero carbon by 2050, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.
BCO reveals London best workplace winners
Six London businesses celebrated success at the BCO Annual Regional Awards yesterday, with Facebook, 2TVC, Deloitte, Boden, Project North and Fora Borough all recognised as the capital's best workplaces.
Join the club: British Land's new flexible space offer
The property investment group behind such developments as Broadgate in London, Plymouth's Drake Circus and Sheffield's Meadowhall has unveiled the Storey Club, a serviced flexible work environment.
New service charge rules to protect businesses
Businesses of all sizes will be assured of clear and transparent service charges, with no hidden costs and clarity around disputes, thanks to new rules that came in to force on 1 April.
People override cost in CRE strategy
Around two-thirds of occupiers rank employee engagement and talent attraction and development as being two of the three most important drivers of corporate real estate strategy, even ahead of cost reduction.
UK poised for proptech lead
The UK is well placed to capture the lead as a global hub for real estate technology and innovation, according to new research.
Managing agent Mapp partners for proptech solution
M J Mapp has signed up technology specialist Locale to provide a bespoke solution to support site management needs and provide a new communication channel for their UK portfolio.
Proptech: set to rewrite the property book?
Proptech is moving from beta to mainstream. That was the message from a host of speakers at the inaugural PropTech conference Wednesday. Cathy Hayward reports.
Corporates to drive flexible workspace industry
Corporate occupiers are set to become the driving force within the flexible workspace industry as the way they view their office portfolios continues to change.
Interserve exits healthcare jv
Prime, the healthcare property company, has acquired the service provider's share of the joint venture company Interserve Prime, saying it still sees plenty of market opportunity.
Property professionals set to evolve into 'experience managers'?
In a broad study of the profession, CoreNet Global has identified the most influential trends in CRE through 2025 and beyond, which could include the disappearance of the CRE label itself.
RICS sees property markets hit by uncertainty
The Q4 2018 RICS UK Commercial Property Market Survey results reveal continued mixed fortunes, with changing shopping habits and uncertainty around politics remaining strong influences.
Landsec launches flexible office brand
One of the UK's top property investors is wading into the marketplace to provide customised office space for businesses looking for flexibility to enable future growth.
2019: what should we expect?
January is the traditional time for planning for the year ahead. Cathy Hayward reports from CoreNet UK's annual Predictions and Resolutions event.
Government cut-backs: some positive news
New figures from the Cabinet Office show that the size of the government estate has continued to fall, along with costs, resource consumption and emissions.
Paradigm shift: another CRE firm weighs in on change
There are five themes that will shape future occupational demand across global real estate markets. Each will be highly influential but in combination they represent nothing short of a new occupational orthodoxy, Knight Frank says.
Styles&Wood group restructures and rebrands
The whole-life property services business formed through the acquisitions of Styles&Wood Group and Southerns is on track to achieve more than a 20% increase in sales for its first full year of trading, as it unveils a rebrand to become Extentia Group.
Coworking on the rise: more evidence
Should you be in any doubt that the coworking phenomenon is reshaping corporate real estate's thinking, a new survey has found professionals expecting to see the trend "dramatically increase" over the next five years.
Is the conventional office lease dead?
A new white paper explores the fate of the traditional commercial property lease in the context of deep social, political and economic changes.
Understanding the flexible office space phenomenon
Europe's flexible office space sector has more than doubled in size since 2014 and is set to grow by up to 30% per year over the next five years. What's driving this?
CBRE introduces Hana
The property services group has unveiled a new offering designed to help institutional property owners meet the rapidly growing demand for flexible office space solutions.
UKGBC launches innovation portal
The UK Green Building Council has unveiled its new online platform designed to provide an open forum to crowdsource solutions to some of the built environment industry's biggest challenges
Developers take on energy performance gap
Seven major UK property developers have committed to a new approach to tackling the gap that too often arises between energy design and actual performance of new office buildings.
Service charges: reviewing the reporting landscape
The latest edition of the Service Charge Operating Report for Offices has just been published, the eighth in the series that provides the UK's only annual benchmarking information about service charge costs.
RIBA, CIOB and RICS launch quality tracker tool
The Royal Institute of British Architects, Chartered Institute of Building and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have launched a new free-to-download tool to improve the quality of outcomes for construction projects.
JLL buys in more technology expertise
The property services group is to acquire ValuD Consulting, a leading provider of IBM software integration and consulting services in the United States and India.
IBM unveils 'pre-trained' AI system for facilities managers
Watson, IBM's business focusing on artificial intelligence systems and services, has launched a set of 'ready to get started' solutions for a range of industry sectors including building management.
PropTech: why is clear, but not how
More than nine out of ten real estate industry decision-makers agree that their organisations need to engage with property technology but far fewer believe the organisation's vision or strategy is up to scratch.
Savills lands major deal with Derwent
The Derwent Group has appointed Savills to provide property management and facilities management services for its half-billion pound commercial property investment portfolio.
Refurbished industrial buildings are the future of workplace
That's the conclusion of a new study carried out by the property services group JLL and architects Hawkins\Brown.
Hackett worries about another Grenfell
The author of an independent review into fire safety and building regulations has warned it is impossible to rule out another "catastrophic event" like the Grenfell Tower tragedy if changes aren't made to the regulatory system.
UKGBC offers sustainable innovation manual
The UK Green Building Council has unveiled a new Sustainable Innovation Manual for the built environment industries.
Trust names estates strategy partner
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is set to enter into a 50:50 strategic estates partnership and joint venture with Health Innovation Partners.
BIM: challenges and opportunities for FM
BIFM has published a new Leaders' Forum report focused on the challenges and practical solutions for embedding building information modelling processes across the sector.
Coworking heading for empty retail space
Property advisor JLL predicts that coworking ventures could become a significant occupier on many high streets.
All change as coworking sweeps into the property world
Not long ago it seemed like just a variation on flexible workspace, but all that has changed. The speed with which coworking has become both a corporate accommodation strategy and a major influencer in property markets around the globe is stunning.
Colliers: senior appointments focus on occupiers
The real estate services group has recruited Andrew Hallissey as its new executive managing director of EMEA occupier services, based in London.
iSite appointed to G-Cloud 10 Framework
Software specialist iSite has been awarded supplier status on the government's G-Cloud 10 Framework, making it available to government departments and the wider public sector.
What's the cost of operating a building?
The answer is not exactly in the 'piece of string' category, but new figures from RICS are a reminder that costs can vary substantially.
UKGBC launches circular economy programme
The UK Green Building Council has launched a new circular economy programme for the built environment, planned to test the principles on real estate assets and building projects.
New president for BCO
Katrina Kostic Samen has been confirmed as the new president of the British Council for Offices.
Guide to responsible workplace fit-outs launched
A new online toolkit provides guidance for owners and occupiers on how to integrate sustainability and wellbeing into office fit-outs.
Global response to need for fire safety standards
More than 30 organisations from around the world have joined a project to develop landmark industry standards to address fire safety in buildings.
Flexible workspace: growth sector
Flexibility seems to be the way of the future. It's become a standard theme in corporate strategies and reports, property industry analysis and planning, and of course on the ground in commercial property markets.
CBRE predicts "profound and far-reaching" change in CRE portfolios
Looking just over 20 years ahead, the real estate advisory group says the major focus for corporates will be flexibility, resting on fast decision-making in turn fed by new technologies.
How to unlock the value in property data
It's a common problem these days: just as new technology and better systems are providing more and more data, we're coming face to face with the scale of the challenge involved in turning that data into useful information.
Landlords see opportunity in flexible work space
Nine out of ten UK landlords believe that flexible office space is on the brink of becoming mainstream, according to a new study from property advisors CBRE.
BCO publishes guidance on health and wellbeing
A new report from the British Council for Offices promises definitive guidance on supporting key people needs across an office building's lifecycle.
BIFM plans fire safety accreditation
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced plans to develop a new certified accreditation and a suite of training courses for facilities managers in charge of life safety in buildings.
Industry bodies largely positive on Hackitt Review
The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, initiated in response to the Grenfell tragedy, reached a culmination with the publishing of its final report last week.
Grappling with certainty in an uncertain world
Putting together a successful conference programme is hard work. And then getting what looks good on paper to deliver the success you hoped for on the day is a whole separate challenge. We report from One Big Day.
Workplace Week New York plans confirmed
Following a successful six years in the UK, Workplace Week will arrive in New York this summer. The Advanced Workplace Associates fundraising event, supported by the IFMA Workplace Evolutionaries Group, takes place 18 – 22 June.
Tesco to roll out iSite software
The supermarket group has selected the proptech software developed by Styles&Wood to underpin its new global property operating model, following an overhaul of its strategic systems.
Whitehall launches property agency
The new Government Property Agency intends to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the government estate and generate benefits of between £1.4bn and £2.4bn over the next ten years.
Occupiers less concerned about Brexit: CBRE
Occupiers are less concerned about Brexit than they were a year ago, according to a new CBRE research survey of over 100 major occupiers across Europe.
Flexible workspaces and smart technology to drive corporate real estate growth
A new report from property advisors JLL identifies 10 trends that are shaping corporate occupiers' decision-making in 2018.
Industry calls on government to raise the bar on environmental standards
Over 50 business leaders from across the built environment industry have signed an open letter to ministers urging them to introduce policy that will see all new buildings built to net-zero carbon standards by 2030.
Occupier expectations shifting as consumerisation takes hold
Nearly two-thirds of companies plan to increase their investment in real estate technology over the next three years, most of them in the next year, according to the 2018 EMEA Occupier Survey from CBRE.
Property world gathers to look at the big issues
Mipim, the annual property fest, acts as a useful barometer for the real estate sector. Cathy Hayward reports from Cannes.
CRE community to tackle uncertainty
One Big Day, a major event for the corporate real estate and associated sectors, attracts hundreds of professionals with a shared need for knowledge. This year, in response to a rapidly changing economy, the event takes on the issue of uncertainty.
Singapore rolls out smart bins
JTC, the Singapore government's development agency, has installed more than 40 solar-powered smart waste bins around its key commercial sites.
Mitie makes Smart appointment
The support services business has appointed Andrew Smart as Group Head of Corporate Real Estate, where he will join the senior leadership team in the Professional Services and Connected Workspace division.
More to green buildings than energy savings
A Harvard University research team has concluded that green buildings can deliver billions of dollars in public health benefits, including fewer hospitalisations and reduced climate impacts.
Call for more health and wellbeing spaces in offices
Property investors seeking to future-proof office assets should consider providing space for gyms, nutritionists and medical consultation centres. Space for health and wellbeing has the most significant potential impact on employee performance, JLL says.
Ushering in a new era of workplace design
Neil Usher, the man behind Sky's multi-award winning work environments, has captured his views, experiences and advice in a soon to be published book. He's also speaking at next week's Workplace Futures conference.
GVA and Apleona part ways
Real estate advisory firm GVA has separated from management services firm Apleona in a move that allows the two businesses to focus on their respective core markets.
Corporate real estate: where to from here?
January is the traditional time to make predictions and resolutions for the year ahead and so it was that CoreNet's UK chapter took on the challenge. Cathy Hayward reports.
Technology: Savills extends partnership with MRI Software
The real estate services provider has extended its existing relationship to include the management of private rented sector properties in the UK.
Technology: PwC launches drones team
Arguing that drones offer a string of strategic and operational benefits to many organisations, the business advisors are offering to help clients take advantage of the technology and extract value from the collected data.
WeWork set to become London's biggest tenant
There's confidence in a market, and then there's so much confidence that you are prepared to carve out a dominant position in that market.
The rise and rise of the flexible office
The supply, and demand, for serviced and co-working work spaces both continue to grow strongly, with London leading the way.
Mitie to retain property business
Mitie has changed course on its plan to sell its Property Management business in the face of inadequate bids from would-be buyers.
Study on impact of offices on productivity and health launched
Two American universities are backing a global study that will examine how the indoor environments of 100 office buildings impact employee productivity and health.
Cushman & Wakefield teams up for smart workplace initiative
Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has announced a new global agreement with smart building technology provider MCS Solutions, an Internet of Things specialist with experience in more than 60 countries.
BCO calls for greater focus on customer experience
The UK office industry is undergoing a fundamental shift towards a more customer-centric approach, with an increasingly greater emphasis being placed on delivering outstanding customer service to occupiers.
Flexible workspace market just gets bigger
The demand for flexible workspace seems to be growing fast. That's certainly the only conclusion to be drawn from watching what's happening on the provider side.
JLL launches search for new HQ
In what must be a novel experience, the property services group is looking for new offices to meet its own needs, as it plans to consolidate its existing West End, City and Canary Wharf operations into one location.
London dominates in BCO Awards
Six of the eight categories at the British Council for Offices' annual National Awards went to London buildings, with the new Sky Central scooping both Best Corporate Workplace and Best of the Best.
The why and how of flexible working
On-demand workspace has been in the mix for years, until recently a small part of the workplace landscape. But suddenly, flexible accommodation seems to be booming. Why? What's driving that and how far will it go?
UKGBC turns focus on retail
The UK Green Building Council has launched its second Wellbeing Lab programme, this one focused on making the business case for retail spaces that support the health and wellbeing of employees and shoppers.
NHS Property Services offers vacant space scheme
NHS Property Services has launched a new vacant hand-back scheme that will help NHS commissioners to cut the cost of empty space in their buildings.
Grenfell inquiry must be fire safety "watershed": IOSH
The Grenfell Tower public inquiry must be "a watershed for fire safety", the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has declared.
Most FMs believe BIM is good for facilities management
More than 80% of FM professionals believe that building information modelling has the potential to deliver significant benefits.
The future for CRE: proptech
It's not just facilities management, of course; the future of the world is being reshaped by technology, and that includes the property world.
LGA demands building regs review
The Local Government Association has called on central government to launch an "urgent and immediate" review of building regulations.
Wellbeing: a new real estate fundamental
Offices that respect and support users' wellbeing offer occupiers, developers and landlords greater value. People count, according to a new report from real estate advisors Cushman & Wakefield.
A buyer's side look at NG Bailey's Landsec win
NG Bailey's Facilities Services division secured a five-year contract with property developer and investor Land Securities in April. Client advisor GVA has offered some insight into how that came about.
Riding the wave of change
There's a sea-change underway in the corporate real estate world. Our CRE colleagues are increasingly realising, as FM has done, that the focus of services has to be at least as much people as buildings.
Can real estate enable business transformation?
Property advisors JLL argue the answer is yes, as they back that up with a new report and an accompanying online tool focused on "how workplace experience can help businesses thrive in the new world of work".
Making property pay
For most UK businesses buildings are the second biggest expense after staff and present a huge cost-saving potential. And any savings from reduced running costs drop straight to the bottom line, so focusing here can pay off.
Net zero by 2050: a mountain to climb
As the US considers withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, the World Green Building Council is warning that the building sector, responsible for 30% of global emissions, has a steep climb ahead towards achieving key targets.
Corporate real estate strives for 'future-proofing'
A new study from property advisors CBRE finds that corporate real estate teams are bolstering portfolio agility and enhancing user experiences with the goal of future-proofing their properties against changes in the economy, technology and labour markets.
Bellrock acquires service charge specialist
The acquisitive company's latest buy is Profile Consultancy Limited, a leading service charge advisor working in the retail and leisure sectors.
Coworking: is this the future?
Recent research carried out by corporate real estate group CoreNet Global and property advisors Cushman & Wakefield has found that property costs and lease lengths are key factors driving interest in shared workspace.
Praise and criticism for government estate strategy
Government is getting better value for money from its estate, but the Government Property Unit is not making much progress towards its key objective.
BCO launches health and wellbeing research
The British Council for Offices has commissioned a research team for a year-long study of health and wellbeing in offices, with the aim of producing definitive guidance.
Higher education: under pressure on estates performance
UK universities are facing more competition than ever before in the battle to attract students, staff and, crucially, funding. These pressures are forcing estates to work much harder and budgets to stretch much further.
NHS property: Naylor review published
The end of March saw the publication of a long-awaited investigation into estates strategy needs and options within the NHS. What happens now will be a measure of the commitment to sorting out some longstanding issues.
Occupiers focus on making space work better
Corporate real estate priorities are increasingly focused on efficiency gains and enhancing workplace strategies in a quest to make space work 'smarter'. Greater use of technology is seen as key enabler of these objectives.
CIC launches accessibility guide
The Construction Industry Council has published its Essential Principles Guide, designed to provide built environment professionals with information and advice on creating an accessible and inclusive environment.
Tackling the business rates challenge
New business rates, which are going to hit some commercial organisations hard, have been all over the news recently. Does FM have a role here?
Energy guidelines published
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published long-awaited guidance on the minimum level of energy efficiency required to let non-domestic property. Melanie Kendall-Reid, Compliance Director at Carbon2018, explains.
Healthcare estates: new roles for new technology
Given the sheer amount of floorspace that healthcare occupies, coupled with the financial and health & safety demands that are tied to it, the need for low-risk solutions for optimising management and service delivery is clear. So what can be done?
NHS Property Services launches accessibility guides
New online access guides for a number of NHS Property Services' hospitals, health centres and clinics have been developed to aid patients and visitors.
Energy efficiency moves to mainstream concern
A new report form CoreNet, the corporate real estate professionals group, argues that moves to increase energy efficiency are now less about costs and more about wider strategic issues.
War for talent shaping CRE decisions
Property advisor CBRE argues that the commercial world is in the midst of a paradigm shift as real estate decisions are increasingly driven by recruitment and retention concerns.
JLL: technology is FM's future
The property services group is predicting that increasing numbers of organisations will soon be turning to digital technologies to manage the facilities that support work and the workforce.
Urban centres are the place to be
A new survey has identified a clear trend in which corporations are locating facilities and offices away from suburban business parks and to central business districts and creative urban environments.
What does coworking mean for corporate real estate?
The UK Chapter of CoreNet Global, in partnership with HOK's WorkPlace practice, has released a new report that studies the impact of coworking from a corporate real estate perspective.
JLL tackles technology impact on real estate
The property advisor has launched a new report series exploring the impact of technology, data and digital disruption on work spaces and real estate investment strategies.
One Public Estate passes 150 mark
The Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association have confirmed that 159 councils will join the next phase of the programme that targets improvements in the use of public sector property.
University of East Anglia building takes top BCO award
The University of East Anglia's Enterprise Centre was named as the Best of the Best workplace at the British Council for Offices' annual National Awards in London Tuesday night.
Occupier satisfaction and property performance: proving the link
Focusing on customer satisfaction can work, even in the property world. New research indicates that a rise in occupier satisfaction will pay off for the landlord in improved property returns.
Property agents to standardise sustainability offer
A standardised approach to sustainability services for corporate property has been launched under the aegis of the Better Buildings Partnership, the property owners, investors and advisors group.
CRE community sees technology changing company thinking
The speed of technological development is dramatically reshaping the way that corporations manage and use their real estate, says a new report from CoreNet, the CRE professionals group.
US owners see healthier buildings paying off
Building owners, developers, managers and investors in the US are increasingly interested in creating healthier buildings, according to new research, with many starting to see the business benefits of doing so.
New EPC regs for Scotland
Revised Energy Performance Certificate regulations for Scotland came into force with the arrival of September.
Bellrock buys property specialists
Bellrock has bought two firms with the goal of expanding its portfolio of property consultancy services into new markets.
Built environment industry backs low carbon commitment
In a letter printed in the Financial Times late last week, a long list of organisations representing the construction and property sectors came together to underline their views on the importance of sustainability.
CRE profession anticipating major change
Corporate real estate will be influenced, disrupted and transformed by a powerful combination of forces that are re-shaping business strategy and operations, consumer preferences, and how and where people want to live and work.
Scotland looks hard at BIM progress
A new report has placed Scotland and the United Kingdom third and fourth in development of building implementation modelling capabilities of a group of twelve countries studied.
Gensler highlights have vs have-not problem
The international design firm has added to the fast-growing view that UK organisations need to rethink their attitudes toward the workplace, as it is those attitudes which are likely to be a key factor in low morale and poor productivity.
Leesman tackles CRE and employee satisfaction links
In what it describes as a world-first crowdsourcing initiative, the workplace benchmarking specialist plans to marry corporate real estate performance data with its 18m+ lines of user experience data.
Green building movement targets net zero
The World Green Building Council has launched an ambitious project that aims to ensure all buildings are 'net zero' by 2050.
JLL to buy property maintenance firm Integral
The property services group has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Integral UK Ltd in a move that JLL says will make it one of the largest providers of mobile engineering services worldwide.
NG Bailey drives down landlord's energy use
A 12-month energy reduction scheme for Land Securities, delivered by NG Bailey, has led to a 9% fall in energy use at a number of the property company's key London sites.
Everybody needs good NABERS
Australia's highly successful energy-use-in-buildings programme is to be piloted for application in the UK.
Dangerous, dilapidated and wasteful schools: report
The Royal Institute of British Architects has published a damning report on the state of UK schools.
The UK runs on coffee
The number of coffee shop chains has increased almost 20 fold since 1998, according to an analysis from CBRE.
CBRE sees continued growth in outsourcing
CBRE's EMEA Global Workplace Solutions business is reporting a record number of approaches from organisations wishing to outsource all or part of their real estate or FM activities in 2015.
European countries lead in green building
New research ranking 25 locations around the world on a range of criteria shows the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands as the global leaders in green building.
Industry still struggling with vacant property solutions
Research from the British Institute of Facilities Management and vacant property company Orbis has revealed that FMs and property managers are increasingly turning to guardianship to keep empty business properties safe and secure.
Sheffield Hallam scoops top workplace award
Sheffield Hallam University is the first academic institution to win the Leesman+ award, marking exemplary high performing workplaces.
World's largest retrofit project launches
The world's largest collaborative project on building renovation has been officially launched by Green Building Councils across Europe in a bid to tackle one of the region's biggest climate challenges: existing buildings.
Macro extends work with Citrix
Macro has mobilised offices in Chalfont St Peter, London and Cambridgeshire for global software provider Citrix as part of a three-year contract.
Whitehall to slash office estate
Central government has pledged to reduce the size of its office estate by 75% by 2023. And it is calling on local government bodies to publish their own rationalisation plans.
Greener buildings pay off for retail sector
Retailers can improve the shopping experience for their customers and potentially increase their profits by providing greener, healthier stores, according to a new report from the World Green Building Council.
What is a 'green building' anyway?
According to the World Green Building Council, here in Europe we may get a new, updated and broader based definition, thanks to the European Commission.
Companies want better workplace data
The latest annual European Occupier Survey from real estate advisor CBRE suggests that large corporates are increasingly focused on the intertwining elements of performance, people and space.
UKGBC turns focus on better building performance
The UK Green Building Council is launching a new research project that will tackle the way industry currently designs, constructs and operates non-domestic buildings.
Ultra low energy buildings commitment unveiled
Sixteen leading built environment companies have signed up to a new energy efficiency commitment targeting delivery of 'nearly zero energy buildings'.
Looking after empty buildings over the holidays
Buildings that shut down and are empty over the holidays are particularly vulnerable to being targeted by thieves and other intruders such as squatters.
CRE eyes up role in wellness initiatives
A new report from CoreNet Global declares that corporate real estate executives are in a unique position to demonstrate leadership and serve as a strategic resource, as a growing number of organisations focus on wellness and wellbeing issues.
Leases getting longer as occupier confidence recovers
Analysis of over 90,000 leases across the UK shows that new property lease lengths rose to 7.2 years in 2015, matching levels last recorded at the market peak in 2007.
CIBSE awards shortlist announced
The shortlist for the individual categories of the 2016 Building Performance Awards has been revealed, including contenders for the top FM team.
Green buildings improve performance, study shows
New research has found that employees' cognitive performance scores averaged 100% higher in green building environments with enhanced ventilation compared to a conventional building environment.
UK looks to Australia for energy advice
A research team, backed by UK landlords group the Better Buildings Partnership, is studying an Australian programme that appears to have cracked the energy 'performance gap' problem.
BIFM and Orbis launch vacant property survey
The British Institute of Facilities Management and vacant property management expert Orbis have launched a new property management survey.
Real estate world turns attention to the workplace
A recent survey by CoreNet Global and Cushman & Wakefield has found that almost 9 in 10 of EMEA corporate real estate professionals are actively investing in workplace improvements.
BCO award winners revealed
Keynsham Civic Centre & One Stop Shop in Keynsham, near Bath, was named as the 'Best of the Best' workplace in the country at the British Council for Offices annual National Awards in London earlier this week.
BSI updates FM briefing standard
BS 8536-1, Briefing for Design and Construction: code of practice for facilities management, has been revised and extended.
JLL extends reach with fit-out buy
JLL has acquired the UK-based design and fit-out company Bluu as part of its strategic investment plan to grow in this business sector.
CBRE uncovers a preference for staying put
The vast majority of companies choose to remain where they are when a lease comes up to expiry, with the management of property being a significant factor in that decision.
Zero carbon buildings off the agenda
Plans to introduce zero carbon homes in 2016 and zero carbon non-domestic buildings in 2019 have been dropped by the government.
Capita buys property consultancy
The outsourced services group has acquired advisors GL Hearn in a bid to become a 'property powerhouse'.
Shopping centres: sustainability pays
Investing in sustainable features increases the market value of shopping centres by up to 5% or even more, according to new research.
Asset management: problem waiting for a solution
Managing customer assets can be much more of a problem than it should be, especially when FM contracts move from one service provider to another.
Property advisors launch sustainability partnership
Ten of the UK's leading property managers have joined forces to influence and improve the sustainable management of UK commercial property.
Pressure grows on CRE for more productivity
Skyrocketing C-suite demands for productivity are creating a "pressure cooker" of expectations for corporate real estate teams worldwide, according to a new JLL survey.
JLL: outsourcing is getting serious
Property services outsourcing is moving up a generation, as big corporates expect more from their partners in terms of the quality of the relationship and the beneficial outcomes.
Eight megatrends that will impact UK real estate
Property advisor JLL has identified a series of sustainability trends that will impact on real estate over the next 15-20 years. It is calling on businesses to adapt now to stay competitive.
Growth market: firms relying on workplace as recruitment tool
More than 90% of London professional service firms consider the workspace instrumental in achieving employee satisfaction, according to new research from property advisor CBRE.
Two new energy concepts to be piloted at Canary Wharf
Two smart cities innovators, Demand Logic and SEaB Energy, have been selected to pilot their technologies at Canary Wharf after winning the second phase of the Cognicity Challenge.
Growth market: serviced offices
London's serviced office market has grown by 67% over the last 10 years and continues on a rapid upwards trajectory.
International property ethics standard in the works
A new international coalition is being drawn together to develop the first set of globally recognised ethics standards for real estate and related professional organisations.
Skanska delivers its greenest ever project
The construction to FM group has completed the re-building of its Bentley Works site in Doncaster, using in-house expertise to achieve near-zero impact on the environment.
Regus in strategic partnership with CBRE
Workspace provider Regus has signed a partnership agreement with CBRE that will see the global real estate advisor closely involved in streamlining and accelerating the development of the business.
Eric Wright wins healthcare contract
Fountain Property Management has awarded Eric Wright Facilities Management (EWFM) a one-year contract to provide FM services at its new 4500 square metre health centre in Chester.
World GBC targets healthy buildings with global campaign
The World Green Building Council has launched a global campaign on health, wellbeing and productivity in a range of building types.
RICS launches climate change risk toolkit
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published a new research report and an online tool designed to help built environment professionals understand climate change risk and plan to reduce detrimental impacts.
JLL unveils its Plan A
Taking inspiration from Marks and Spencer, the property services group has launched its own sustainability campaign.
The incredible shrinking government estate
The Cabinet Office has published its latest State of the Estate report, highlighting the fact that the government has exited over 2000 buildings since 2010.
Cordant launches vacant property services
Cordant Services has launched a comprehensive vacant property management service.
Investor demand set to drive sustainability
The evidence is loud and clear, says CBRE. Owners and developers need to improve and adapt their commercial properties in line with the sustainability agenda.
City of London wakes up to new occupier needs
New research from the City of London Corporation and the City Property Association highlights the challenges and opportunities facing property developers in the Square Mile.
BREEAM for refurbs and fit-outs open for comment
A BREEAM assessment package specifically for international refurbishment and fit-out projects has been unveiled, along with a month-long consultation period.
UK-GBC turns focus to retail property
The UK Green Building Council has launched a new project aiming to help measure the health, wellbeing and productivity benefits of sustainable retail property.
Getting serious about innovation
Real sit-up-and-take-notice innovation in the built environment sector seems a pretty rare thing. Why is that?
Good as new
Refurbishing existing space to produce the sort of work environment that might have been achieved in a 'green field' situation may not be easy or straightforward, but it can be done and may even be better.
Canary Wharf turns itself into a futures testbed
The Canary Wharf Group has named 12 start-up businesses that will be fostered on-site and then pilot their ideas for improving buildings and transportation.
SPIE's Adams to lead CIC green agenda
George Adams, UK Engineering Director at Spie, has been appointed Chair of the Construction Industry Council Green Construction Panel.
Ryhurst scoops partnership deal with IoW Trust
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Ryhurst to deliver a wide-ranging estates strategy that supports the trust goal of delivering excellent patient care.
Interserve named strategic partner in Yeovil
Yeovil Hospital and an Interserve consortium have established a 15-year partnership which will, the hospital says, enable it to improve care for local people by developing its estate and buildings.
Banks need to face up to change
And not just in terms of how they do business. A new report argues that financial institutions need to fundamentally change the size, shape and location of their property portfolios.
Property investors: sustainability a must-have
UK property investors and fund managers no longer view sustainability as simply a 'nice to have'. Demonstrable performance is moving towards a requirement for these market shapers.
BIFM publishes accessibility standard
London Mayor Boris Johnson has welcomed a new standard for improving and maintaining accessibility and inclusion for disabled people in the built environment.
Sustainable building test site gets underway
Ground has been broken on the site of the Green Build Hub, designed to be both test-bed for and centre of knowledge about sustainable building products and techniques.
Government to slim London presence
There's a ring of familiarity about this: the government says it plans to reduce the number buildings it occupies in London and move vast numbers of civil servants to cheaper parts of the country.
NHS could save £1.5bn through better use of estates
The latest annual study of NHS estate resources in England shows that the health service has taken significant strides towards improving the use of its land resources.
Making more of what you've got
The pressure has been on for years now to make the most of available resources, whether that's at the macro level with entire property portfolios or with a more micro focus on the meeting room down the hall.
'Sustainability kitemark' for existing buildings launched
A new measure of sustainability performance for commercial buildings has been developed, designed to evaluate occupied sites on the three key sustainability criteria: economic, environmental and social.
Overwhelming evidence for green building benefits
A new report from the World Green Building Council sets out the 'overwhelming evidence' that office design significantly impacts the health, wellbeing and productivity of staff.
JLL on ways to go green
The property services group is marking World Green Building Week by offering advice on some steps that will make offices and industrial buildings more sustainable.
Wearable technology will revolutionise CRE
??Reacting to Apple's latest product launch, global real estate firm JLL has declared that wearable smart technology is 'the next big thing' for the corporate real estate sector.
London gets more money for energy efficiency
London Mayor Boris Johnson has confirmed a further investment of almost £12m to expand the programme to retrofit buildings across the capital, making them more energy efficient and reducing carbon emissions.
London top location for office refurb
London is the best place to be for investors seeking to boost the performance and returns of their ageing office assets through major refurbishment, according to a new report from Arcadis.
Nationwide offers working at height app
The UK's leading provider of powered access rentals, Nationwide Platforms, has launched a new app designed to help make finding the right equipment for working at height tasks easier than ever before.
One Public Estate programme expands
Twenty councils have been selected to take part in the second phase of a programme to release excess government land and property by encouraging greater collaboration between local and central government.
Public sector comes together on property
A new joint body put together by seven West Midlands authorities looks set to take on responsibility for the management and development of their property assets.
CBRE pushed to The Edge
The global real estate advisor has been appointed to deliver management and maintenance services for a new-build in Amsterdam, being called 'one of the most sustainable buildings in Europe'.
BCO to shift focus to occupiers
Colette O'Shea, newly elected President of the British Council for Offices has called on the property industry to 'put the occupier centre stage'.
EU eyes more focused sustainability action
The European Commission has adopted new proposals designed to raise the sustainability of new and renovated buildings by increasing resource efficiency and improving information on the environmental performance of buildings.
LGA calls for move to 'unified estate' model
A new study by the Local Government Association argues that public sector organisations should consider sharing facilities where a single-use approach threatens to make buildings unaffordable.
Digging deeper into the future of work
No doubt conversation within every business discipline turns from time to time to what the future holds. This is certainly a common theme in FM; and also one too often undermined by narrow horizons.
Green policies: could do better
Government policy designed to reduce carbon emissions from commercial buildings needs to be better understood, more efficiently monitored and easier to enforce, according to a new report.
CIBSE offers advice on designing for hot weather
CIBSE has assembled a series of resources designed to inform building design and adaptation strategies to better cope with the threat of climate change.
UKGBC to government: time for action
Under a UK Green Building Council banner, a long list of business leaders have called on the government to 'end the prevarication' around the introduction of mandatory energy efficiency standards for commercial buildings.
NEF damns 'persistent failure' on energy performance
The energy efficiency campaigner is gearing up to launch two new projects to help combat the UK's failure to produce non-domestic buildings that combine both comfort and excellent energy performance.
CoreNet teams up with Arup on sustainability
Corporate real estate group CoreNet Global has joined forces with consultants Arup to produce a detailed analysis and comparison of the major sustainability programmes in use around the world.
Bilfinger to acquire GVA
Bilfinger, the global engineering and services group, is continuing its push into UK markets with a plan to buy the largest independent commercial property adviser in the country.
Low carbon building breaks the mould
The UK's first low-carbon commercial building has landed a new Carbon Trust award and pioneered a path for others to follow.
Eurest to take on the future of the workplace
Workplace foodservice experts Eurest will host a 'Workplaces of the Future' webcast on 14 May, bringing industry experts together to discuss what future workplaces will be like for both people and organisations.
CoreNet to develop energy management framework
A new research report issued jointly by CoreNet Global and the Rocky Mountain Institute lays out a framework for corporations to better manage energy use.
UK first: embodied carbon database for buildings
The UK's first publicly available database for embodied carbon in buildings has been launched by resource efficiency experts WRAP in collaboration with the UK Green Building Council.
BIM must be mandated in FM
The government should mandate Level 2 BIM in facilities management if the industry is to take it seriously, according to Kath Fontana, Managing Director at BAM FM.
BCO links energy efficiency with business performance
A new report from the British Council for Offices sets out to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficient offices and the positive impact they can have on employee productivity.
Tough short-term future for retail sector
A roundtable held earlier this week, hosted by Incentive FM Group, focused on the retail sector and specifically the impending end of numerous long leases. Is the sector, and its property stakeholders, facing a 'retail lease time bomb'?
CBRE goes shopping for sustainability benefits
The real estate advisor has been appointed by the British Council of Shopping Centres to analyse the economic impact of sustainability measures on the value of shopping centres in the UK.
No quick-fix for benchmarking
Benchmarking service levels and costs, good standard FM practice, may be a waste of time if you don't know exactly what's in your comparative data and where it came from.
Retail property body slams Green Deal
The Green Deal is not fit for purpose for the commercial property sector, according to the British Council of Shopping Centres.
WGBC targets benefits of green buildings
A major global project that will help to define the health and productivity benefits of green office buildings has been launched by the World Green Building Council.
New forum targets energy performance gap
A new forum designed to support building professionals working on energy issues has been launched.
Growth market: student accommodation
Total investment in UK student accommodation topped £2bn for a second consecutive year in what property advisors CBRE describe as a 'boom' in regional growth.
RICS publishes new service charge code
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published the third edition of the code of practice for service charges in commercial property.
Quality works for universities
Turns out university students not only notice the quality of buildings and facilities, they care too. Over a third have rejected a university based on the quality of the environment.
Understanding service charges
If you're a tenant, do you know what you are being asked to pay for when the landlord's service charge bill arrives? Do you know how this stacks up against charges at other properties?
Property focus shifts towards quality
Corporate decision-makers are responding to signs of economic improvement across Europe by shifting focus away from pure cost management to future growth opportunities, according to the latest annual European Occupier Survey from real estate advisor CBRE.
CBRE: record year for RE outsourcing
The property services group is reporting record levels of activity in the EMEA real estate outsourcing market for 2013.
National BIM survey now open
NBS, the building specification and information specialist, is currently running its 2014 BIM survey.
UK plc missing out on property potential
The British Council for Offices is calling for businesses to 'take off the blinkers and unleash the potential for property to benefit performance'.
Act now on energy efficiency
Government must act urgently to help UK businesses improve the energy efficiency of their buildings if huge economic and environmental opportunities are not to be missed, a new cross-party report warns.
BSI offers life-cycle costing standard
A new BSI standard focused on maintenance is targeted at FMs and others who need to understand the cost of owning and operating buildings.
Carillion to partner Sunderland
Carillion has been selected by Sunderland City Council as the preferred bidder for a strategic partnership to deliver a range of property services essential to the city's regeneration programme.
Businesses benefiting from shorter leases
Lease lengths for commercial property fell to an historic low in the year to June 2013. At the same time, income lost due to tenants going bust hit an all time high.
RICS develops BIM certification
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is offering a new building information modelling manager certification.
Waterstones books iSite
The national retail chain has appointed iSite to provide a property framework aimed at reducing the cost of its real estate operations.
Welsh focus on asset management
Millions of pounds of public money could be saved if the Welsh Government tightened up its management of its own estate, according to a new report.
London offices resist pressure to change
The latest Occupier Density Study from the British Council for Offices reveals that London and the Southeast have some of the most spacious workplaces in the UK.
FMs confused about BIM?
The BIM4FM group has released a full summary from its BIM survey highlighting current views and perceptions about building information modelling by facilities managers, building owners and occupiers.
The greening of global real estate
The corporate real estate sector around the world is reducing its environmental impact according to GRESB, the global real estate sustainability benchmarking body.
BSRIA offers Soft Landings guide
BSRIA has published new guidance for clients, consultants and contractors designed to help public and private sector organisations procure Soft Landings services from their construction supply chains.
GVA warns on energy futures
A new research report from the property advisors argues that energy capacity in the UK will come under increasing pressure, presenting the 'very real' possibility of government-orchestrated nationwide blackouts by 2015.
Green lease toolkit updated
Commercial property owners group, the Better Buildings Partnership, has reviewed and revised its guidance on the use of green leases.
Quality before cost at RICS HQ
I would much rather see the right performance procured at the wrong price than the wrong performance procured at the right price.
Spotlight turns on energy efficiency policies
A major independent study is now underway into whether the government's energy and carbon policies are having the desired effect on the commercial property sector.
Green retrofit programme launched
The new Green Retrofit Investment Programme has up to £100m available for investment in building retrofit projects and energy infrastructure projects where clear energy and carbon emissions savings will result.
Whitehall backs 'one estate' move
Whitehall is backing a new pilot scheme designed to encourage local councils to work with central government and other public sector organisations to share buildings and re-use or release surplus property and land.
BBP and JLL in benchmarking agreement
Jones Lang LaSalle and the Better Buildings Partnership are to work together to provide owners and occupiers with a single benchmarking system for comparing the environmental performance of commercial property assets.
Government cuts estate by 15%
Whitehall's latest State of the Estate report shows that the size of the government's holding has been reduced by 15%.
Controlling costs on large estates
Details have been confirmed of a breakfast event targeting the need for new approaches to benchmarking and cost management on large corporate estates.
AUDE offers good practice guide
The Association of University Directors of Estates has published good practice guidance on the preparation and implementation of estates strategies.
NHS could save billions on procurement and FM
Despite improvements being made to the way in which the NHS is managing its property, there is still £2.3 billion worth of annual savings available if better facilities management and procurement practices were adopted.
West End workstation cost heads for £17,000
The UK's priciest location is London's West End, where the cost of providing a workstation in a new office development is now £16,915, according to the latest TOCS study.
DTZ unveils Euro sustainability guide
The property services firm has published a guide for occupiers, investors and developers providing an overview of sustainability practices in real estate across the EU.
Opportunities in building obsolescence: report
A new research report from Jones Lang LaSalle finds that accelerating building obsolescence is a problem for the property industry but an opportunity for 'savvy investors and proactive occupiers'.
BIM is the future: survey
Results from a major survey of views on building information modelling found over 70% of respondents declaring it the 'future of project information'.
UKGBC launches resource guide
The UK Green Building Council has launched Pinpoint, a free online platform for identifying 'the best resources out there' for people concerned with sustainability in the built environment.
The business case for green buildings
A comprehensive report released by the World Green Building Council identifies a 'large number of compelling benefits' offered by green buildings throughout their lifecycle.
M&S takes a lead on green leases
Marks & Spencer has struck a pioneering deal with its landlords to introduce green clauses that will sit alongside the leases on its existing stores.
CarbonBuzz opens the door to ideas
The web-based platform that enables users to store, share and compare energy performance and the related costs and emissions of built assets is planning improvements and wants to hear ideas.
MITIE lands NLA green deal
The National Landlords Association has named the company as its exclusive Green Deal installer.
Property sector bets on green retro-fitting
Refurbishing existing buildings to new standards, turning them into green assets, has been identified as one of the best bets for the property sector in 2013, according to industry investors.
New EPC regs in force
Small changes under the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations, coming into effect this week, have pushed the public awareness of energy consumption forward, if only slightly.
Squatting set to rise
Facilities managers are predicting an increase in squatting in empty commercial buildings, following the law change in September last year which saw squatting in residential properties become a criminal offence.
BIM brief for BCO
The British Council for Offices has appointed architect HOK and the University of Salford to research the use and applicability of building information modelling as it relates to the group's remit.
BRE boost for BIM
The built environment advisory group BRE is to take over the running of one of the leading BIM development groups in the UK from 1 January.
IBM scoops MoD property contract
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the MoD's property and services provider, has awarded a major contract to IBM for the implementation and support of a new information management system.
EPCs not up to the job: report
A four-year research study, carried out by Jones Lang LaSalle with the support of the Better Buildings Partnership, has found that Energy Performance Certificates are not effective tools in the campaign to reduce carbon.
The BIM bandwagon
Building information modelling looks like it's here to stay. The question is, what should FM do about it.
Goodbye Drivers Jonas; hello Deloitte
The business advisory firm is set to bring its property specialists together in a new, unified practice. Deloitte Real Estate will launch in January, marking the end of one of the oldest names in the industry.
Corporate real estate: it's really about IT
The workplace is due for yet another transformation as new personal computing devices with more memory and greater capabilities replace the old PC both at home and in the office.
Does BREEAM work?
The environmental performance benchmark for buildings has been around for 20 years and has become the de-facto standard measure of sustainable construction in the UK.
CBRE backs green research
The property advisors have unveiled a four-year, $1m commitment to fund leading-edge sustainability research and innovation relating to commercial real estate.
RICS and CoreNet sign MoU
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the corporate real estate group CoreNet Global have signed a Memorandum of Understanding focused on delivering joint support and educational content for the commercial property sector.
CIBSE backs POE for government buildings
CIBSE has thrown its weight behind a new call for post-occupancy evaluation of all government building projects above a minimum value.
UKGBC grades green progress
As we settle into World Green Building Week, the UK Green Building Council has been assessing the government's progress towards its aspiration to be the 'greenest ever'.
Government property: could do better
The Government Property Unit, established in 2010 to drive efficiency savings from the vast public sector estate, is not up to the job in its current form, according to the Public Accounts Committee.
Invest in building fabric to save energy
That's the message from the Carbon Trust, which argues that fabric improvements could produce a cut in energy costs of up to 15% for building occupiers.
Report raises 'profound questions' about direction of CRE & FM industry
Leading insurance group Zurich has published a report about the future of the corporate real estate and facilities management industry following an online forum hosted and run by the company early this year.
Carbon Trust partners with RSA
Global insurance group RSA is teaming up with the Carbon Trust to make energy efficiency services available to its business customers.
Property industry welcomes carbon reporting
The British Property Federation has welcomed plans to require listed businesses to report their greenhouse gas emissions.
MITIE lands design and build contract
MITIE's Built Environment business has won a design and build contract worth £10.5m at 8 Fenchurch Place, in the heart of the City of London.
Work environment top CRE issue
The quality of work environments and work experiences has come top in a recent survey of corporate real estate executives' current concerns.
Big building, big savings
One year after an extensive retrofit project, New York's landmark Empire State Building is on target to cut energy use by nearly 40%, saving millions in operating costs.
Government cuts cost of space
The costs of running the central government property estate have been cut by £278m in the financial year 2010/11, according to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude.
Space in the wrong place
A new report from the Centre for Cities shows that there is a 'striking mismatch' between where offices are needed in the UK and where they are being built.
Occupancy costs flat in struggling economy
Average office occupancy costs in the UK have remained largely flat over the past 12 months as elements rising in some areas of spend have been offset by falls elsewhere.
Public sector: look harder at property
Public sector budget cuts are driving fundamental changes in the size and shape of governments around the world. As a result, a much clearer focus on property resources is required.
Lease lengths continue to fall
New research reveals that the average length of commercial property leases has fallen to a record low of 4.8 years.
Shopping centre industry struggles
For the first time in 30 years no new shopping centres are scheduled to open in the UK this year, a stunning indication of the state of the industry.
Restructuring in US market
The investment firm that now owns two major full-service property companies has decided to merge them.
Landlords call for support on sustainability
Agents involved in the sale and leasing of commercial property need to improve their knowledge of sustainability issues and drive change by helping owners and occupiers to understand the benefits of greener buildings.
Short leases: a double-edged sword
New research from property experts IPD shows that while short leases may be good for occupiers, they are not so good for investors.
LEED and BREEAM move closer together
It's not exactly VHS and Betamax, but there has long been an air of two big ideas competing for dominance in world markets.
Government property: could do better
The latest report from the National Audit Office looks at the efficiency of central government office property since 2004. The conclusions are a mix of praise for progress and calls for more action.
Property investors to track sustainability effect
Property data specialist IPD is supporting an industry-backed initiative aimed at measuring the impact of sustainability characteristics on asset values.
Energy plans could make buildings unlettable
GVA, the UK's largest independent property advisor, believes that 20% of UK commercial building stock could be unlettable by 2018 if the government doesn't act to address the problem.
Tougher energy standards could hit property values
More than 40% of commercial buildings in the UK could be in danger of failing tough new government energy standards, according to a study by property services company DTZ.
Sustainable buildings: more clarity needed
A new report by an influential business group acknowledges government progress on the regulatory framework for sustainable buildings but calls for more clarity, consistency and effective enforcement.
Retail Ska debuts
RICS has unveiled a Ska Rating fit-out assessment version tailored for retail and restaurant businesses.
Government needs to get a grip on its property
A new approach to property management in the public sector is needed to reduce costs and manage changing workspace requirements, according to a report from business advisors Deloitte.
BCO launches specifications course
The British Council for Offices, in conjunction with the College of Estate Management, has developed an interactive online accreditation course based on the latest edition of the BCO Guide to Specification.
Green Deal: welcomed, with reservations
Business and professional groups have given a positive welcome to the government's flagship energy saving initiative but at the same time warned that serious problems lie ahead.
Big companies driving down costs
Blue-chip occupiers have managed to reduce the cost of their office accommodation by 15% through cost control initiatives and improved space use.
Network Rail aims to get agile
The rail infrastructure operator has appointed Capita Symonds to develop and implement phase 2 of an agile working programme across the company's vast property portfolio.
Wait-and-see year for occupiers
With risk avoidance high on the corporate agenda, many office occupiers are likely to delay decisions on any change in accommodation at least until the economic outlook is more certain. Until then, the focus will be on cost cutting, not expansion.
Tackling the challenge of existing buildings
Finding ways to 'green' the UK's existing building stock is critical to meeting carbon reduction targets, and it makes good business sense for the occupier.
2012: all about maximising resources
Research by workplace management technology company PeopleCube points towards maximising the efficient use of real estate, resources and energy as the critical business focus over the next 12 months.
Empty properties a 'major hassle' for FMs
Vacant property is a significant problem for the facilities management sector, according to a recent survey by vacant property experts SitexOrbis in association with the British Institute of Facilities Management.
Closing the door on vacant property problems
Estimates suggest there are over a million empty properties in the UK, both residential and commercial. Each one brings with it cost, risk and potentially lost opportunities.
Sodexo completes on Atkins buy
The food to facilities management group has completed the acquisition of Atkins Asset Management.
UGL named preferred bidder for DTZ
The £3bn global support services business headquartered in Sydney has emerged as the likely saviour of struggling property firm DTZ.
BBP offers best practice advice
The Better Buildings Partnership has published a series of best practice case studies highlighting opportunities to improve the environmental performance of existing commercial buildings.
BREEAM awards highest ever score
A new student village at the University of Bradford, aptly named The Green, has achieved the highest BREEAM score ever awarded.
Retrofit now, says Boris Johnson
The Mayor of London has called on the capital's businesses and big landlords, private and public, to help deliver London's biggest ever retrofitting programme.
New sustainability guidelines for built environment sector
Reporting guidelines will provide built environment professionals with a framework for reporting across a range of sustainability issues, from carbon emissions, through water use, to sub-contractor performance.
MITIE wins Friends
Insurance group Friends Life has appointed MITIE Interiors to handle a £4.5m design & build contract.
Thinking outside the box
Or more precisely, inside the box in a different way. If you need more, or different, space maybe the answer is to build it within the existing structure.
MITIE seals insurance deal
The support services group has signed a three-year contract to provide building repair services to Allianz Insurance customers nationwide.
Office developers face tough future
A survey of commercial property professionals has identified availability of funding, environmental regulation and future-proofing as the top concerns for the industry.
Suicide bids rife in project work
A Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors poll has found two-thirds of quantity surveyors saying they have received bids for project work significantly below true values.
NHS could save £1bn on estate costs
The management of the NHS estate is getting better, but there is still significant opportunity for improvement which could save the NHS over a billion pounds, according to a new report published by EC Harris.
BT hands over to serviced office provider
The telecoms group has struck a deal to hand over its 175,000 sq ft site in Hemel Hempstead to Serviced Office Group plc.
JLL buys King Sturge
Global property advisor Jones Lang LaSalle has sealed a deal to buy international consultancy King Sturge for £197m.
Office costs under pressure, holding stable
Details from the latest Total Office Cost Survey are a reminder of two facts: providing a workstation is an expensive business, but the cost varies greatly by location.
Corporates wake up to the value of RE and FM
The corporate real estate and facilities functions are increasingly finding their way out of the back-office shadows and close enough to the boardroom to require full alignment with business strategy.
It's tough outside and in
One sign of the state of the UK's occupier property market comes in the unfortunate form of a string of collapsed fit-out contractors.
More end user input needed in security design
Building owners, designers and developers need to focus more on the role of occupiers and their requirements when specifying counter-terrorism measures in commercial real estate.
Occupier groups tackle landlord customer service
Two leading occupier groups, the Property Managers Association and CoreNet Global UK, are calling on more landlords and managing agents to throw their weight behind a new initiative that aims to raise standards of customer service in property management.
Harrow Green delivers solutions
The removals to interiors group has completed the move of Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation to new accommodation in Thurrock Council's Civic Offices.
Sustainability help for property managers
The Better Buildings Partnership has published the latest in a series of toolkits, this one designed to help managing agents to actively manage buildings using sustainability best practice.
Capita Symonds lands review for Leicester NHS
The property services group has been commissioned to carry out a strategic review across a £550m healthcare estate.
FM muscles in on MIPIM
The conference, exhibition and annual gathering of the world's property elite is in full swing this week. Jeremy Waud, our man in Cannes, reports.
Government claims big savings on property
Central government has cut its property-related costs by £48m as a result of a lease moratorium introduced last year, according to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude.
RICS has head in the cloud
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has called on property professionals to recognise the impact of cloud computing, described as increasingly the IT method of choice, and advise their clients accordingly.
Capita Symonds lands NHS assets contract
Health Facilities Scotland has named the property services group as its survey partner for the implementation of an asset management system across the Scottish NHS estate.
Sustainability shaping property decisions
Companies right round the globe are increasingly seeing sustainability issues as a key factor in property decision-making, with about half saying they are willing to pay extra for space in green buildings.
CBRE to put floorspace details online
Business space management expert PiMS Workspace has signed a deal with CB Richard Ellis to capture and maintain all building information for two offices sites in London.
Pickles presses for leaner local government
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has called on local authorities to reduce running costs, cut carbon emissions and improve services, all through better management of their property assets.
UKGBC sets out to 'fix' existing buildings
The UK Green Building Council is bringing together experts from across the construction and property industry to form a new task group dedicated to developing practical solutions for the nation's energy-hungry non-domestic buildings.
Property group offers green management toolkit
The Better Buildings Partnership has published guidance to both owners and occupiers on how to work more effectively together to achieve reductions in energy, water and waste in their buildings.
Green building investor completes four deals
The Threadneedle Low-Carbon Workplace Trust has completed four property acquisitions and signed its first pre-let.
All change for Friends Provident
The financial services group has unveiled plans to relocate its head office to the landmark One New Change development in the City of London.
The price of buying on price
With a more-for-less management policy increasingly evident on the client side of the property and FM industries, service providers need to find ways of explaining the costs that can arise from spending too little.
Paradigm shift: clouds and floorspace
Property advisors Jones Lang LaSalle are warning that an imminent and fundamental shift in computing will impact corporate real estate by reducing demand for space and driving workplace change.
Property industry agrees on the meaning of green
Leading property organisations have launched the first industry-wide guide on how to measure and report on the sustainability of buildings. It is hoped this will see an end to the more than 100 different measurement systems currently in use in the UK.
Landmark corporate PFI to be unwound
Banking group Santander is reported to be in talks to buy the former Abbey National portfolio from Mapeley, one of the early pioneers of property outsourcing.
Just half of occupants satisfied with landlords
The latest Occupier Satisfaction Survey finds commercial tenants rating the services they receive from their landlords at 4.9 out 10. That's an average that hides considerable variation, but it also indicates a need for some hard work.
IPD releases new Environment Code
IPD, the specialist in property performance, has released a new and improved edition of its Environment Code.
Sustainability: more carrot needed to balance stick
Sustainability has found a place on the agenda of the real estate industry, but often that is the result of imposed regulation. Much of the industry still lacks the financial motivation to initiate action.
RIBA calls for building regs makeover
The Royal Institute of British Architects has damned existing building regulations as 'impenetrable and alienating'. They need to be simplified and rewritten in plain English, RIBA says.
JLL warns cuts could hit property markets
The latest report on UK office property markets from surveyors Jones Lang LaSalle is upbeat except for one note of caution: the possibility that government cutbacks could undermine demand.
Brookfield and WSP launch green retrofit venture
The property developer/contractor and the engineering group have teamed up with architect Woods Bagot to launch Brookfield Green.
New all-party group to focus on built environment
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment was given its formal launch at the Construction Industry Council annual summer reception, held earlier this month.
Corporates adjust property strategy to new realities
Office occupying organisations are focused on bringing their property holdings into line with the realities of a post-recession world.
Low carbon retrofit roadmap published
Specially commissioned research has led to the development of new guidance to help property owners and occupiers undertake retrofit projects to reduce carbon emissions in their buildings.
Call to extend DECs to retail property
BCSC, the retail property industry organisation, says that Display Energy Certificates should be required in all retail property.
Simple solution to space shortage: make more
London's commercial property market faces a drought of top quality space. One firm believes it has the answer.
Time to negotiate a better deal with your landlord
The latest TOCS figures confirm that 2010 would be a good time for occupiers to improve their accommodation and also pursue more flexibility in their lease terms.
Zero carbon target may be too costly
Zero carbon buildings are too expensive to build, according to leading developers and engineers.
Investor and developer back low carbon property initiative
The Carbon Trust has teamed up with fund manager Threadneedle and developer Stanhope to back a new fund that aims to significantly increase the availability of high specification low carbon commercial property in the UK.
Government ups commitment to asset management
Whitehall has kicked off a campaign to strengthen property asset management capabilities across the wider public sector.
Eye for the future
Six years after joining the BBC in what might have looked at the time like a fairly conventional corporate real estate role, Chris Kane is halfway through what he describes as 'the most amazing journey'.
Reports back refurbishment over new build
Two reports from leading property advisors make the case for upgrading existing building stock. In the current climate, both conclude, refurbishment can deliver greater economic and environmental benefits.
Act now on sustainable property, advisors urge
Changes due later this year in the RICS Red Book, the property valuation bible, will link values to the sustainability of buildings, a move likely to result in a two-tier property market.
Capita division may buy NB Real Estate
The UK property market looks set to see another significant move in a post-recession business reshuffle.
Knock down those old buildings, says construction tsar
Paul Morrell, recently appointed chief construction adviser to the government, is proving to be quite good news value.
Property industry needs sustainability milestones
Property and construction do not look like industries that have clear plans for their own future, according to the government's new Chief Construction Adviser.
Government moves to consolidate property portfolio management
John McCready, a partner at Ernst & Young, has been named to take over as head of a new Whitehall agency charged with running a £370bn central government property portfolio.
STEPS not delivering value for money, NAO says
Eight years on, the landmark STEPS property outsourcing deal is failing on value for money criteria because HM Revenue & Customs has no long-term plan for estate management, according to a new investigation by the National Audit Office.
Spare space: can you make it pay?
Every crisis leads at least one commentator to declare 'things will never be the same'. Whether that's true after this recession is debatable; but certainly there is an opportunity to learn some lessons.
Zero carbon targets miss the point, property industry warns
Leading property developers have welcomed government plans to introduce zero carbon commercial buildings from 2018 but have warned that reduction targets will be missed unless existing buildings are tackled.
Occupiers continue to shed space
The trend for UK occupiers to cut their property holdings, evident throughout this year, looks set to continue for the next six months according to the latest CBI/GVA Grimley Corporate Real Estate Survey.
Green buildings pay, research finds
A year-long investigation in the US has found that tenants in green buildings experience increased productivity and fewer sick days. Green buildings also have lower vacancy and higher rental rates.
JCI lands Motorola real estate deal
Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions has won a contract with the electronics giant to manage real estate transactions globally in support of 'aggressive' footprint reduction goals.
Recession hits maintenance spend
The repair and maintenance of commercial property has seen its sharpest fall for 50 years, threatening to further undermine the values and heaping additional costs on struggling landlords.
Empty pubs to get 'caretakers'
Need a bit more work but also want to spend more time in the pub? London Town may have the job for you.
JLL launches sustainability analysis service
The sustainability services team at Jones Lang LaSalle has developed a new analysis service targeted at building investors and owners.
Property sector and sustainability: could do better
The built environment sector is not doing enough to deliver sustainable construction solutions, according to an international survey of senior property professionals.
Macro partners with Mace to deliver German HQ
Construction services group Mace has teamed up with Macro, its facilities management division, to deliver a new headquarters in Frankfurt for the global investment management firm Invesco.
Occupiers tighten focus on costs
The 2009 Occupier Satisfaction Index has found commercial tenants broadly satisfied with their landlords but increasingly focused on costs and unhappy about service charges.
Companies bail out of property
A quarter of firms reduced their property holdings in the past six months. That's a trend which is clearly accelerating, according to new research. The move to offload accommodation assets looks set to pick up pace significantly over the short-term.
Government targets its estate for big savings
Central government plans to make major savings across its vast property portfolio which, if actually put into practice, will be little short of revolutionary.
Cost data leads to call to action
Most UK organisations are paying more than they need to for workspace accommodation. Instead, they should be challenging their landlords and their own corporate policies and practices.
Landlords look at service regimes to help retailers cut costs
Some of the UK's biggest landlords have agreed a ten-point plan to help retailers cut costs, following a public row about how and when rents are paid.
Industrials face up to space issues
Businesses in the industrial and logistics sectors are being hit hard by the need to cut costs and increase efficiency, leading to a flurry of activity on the property side.
Retailers face 'toughest' quarter day
March 25th ranks as the toughest quarterly rent payments day for at least 18 years, according to the British Retail Consortium.
Disaster for landlords could be good for tenants
With property values plunging and development schemes being axed left and right, landlords are wondering how bad it can get. But a growing number of tenants seem to be seeing opportunities here.
London office market suffers: is it deal time?
The amount of vacant office space in central London has increased by over 36% in the last 12 months as companies affected by the economic downturn have shed staff, consolidated their property holdings or relocated to alternative locations.
What to do with too much office space
Businesses faced with the problem of surplus office space could find a solution on a new website that aims to introduce them to prospective occupants.
Companies aiming to shed property
Across all business sectors companies are making plans to reduce their accommodation in 2009.
Survey reveals best choices for relocation destination
London, Manchester and Birmingham come top of the list in a new study of the UK's most business friendly cities.
Property industry discovers workplace productivity
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published a new investigation into the issues of productivity and its relationship to workplace design.
Going down: commercial property slump is global
Tenant demand is falling at an increasing pace throughout the developed world. The latest RICS Global Commercial Property Survey shows transaction volumes and capital values plummeting as markets suffer under financial liquidity constraints.
New BCO President calls for more landlord-tenant partnership
The British Council for Offices has a new President for 2008-09: Nick Ridley, Executive Director of Colliers CRE.
Ireland gets new service charge code
A new code of practice for service charges has been launched jointly by the Irish Property and Facility Management Association and the Irish Society of Chartered Surveyors.
London remains world's most expensive office market
The West End has retained the dubious title of the world's most expensive location for office space.
Occupiers can't get no satisfaction
Despite a series of official and unofficial initiatives in the property industry over the past year, new research proves there is still a long way to go before landlords can claim success in treating their tenants as customers.
Ark sets sail again
The Ark, in Hammersmith, is certainly one of the most remarkable buildings in London - if for no other reason than the fact that over more than a decade only one company has ever been able to figure out how to occupy it successfully.
Property group advises on green leases
Retail property organisation BCSC has published a guidance paper to help explain the complexities of green leases and the role they can play in improving the environmental performance of buildings.
New carbon management guide from RICS
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has published new guidance for surveyors who are advising clients or their employers on developing carbon management strategies.
Firms shedding property as economy weakens
Fewer firms expanded their property portfolios over the last six months, while the weaker economic outlook has pushed up the number of firms planning to reduce their property holdings.
Green enquiry opens
The All Party Urban Development Group enquiry into what ministers, city leaders and property owners and occupiers need to do to reduce the environmental impact of existing buildings has started its investigations.
Office costs rocket ahead
The cost of providing a workstation in the heart of London's West End is a budget-shaking £17,500 pa. Move away and the cost could be a third of that. Preston, 'gateway to beautiful Lancashire', boasts the UK's lowest costs - under £5000.
Corporate real estate enters new era
CoreNet Global's latest industry report shows that labour shortages, worker location issues and sustainability will be the key issues facing corporate real estate executives this year.
Property industry wants green incentives
The British Property Federation, the owners and investors group, has called on the government to offer new incentives to landlords for greening existing buildings.
Property market wary of EPCs
With Energy Performance Certificate legislation beginning to bite, following the initial introduction in April, property professionals are worried about the possible impacts of a shortage of qualified assessors and the cost of the process.
Property facing 'double crunch'
Developers and owners of commercial property face a challenging year, as new concerns for environmental impact join a list of issues already headed by economic factors.
Most willing to pay more for green property
Corporate businesses located in Europe, the Middle East and Africa have come top of a new global survey investigating boardroom attitude towards the importance of sustainable corporate real estate solutions.
Landlords: tenants are the weak link on energy use
The British Property Federation has called for greater emphasis on energy efficiency in existing buildings, better ways to measure consumption and a re-think of the landlord/tenant relationship specifically focused on energy use.
London still most expensive location
London has retained its title as the world's most expensive place in terms of office occupancy costs.
Property transformation: a model solution
There's a range of potential solutions on the public sector table for addressing accommodation problems by involving the private sector, from one-off PFI projects to wholesale property outsourcing like Northern Ireland's planned Workplace 2010 programme.
Property occupiers still positive
The economy may be slowing, but commercial property occupiers expect to expand their portfolios on the back of continuing growth in output and employment over the next six months. But many draw a blank when asked about new energy certificates.
Wrong answer, says property industry
The British Property Federation has again leveled criticism at the 'blinkered thinking' underlying proposals to require buildings to demonstrate a high proportion of onsite renewable energy.
Occupiers don't want lease code legislation
Two-thirds of corporate property occupiers are opposed to making the recently released Code for Leasing Business Premises mandatory.
Landlord accreditation scheme unveiled
The British Property Federation has launched an accreditation scheme to encourage 'tenant-friendly' leasing. The scheme will highlight landlords committed to high levels of service.
Poor property management costs UK plc £18bn pa
Businesses in the UK are throwing away up to £18bn a year through inefficient use of their property, according to a new study.
New RICS guidance on sustainability
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has launched a best practice guide on sustainability for property professionals.
CRE survey launched
Reading University's 14th annual Corporate Real Estate Survey is underway, and sponsor Johnson Controls is calling for participation by all real estate professionals.
London renewables policy could fail
The London property industry, led by the British Property Federation and London First, is calling on the Mayor of London to scrap green targets, arguing that are likely to fail to achieve their objectives.
SAP gives property some zap
Business software company SAP has launched a new real estate management system.
Property industry: could do better
The first Occupier Satisfaction Index, the initial phase of a 3-year project to measure satisfaction across the UK office, industrial and retail sectors, shows services provided by the industry getting better - but there is still room for improvement.
Green buildings pay
A new report from property advisors GVA Grimley argues that sustainable office buildings will give investors a greater return on their investment than buildings built to standard regulations.
Property investor moves to cut carbon
Real estate investment manager PRUPIM has unveiled a project to examine ways it can reduce a its property portfolio's carbon footprint while maintaining or even enhancing investment returns.
New lease code launched
Communities minister Yvette Cooper has unveiled an updated Code for Leasing Business Premises, published by a consortium of business, property, finance and legal organisations.
Agent finds 'massive' cost savings opportunities in offices
A two-year study of energy consumption for many of the West of England's largest office blocks has produced energy bill savings of thousands of pounds and cut business carbon footprints.
Familiar names lead fit-out top ten
The new Interior Market Report, developed by Metropolis Property Research and released at MIPIM 2007, features a series of familiar names in its two top-ten tables.
CBRE tops real estate brand list
CB Richard Ellis has come top for the second year in an international poll of leading real estate brand names.
Bigger role for FM in property management
The new RICS code of practice on service charges, which comes into effect next month, is another step in the property industry's growing recognition that occupiers really do matter.
Commercial property: asset or liability?
Nine out of ten corporate occupiers across the UK regard their property portfolio as an asset that adds value to their business - a fact that refutes the widely held perception that firms increasingly view commercial property as a liability.
London retains top spot in office costs
The West End remains holder of that dubious title 'world's most expensive office location', according to a report on global office occupancy costs from Cushman & Wakefield.
Carbon plans focus on wrong target, property group says
Government plans to reduce carbon emissions could fail because they target the wrong people, says the British Property Federation.
London retains 'most expensive' title
For the seventh consecutive year, London's West End has retained its position as the world's most expensive office location, according to figures from DTZ's tenth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs Survey 2007, just published.
Occupier satisfaction index due soon
Leading UK property industry groups have joined forces to back a three-year research project aimed at producing an index that measures building occupier satisfaction.
Birmingham: the place to be
London is the obvious choice - but it's closely followed by Birmingham, then Manchester, when it comes to UK cities considered by major companies to be 'best for business'.
Property projects missing out on tax allowances
Regeneration and refurbishment schemes are costing developers and property owners significantly more than they need, due to widespread ignorance of available tax relief incentives.
Firms willing to pay more for green buildings
Energy efficiency is the top environmental consideration of commercial property occupiers reviewing future accommodation needs - and they are willing to pay more to occupy 'greener' buildings.
New interest group for commercial property
Four leading UK property bodies have formed an alliance to tackle major property issues in a more co-ordinated way while retaining their separate identities and roles.
Off by 100%: many companies need to rethink space needs
Real estate may be a significant asset, a productivity variable and a high cost for any large organisation, but most aren't applying the rigorous analysis and the new approaches that they devote to other strategic functions, according to new research.
Real estate managers urged to be prepared for change
The Chicago-based Institute of Real Estate Management has published the results of a year-long study of the major issues changing the profession, together with practical suggestions and best practices for addressing them.
Landlords getting serious about service, study shows
Leading UK landlords are paying much more attention to looking after their tenants, according to the latest Real Service best practice index.
Tenants spending more to enhance non-air conditioned properties
Average service charge costs for air conditioned properties are tracking inflation, but the same costs for non-air conditioned properties have increased by 21.9%, well above inflation, according to the latest Jones Lang LaSalle OSCAR report.
Marriage of necessity for property and FM
Companies are increasingly looking to bridge the gap between real estate and facilities management and it is time for FM providers to think hard about developing integrated services.
Do you know how much it costs to be here?
Workstation costs continue to vary widely across the UK - from £12,650 in London's West End to just £4500 in Preston. But one thing pushing up costs everywhere, according to new research, is energy - which accounts for 5% of occupancy costs.
Corporate occupiers look for more flexibility from landlords
UK businesses need greater flexibility in the way that buildings are leased and occupied to meet their cost, speed of transaction, and social and environmental needs, according to new research.
MPs accuse BBC of waste at new facilities
A report from the Commons Public Accounts Committee has criticised the BBC for paying too much for new buildings at White City and allowing development partner Land Securities Trillium to make 'excessive returns'.
CBI to join OPD for property conference
Property information adviser OPD is to team up with the CBI for its eighth annual conference, to be held in London in February.
Vicinitee assists with major office relocation
Vicinitee.com, the bespoke property management and business community website, has played a key role in supporting the relocation of 650 people from offices in London's West End and to City.
RBS and Johnson take CoreNet innovation awards
Corporate real estate group CoreNet has presented global innovators awards to Royal Bank of Scotland and Johnson Controls, following its annual review of the industry's 'hottest best practices and solutions'.
Canary Wharf to be Olympics HQ
Canary Wharf Group has reached agreement with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Limited to lease 98,150 sq ft on a phased basis on levels 17, 22 & 23 at One Churchill Place.
Birmingham building takes BCO top award
The Mailbox building at BBC Birmingham has been named 'best of the best', taking the British Council for Offices top award after picking up a regional award and a national award for best office fit-out.
UK demand for business property at a standstill
Demand for business property in the UK has nosedived, according to a global property survey carried out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
New development process leads to better buildings
A new management process, successfully piloted at Cambridge University - the site of one of the largest university building programmes in the UK - promises to overcome many of the traditional problems associated with the procurement process.
US companies look to cut office space
Research carried out in the US has found that a growing number of companies are taking a serious look at flexible working strategies to reduce the amount they spend on office space.
Tenants doubtful about NYC's Freedom Tower
Property experts in New York are worried that the Freedom Tower, intended to replace the World Trade Center, could struggle to attract tenants. Concerns focus on its prominence and symbolic value.
Businesses failing to manage property effectively, RICS says
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors claims many companies are not reaping potential benefits because they are not using their property efficiently. In a move to combat this, it has issued guidance that advises businesses how to manage better.
Demand for commercial property holds up as investors enjoy returns
Two new reports issued yesterday confirm the commercial property market is still in good shape.
Business centre market looking towards strong growth
Business centre occupancy will rise over the next three years, with an additional 30,000 workstations taken up by 2008 predicts property adviser DTZ.
Service charges should be challenged, research says
UK businesses are paying nearly a billion pounds in questionable service charges, according to research from Loughborough University Business School.
CoreNet UK announces new board
The UK Chapter of the corporate real estate professionals group, CoreNet, has completed its latest round of elections and confirmed the make-up of its new board.
Government slammed as e-day approaches
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the British Property Federation have spoken out saying the UK stands little chance of meeting the EU deadline to implement new energy ratings for buildings.
Traditional lease terms falling away
The final report of the two-year study into commercial property leases shows them becoming shorter and more flexible, with upward-only reviews found in less than half of all deals.
New RICS index finds tenants unhappy
Better communication by landlords and managing agents would radically improve the satisfaction levels of UK business tenants, according to the first Tenant Satisfaction Index from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Corporate Real Estate Award Winners Revealed
Peter Copley of Reuters has been named Corporate Real Estate Executive of the Year at the ninth annual Corporate Real Estate Awards, held by CoreNet Global UK at Old Billingsgate, London, recently.
BAA property deal frees cash for development
Airport owner-operator BAA has transferred over £800m worth of property into a joint venture and received £575m of cash in return.
Green office space growing in US
According to a recent report focusing on real estate in the US, developers are increasingly opting for environmentally friendly systems and components which may cost more initially but are ultimately seen to result in savings.
Businesses urged to move property up the agenda
Property issues should be higher on the boardroom agenda according to a new guide authored by the CBI, advisers Deloitte and surveyors Donaldsons.
Catalogue shopping comes to the property world
A joint venture between a property developer and a furniture manufacturer is beginning to make a name for itself in the US, selling tailored buildings that buyers specify from a kit of parts covering everything from the shell to the interior fittings.
New advice offered on responsible property decisions
A new publication from the BRE provides guidance to businesses on social responsibility issues involved in choosing new premises.
ICT set to become a driving force in London property
Technology is becoming a key force in London's property market as it re-shapes business processes and occupier demand. New research has found that many companies think their office space is under-utilised.
Shorter leases here to stay, new research says
Are short-term leases solely a feature of a poor economy and a depressed property market? Apparently not, according to new research out this week.
Bad news for US office market
International property research group BOMA reports that occupancy rates for North American office space are at their lowest point in five years. BOMA attributes this to a sluggish economy that is inspiring limited optimism and poor job growth.
Good news - and bad - for business tenants
Recent months have seen more changes in property law, which directly affect occupiers of commercial property than we have seen in many years - and there are more to come in 2004.
Women urged to take control
Omnipresent Linda Barker joined a team of female Building Control surveyors at Interbuild to launch the Women in Building Control initiative, aimed at showing women the benefits of this particular career path.
TCS officially drops the S
Trammell Crow Savills has, as it announced in January, dropped the Savills name, reflecting the recent increase in share capital by US real estate giant Trammell Crow. It is now officially known as Trammell Crow Company.
Corenet summit aims to open minds
Under the banner Education Education Education, the UK chapter of Corenet Global, the international association of corporate real estate executives, set itself a big challenge for its annual summit - and pulled it off with a good degree of success.
Office service charges rocket
Jones Lang LaSalle has published its latest Office OSCAR report, which highlights trends in service charge costs across the office sector - up 15% in air-conditioned buildings and 8.2% in those without.
Chesterton extends property management contract with Centrica
Following a competitive tender, Chesterton has been re-appointed to provide Centrica with estates management and financial services.
Change in the wind for corporate real estate executives
A major research study by corporate real estate organisation CoreNet Global predicts significant change for CRE executives who will have to expand their skills beyond property to encompass IT and other support functions.
CoreNet award winners announced
CoreNet Global, the association for international corporate real estate executives, unveiled the results of its eighth annual awards programme at an event held in London last week.
Commercial property demand on the rise
Demand for business premises rose over the final quarter of 2003, good news for property markets after eleven successive quarters of decline.
RICS says no to EGM on fees
The RICS row over increased subscription rates continues as the governing body decided to reject a call for an EGM on the issue. 900 members had signed a petition asking for the meeting.
Resurge takes control of Chesterton
Just when you thought the future of Chesterton had been settled the saga takes another twist as control of the property consultancy passes to the company that financed the deal to take it private.
London retains 'most expensive' title
London's West End remains the world's most expensive office location, according to new research.
Canary Wharf to sell two buildings for £1.1bn
In one of the biggest ever property deals Canary Wharf Group is to sell two properties to Royal Bank of Scotland.
Boom in property transactions as IR closes loophole
The new stamp duty land tax came into effect today - prompting more than £1bn of commercial investment deals being rush through last month, according to some estimates.
Subscriptions must go up, RICS president tells members
The controversial increases in RICS subscription charges are necessary to achieve the aims of the organisation, Nick Brooke, president, has told his membership.
US wakes up to value of property
The US government property portfolio has an estimated value of more than $335bn (£210bn) - and the public sector decision-makers appear to have just realised that it can be managed rather than taken for granted.
RICS call centre wins national award
A call centre run by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has been named Contact Centre of the Year in the National Customer Service Awards.
Leasing is better than owning, research says
Leasing property rather than owning it allows companies to produce a better operating performance. That is the conclusion of extensive research covering experience over the past decade.
Two new customers for Landflex in Soho
Land Securities has signed up the Metropolitan Police and online financial applications company Marketpipe for its flexible space and services offer at 7 Soho Square.
Artemis signs up with Regus in £1.5m deal
Artemis - an IT and software provider - will take 135 workstations and a number of client focused training and technology environment facilities in the Regus centre at Bath Road, Slough.
BP division to go to Canary Wharf
BP Integrated Supply and Trading division is to relocate from the City to the Docklands.
PruPIM and DTZ grow contract
Prudential Property Investment Managers (PruPIM) has extended its contract with DTZ Debenham Tie Lung.
Two share BA's property management
British Airways has appointed Insignia Richard Ellis and Rogers Chapman to provide all its property management services. The airline has split the workload between the Heathrow estate and the rest of the UK portfolio.
Security leads rise in North American office costs
New figures from US and Canadian property operators show costs have been increasing in all areas except utilities. Perhaps not surprisingly, the biggest rise has been in spending on security.
RICS crisis heats up
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is faced with the prospect of a breakaway organisation of QS and building surveyors who are trying to stop the rot"."
EDF HQ on schedule to go live
Aukett, Soden & Brook Engineers and Interior plc are nearing the completion of the new HQ and Energy Branch for EDF Energy - the new name for London Electricity - at the former home of Enron.
Central London property market ‘unlikely to recover until 2004'
Take-up in the central London office market is 50% below the long term trend and 27% below 1992 figures - the worst year of the last cycle.
Drivers Jonas wins British Library property management contract
Drivers Jonas has been awarded the contract to provide a range of property advice to the British Library.
First customer for Landflex
Land Securities has signed up online travel company Expedia for its flexible lease offer in Soho Square.
BBC in landmark bond issue
The BBC has turned to an £800m bond issue to raise the cash needed to refurbish its properties.
LST's double honours in property management awards
Investors, occupiers and managers celebrated the first RICS Property Management Awards in the Docklands last week with Land Securities Trillium taking two prizes.
Crown Estate appoints C&W/H&B as Regent Street agents
The Crown Estate has appointed Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker (C&W/H&B) as managing agent for its £800m Regent Street estate after a competitive tendering process.
Network Rail strategic property review: FM has not changed
Network Rail confirmed that its FM contracts and functions will not be affected by a strategic review of its property function which will see it working much more closely with private sector developers.
CoreNet launches new economic development award
Real estate executives are urged to nominate their organisations for their commitment and leadership to economic development in the community via a new global award.
London office rents down 20% from 2001
Chesterton Research have recently concluded a survey into the movement in prime rental values between 1998 and 2003 concluding that City and West End office rents have declined dramatically since their peak in 2001.
DTI to relocate 2000 staff?
The DTI is considering moving more than 2000 staff out of its offices in Victoria Street, central London, according to property press reports.
LST wins award for Occupiers Property Strategy
Trillium's partnership with the BBC was praised at the Property Awards last night for freeing up capital for programme making.
BA rationalises real estate contractors to two
British Airways has appointed Insignia Richard Ellis (IRE) and Rogers Chapman preferred bidders for the property management of its UK operational portfolio.
Lease lengths getting shorter
The average length of new leases taken by corporate occupiers has almost halved over the past four years dropping from 12.8 years in 1999 to just 7.7 years by the end of 2002, according to new research.
Cyril Leonard gains membership of TCN
Property consultancy and asset manager, Cyril Leonard, has been selected as a member of independent property consortium, TCN Worldwide, giving it global representation".
London still most expensive city for offices
London has retained the dubious honour of being the most expensive city in the world for office space, according to the annual survey from property consultant Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker.
Docklands to have new tower
Planning permission for a new tower, just 8m shorter than Canary Wharf, is about to be submitted as an Amec-led consortium signs a deal to extend the DLR to City Airport.
Colliers buys Gooch Webster for £8m
Consolidation in the real estate sector continued today with the announcement that Fitzhardinge, the parent company of Colliers CRE, has bought agent, building consultant and asset manager, Gooch Webster for £8m.
BCO conference grapples with productivity
The next edition of the British Council for Offices best practice guide will take on workplace productivity as an issue. Are developers ready for that?
Commercial property market nosedives
The tenant is king says RICS reporting a further dramatic slump in the UK commercial property market in its latest quarterly survey - and landlords are losing power.
On your bicycle as Ofcom moves south
The communications regulator is set to become a neighbour of the Financial Times, as it moves to new offices across Southwark Bridge from the City of London.
London is still world's most expensive office location
According to DTZ's sixth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, the West End and City are the first and second most expensive places in the world for leasing property.
RICS reviews its property options
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is asking for expressions of interests from consultants who can help it develop a property strategy.
"High-rises are history" Peters tells CoreNet summit
Business guru Tom Peters told delegates at the San Diego Global Summit of real estate organisation CoreNet that the age of the high-rise office building is over.
Update commercial property tax, accountants urge
Accountants Ernst & Young have called on the government to rethink the taxation of commercial property. The current system is illogical and out of touch with the times, they argue.
AMEC team pursues waterside regeneration
AMEC has joined forces with development partners and intends to deliver over 7000sqm of mixed use space with an end value of over £1.4 billion on a series of waterside sites.
Property: shaky market but solid confidence
RICS says that Q3 demand for property has seen a further fall, but there has been an upturn in confidence in this shaken sector.
Sustainability remains low on the property agenda
An extensive survey of leading UK developers, investors and architects shows that 75% have given the issue of sustainable development serious consideration, but lack of occupier demand leaves action low down the priority list.
BCO design award for drinks company
The Cadbury Schweppes European Beverages HQ in Watford has won this year's British Council for Offices award for best design and fit-out of a workplace within the M25.
Deutsche Bank appoints JLL for real estate services
Deutsche Bank announced this week the formal appointment of Jones Lang LaSalle as its sole provider of real estate consulting and transactional services in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Chiswick Park sweeps BCO awards
This year's British Council for Offices Awards has seen three major prizes go to the same entry, the west London development Chiswick Park.
Rok to restructure Llewellyn with loss of 150 jobs
Rok bought construction group Llewellyn for £16.25m in September and has now announced a restructuring plan that will transform the company in a similar way to Rok's own revitalisation in 2000"."
Winds of change at floating Property Forum
“Without adversity there can be no real achievement,” said Martin Bell in the opening address at this year's Property Forum. So we should be seeing plenty of achievement from the property and facilities industry in the months ahead.
C&W CEO wins real estate award
Arthur J Mirante II, president and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield has been elected the Best International Real Estate Professional 2002 by the Barcelona Meeting Point, a real estate exhibition due to open on October 8.
Central London office market remains subdued
Third quarter analysis of the central London office market shows levels of activity so low that a few large deals have had a significant impact on aggregate measures of take-up.
Wembley redevelopment goes ahead
The £757m new Wembley stadium - to become the most expensive in the world - has finally received the go-ahead.
Inland Revenue sold property to tax haven company
The Inland Revenue sold its property to tax haven company Mapeley Steps Ltd in 2001 and not to UK-based Mapeley Ltd as it reported at the time.
CoreNet debates real estate partnerships
The September meeting of CoreNet Global UK's Real Estate Partnerships group, hosted by British Land, discussed key questions relating to the future of property outsourcing.
City responds to Tall Buildings report
Following the release of the Select Committee report Tall Buildings, the Corporation of London has responded saying high rise buildings should be regarded as an essential part of the city.
Tall buildings not needed in London, says Select Committee
A Select Committee report has shed doubt on the future of tall buildings saying they're not essential for London as a global financial centre but that companies see them as prestigious.
Telereal sells BT property
Telereal, the joint venture between Land Securities Trillium and the Pears Group, has sold six BT properties to Rotch Property Group for £270m.
Reuters considering property partnership
News and information company Reuters is understood to be considering radical changes to its property holding, including a property partnership deal.
CoreNet debate and research
Members of the CoreNet corporate real estate professional network have been debating the shape of the industry post-11th September and the organisation is collaborating on research to assess the changes.
London weakest office market in the UK
Despite a 38% increase in office take-up in London, the second quarter results are well below the average of the last three years, according to CB Hillier Parker.
Morley buys Barclays HQ for £198m
Morley Fund Management has acquired Barclays headquarters building in Lombard Street through a sale-and-leaseback agreement.
Donaldsons and GVA Grimley in merger talks
Property groups Donaldsons and GVA Grimley were today involved in merger talks to create the UK's third largest commercial-based agency.
Marconi sells further properties
Marconi has sold another two sites in Liverpool and Coventry in a bid to reduce debts. The sale-and-leaseback agreements are worth at least £20m.
Fujitsu considers outsourcing deal with LST
Fujitsu Services has confirmed it is considering selling the leaseholds of its property portfolio to Land Securities Trillium.
Minerva plans largest office building in London
Property company Minerva plans a new headquarters office development, which could become the tallest and largest office building in London.
Scipher in sale-and-leaseback deal
Technology company Scipher has sold its headquarters in Middlesex, to US pension fund clients of PRICOA Property Investment Management and Hines Air Property for £16.9m, after purchasing the building in December 2000 for £10.5m.
France Telecom to sell more property
France Telecom is negotiating the sale of additional real estate holdings, following its disposal of 40% of corporate property last year.
Sale-and-leaseback of 20 private UK hospitals
Nikko Principal Investments has acquired 20 UK private hospitals from Swedish healthcare group Capio, for £250m.
Dome deal signed at last
A deal to redevelop the Millennium Dome site was finally completed today by the Meridian Delta consortium.
Database to help education councils cut FM costs
Three further education organisations have joined forces to set up a database of property information for further education colleges', to help cut their maintenance costs.
Big Food and B&B in sale-and-leaseback deals
The Big Food Group, which owns the Iceland retail chain and Booker wholesale business, has signed a sale-and-leaseback deal for 31 properties with insurance company Axa, while the bank Bradford & Bingley is preparing for a similar deal worth £30m.
Sainsbury's HQ to be sold
German Fund manager Deka is to buy Sainsbury's headquarters in Holborn for £240m, from current owners Paul Hamlyn Ventures, who let the building to Sainsbury's in December 2000.
New office development at Heathrow
An office development on the south side of Heathrow Airport is planned by Salmon Harvester Properties after the group bought a prime site from DHL.
UNITE increases London beds by 75%
Student accommodation provider UNITE has secured a further 6,092 student and key worker beds across the UK, increasing the total number in London by 75%.
‘Waste of space' costs £18bn a year, says RICS
UK companies are wasting £18bn a year through inefficient use of property assets, according to an RICS report. Profits could be boosted by 13% if businesses consider sale-and-leaseback deals, hot-desking and other ways of eliminating unused space.
Demand for Canary Wharf space continues
London docklands developer Canary Wharf Group today confirmed the take up of approximately 25,000 sq m of space within various buildings still under construction.
Real estate network goes global
The two leading international organisations representing corporate real estate executives have announced the final step in their long-awaited merger.
Report backs tall buildings
Tall buildings can be more sustainable than smaller ones, according to a report commissioned by the Corporation of London which is keen to see more high rise buildings in the City.
Barclays in sale-and-leaseback deal
Barclays has sold a 3,000 sq m central London office building to property asset management group Redevco UK for £25.5m.
Rental values down in the first quarter
The first three months of the year saw a fall in rental values in Central London due to weak demand and rising availability, according to CB Hillier Parker.
Office take-up down across Europe in 2001
Take-up of office space in Europe's major markets fell 25% last year from the record level of 2000 to 8m sq m, closer to the late 1990s. The 3% decline in the final quarter suggests that the events of 11th September were not a major factor.
Brixton buys Hatton Cross Centre from BA
British Airways has completed the sale of its Hatton Cross Centre at Heathrow to Brixton plc.
NHS needs to re-evaluate property needs, says NAO
NHS trusts needs to reconsider their real estate needs and quickly dispose of properties they no longer need, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The beleaguered NHS would then be able to release capital for use elsewhere.
FM wakes up to the post-MIPIM hangover
There are mixed feelings about how useful MIPIM was to the FM industry this year. A combination of less obvious corporate end-users and greater competition in the FM market toughened trading conditions.
MIPIM ends on the future of FM
Delegates to MIPIM 2002 look forward to a future where they dominate the property industry.
Is MIPIM worth the money?
Companies spend £'000s on their presence at the MIPIM property show in Cannes, France. But some are beginning to question whether it's worth it.
Serviced offices: are they the new FM?
Gainsborough Business Centres says it is ready to compete with FM providers.
MIPIM has landed
Up to 16,000 property professionals from all over the world are converging on the French Riviera this week. More than 400 facilities management companies are in town.
Milton Keynes retail centre wins management award
A Milton Keynes shopping centre has won the Property Managers Association (PMA) Award for Excellence in Management.
Sainsbury's property chief's naked ambition
Sainsbury's head of property Ian Coull has set out the property implications of the supermarket's ambitious growth targets.
NAB sells city HQ for £6.65m
National Australia Bank has sold its former HQ at Tokenhouse Yard, EC2, for a consideration of £6.65m. A joint venture between the Manhattan Loft Corporation and developer Ridgeford Group purchased the 2,900 sq m (32,000 sq ft).
Deutsche Telekom sells property; EMI to follow suit?
To clear its debts, Deutsche Telekom has sold property in Frankfurt, while music group EMI is considering selling its HMV stores.
BA sells property as HQ staff to be cut
British Airways is to dispose of 10 buildings, including a New York hotel, as part of its radical restructuring. The airline plans to cut more than 1,000 staff at its flagship Waterside headquarters near Heathrow.
Iceland considers sale-and-leaseback
Supermarket group Iceland is contemplating a sale-and-leaseback deal of its store portfolio, which potentially could raise more than £250m.
Rents down but London still priciest city in EMEA
Despite significant falls in office rents in Europe, especially in Stockholm, London's West End and Paris, London is still the most expensive city in the EMEA region.
Property sales boost BT profits
BT third quarter results benefited from an £857m contribution to profits as the result of property transactions.
JLL to service Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation has selected Jones Lang LaSalle as its preferred worldwide provider of real estate transaction services, covering 450 properties in 40 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Alstom considers 'monetisation' of property
Investment bank Schroder Salomon Smith Barney has been retained to advise French power and engineering group Alstom on realising the value locked up in its property portfolio.
Skanska to build and manage police HQ
In a deal worth SEK 370m (£24.5m), Skanska will develop, construct, manage and lease out the new headquarters for the police, prosecution, prison and probation authorities in central Uppsala, Sweden.
Alcatel poised to sell property
Alcatel is the second French telecommunications company planning a sale-and-leaseback deal.
Central London office market down at year-end
The last quarter of 2001 saw demand for central London office space continue to decline. The latest research from Insignia Richard Ellis shows falling prime rental levels across all core markets in the second half of the year.
Marconi sells property portfolio
Debt laden communications and IT provider Marconi has sold surplus property in the UK for £10m to property group Ashtenne, as part of a bid to raise £500m from non-core disposals by March.
Property demand up, but expected to slow
Over the last six months the commercial property market has stayed strong despite economic pressures, although demand is set to slow during the first half of 2002.
Ericsson sells property
Ericsson has sold its property at St James's Square in London for £117m to BP, where the energy provider plans to move its global corporate headquarters.
HSE shortlist for serviced HQ
The Health and Safety Executive has shortlisted eight property developers bidding for its new headquarters on Merseyside.
Property sale-and-leaseback for Enron?
Enron Corporation plans to sell off £4bn worth of assets to restructure the company out of bankruptcy-court protection within a year.
London office vacancies at 5-year high
According to international property adviser DTZ the number of offices to let in Central London is at its highest for five years.
RBS to rent MWB serviced offices
Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group's office subsidiary MWB Business Exchange is to let its entire 2,800 sq m (30,000 sq ft) Edinburgh Business Park serviced office centre to the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Barclays signs HQ contract with Canary Wharf
Barclays has signed an agreement with Canary Wharf Group for the lease of a new headquarters building.
Jury still out on real estate partnerships says Nacore UK
Real estate partnerships reduce cost, improve service and increase flexibility. So say over 80% of a sample of Nacore UK members. More than two thirds also think REPs do not endanger corporate real estate jobs.
BT exchanges contracts with Telereal
BT has exchanged contracts with Telereal for the £2.38bn sale of its UK property portfolio.
SCIC-Mace venture wins first UK project
The SCIC-Mace management and technical services joint venture has won its first project in the UK.
RICS expects slow rental growth next year
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) economics unit predicts UK commercial property rental growth will slow to 2.5% in 2002 before recovering to 3.1% in 2003. This is compared to 4.3% in 2001.
Tecient talks to Simon Property
Tecient, the new retail consultancy backed by Henderson Global Investors and property investors and developers Grosvenor, is in discussions with US real estate investment trust Simon Property Group.
Attacks cost NY £57bn in damages
The terrorist attacks in New York on September 11 have caused $83bn (£57bn) worth of damage according to a report by the New York City Partnership & Chamber of Commerce.
BA confirms property review
British Airways has confirmed that it is undertaking a review of its property holdings. But the troubled airline says it has no plans to dispose of its flagship Waterside office complex.
BBC property partnership goes live
The property partnership between the BBC and Land Securities Trillium (LST) officially began today.
France Telecom sells properties for £1.8bn
France Telecom has sold 40% of its corporate real estate holdings for Eur3bn (£1.8bn). The sale is expected to generate a capital gain of Eur600m (£368m).
Security moves up CRE agenda
Security is becoming a bigger part of the corporate real estate executive's job, according to a survey by the IDRC.
Office fires costly
Fires in commercial properties are nearly three times more expensive than in residential buildings, according to a new study.
Visa signs on for Paddington
Visa is to take almost 18,000 sq m at the PaddingtonCentral development by Development Securities as a regional HQ.
Nacore launches partnerships interest group
Corporate property in the UK has a gross book value of over £212bn. Companies using capitalised leases significantly out-perform companies occupying freehold property.
France Telecom to sell property
France Telecom has confirmed press reports that it plans to sell off its property portfolio.
Slowdown in property demand predicted
The global war against terrorism and the increasing likelihood of a US recession will lead to a short-term slowdown of tenant demand and rental growth rate in the UK, creating a more cautious market.
Rent growth slowest since 1994, says CBHP
CB Hillier Parker claims the economic slow down is continuing to affect the commercial property market and says rental values have only increased by 0.4% in the third quarter of this year.
UK property market still healthy
While American office providers are suffering, the UK market remains robust according to research by GVA Grimley. The property adviser also claims there won't be a '90s style property market recession.
Record attendance forecast for Munich property fair
This month's Expo Real, Munich's fourth annual commercial property trade fair has attracted significant new speakers, exhibitors and attendees. For the first time it includes a Facility Management Day.
BA denies plan to sell property
British Airways says it is not actively pursuing a sale-and-leaseback deal of its £2bn property portfolio, despite reports in the Sunday newspapers.
Nacore UK to launch real estate partnerships interest group
NACORE's UK Chapter is to launch its first Special Interest Group (SIG) - to promote discussion on real estate partnerships within both public and private sectors.
Owen Williams awarded two public sector contracts
Owen Williams Consultants has won the contracts to provide consultancy support at Kent Constabulary and London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.
NTL takes space at Thomas More Square
Communications company NTL has taken a new 15 year lease on 8,780 sq m (94,500 sq ft) of space at Thomas More Square on the edge of the City.
Serviced office sector growing
The average occupancy level for all business centres is 74% and the occupancy period at least nine months, according to the report UK Serviced Office Market 2001.
Barclays moves to Canary Wharf
Barclays plc and Canary Wharf Group have announced that they have reached an agreement to develop a new headquarters building for Barclays.
UNITE announces interim results and new accommodation scheme
The UNITE Group, provider of student and NHS key worker accommodation services, announced an increase in the number of secured bed spaces to 19,609 from 10,450 in its interim results, for the year ended 30th June 2001.
Long-term slowdown in property growth, says GVA Grimley
The latest figures from international property adviser GVA Grimley indicate that average rental growth for commercial property in the UK over the next five-year period will be 2.7% annually rather than the 3.7% forecast at the start of this year.
More office space in London
The second quarter has seen a rise in B office space availability, although there is still little grade A space in London, keeping rents in the West End up and increasing growth values in the City and Midtown.
GVA Grimley seeking space for eoffice
Property adviser GVA Grimley has been selected by eoffice, to find suitable accommodation for its new brand of business centres.
London's West End still most expensive office location in the world
The pace of rental growth in Class A office space has slowed dramatically around the world in the last six months, due largely to corporate reaction to the slowdown in the US and Japanese economies and the meltdown in the worldwide technology sector.
Jarvis to create student village in London
Jarvis is to finance, build and manage its first student village in London after it acquired a site in Greenwich. The £60m project will be developed by the Jarvis University Partnerships Programme (Jarvis UPP).
Office rental growth slows down
Office rental growth has slowed down with annualised growth falling from 12.3% in November 2000 to just 3.4% in June this year.
More plan cross-border property investments
The majority of real estate companies plan to increase their property holdings abroad, according to DTZ Research.
NHS buys private hospital
The NHS has acquired the private London Heart Hospital to shorten patient's waiting times, despite recent reports that commercial companies are being offered large profits for a percentage of NHS Estate.
Office take-up down
The level of take-up of offices in the EMEA region has fallen in the second quarter of 2001, according to research by CB Hillier Parker.
NHS Estates privatisation criticised
Commercial companies are being offered ‘sizeable' profits for buying a percentage of NHS Estates, according to a report in the Guardian.
M&S selects property adviser for HQ sale
Marks & Spencer has selected Jones Lang LaSalle to provide advice on the sale of its Baker Street headquarters in London.
Real estate investment management tool launched in US
US software company Timberline has introduced investment management software for lease-based property analysis and valuation.
New HQ for Workplace Management
Workplace Management, the facilities management division of Chesterton International is to move into a new building, to act as its headquarters, in Bracknell.
Sainsbury's to raise money in property deals?
Rumours that Sainsbury's is planning to raise more than £200m by restructuring over a third of its property portfolio have spread across a number of news wires following a report in the Independent on Sunday.
M&S revises hopes of cash from property to £800m
Marks & Spencer says that it hopes to raise up to £800m from its UK property portfolio, as it formally put 80 of its stores up for sale on Tuesday. £300m will come from a sale-and-leaseback deal and a further £300m to £400m from securitisation.
Commercial property demand down for first time in three years
For the first time since 1998 there has been a reduction in demand in the UK commercial property market, according to a bi-annual survey performed by Confederation of British Industry and GVA Grimley.
M&S to raise £300m from sale-and-leaseback
Marks & Spencer is to extend its property rationalisation programme by selling off some of its poorest performing high street stores in a sale-and-leaseback deal, which could raise £300m in cash.
Tube PPP delayed
The tube PPP deal and the contract to manage the London Underground's property portfolio have been delayed, says London Transport.
BT sells property portfolio for £2.3bn
BT has sold its UK property portfolio to Telereal Holdings for £2.3bn, making it one of the largest transactions of its type in the UK.
RBS negotiates terms for new HQ
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to buy a former hospital site outside Edinburgh from Lothian Primary Care Trust for its new headquarters.
Property companies sign up with Asite
Internet portal Asite has announced that property firms Land Securities, Grosvenor, MEPC, Standard Life and Sainsbury's have signed up as equity partners.
Regus in talks to buy HQ
Serviced office provider Regus has confirmed that it is in discussions to acquire Frontline Capital Group and its subsidiary HQ Global Workplaces.
Features - Search found 67 features
How to storm-proof your portfolio
Pre-season evidence is your best insurance.
Building safety: a very mixed picture
Still too little information and too much fragmentation, holding back progress.
It’s time to visualise the future
When technologies converge to form a connected digital twin, we can see the possibilities of FM.
Gatwick: looking beyond arrivals and departures
The airport, a complex site with over 70 years of history, is tackling buried assets and biodiversity with digital mapping.
Building Safety Act: implications for FMs
April 6th sees the end of the transitional period, with far-reaching implications for projects where Building Regulations apply.
Climate tech investment: the benefits
Embracing technology to monitor emissions and act on real-time data positions FM teams to achieve real change.
What it will take to earn the commute
Here’s a challenge: how can real estate better connect people, places and businesses to accelerate and unlock sustainable, inclusive and transformational investment?
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Which way forward?
What better candidate for a workplace transformation case study than Which?
MIPIM 2023: look up
MIPIM is the world’s largest real estate conference, holding something for nearly all stakeholders across the built environment,
Flexspace: finding a place in corporate thinking
We talked with flexspace expert Kurt Mroncz to find out how this concept went from maybe to mainstream in corporate real estate strategy.
Digital twins: the next stage of BIM
It’s not controversial to say that BIM, building information modelling, has struggled to gain traction in facilities management market since the concept was introduced to the sector almost 20 years ago.
Buildings and extreme weather: data is key
When temperatures peaked at 37C across much of the UK in July, it caused many disruptions across multiple sectors.
Corporate property: what now?
Developers, agents, landlords, architects, designers, real estate people and facilities managers united at the British Council for Offices Annual Conference earlier this month. Jo Sutherland looks back.
Sustainable buildings: visiting the future
April’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report offered a slither of hope that we can stave off the worst ravages of climate breakdown.
Green leases and sustainability: what’s next?
Commercial property is estimated to be responsible for about one-third of total carbon emissions in the UK. Tenanted buildings need to manage in a more sustainable way, green leases are part of the answer.
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Time to reduce your office car park?
The pandemic has brought with it some real opportunities for future-focused facilities professionals.
Grey space: A flexible opportunity?
Grey space, those areas that now look like being surplus floorspace, might well present an opportunity for office occupiers to invest in new flexible workspace.
The outlook for the offices in 2021
The year ahead is a promising time for the office market. While the UK faces further lockdown measures, the vaccination programme brings light to the end of the tunnel.
Flexspace and the future of the office
Like many industries, the flexspace sector is facing one of its greatest challenges in the global pandemic.
Resilient decision-making in times of change
In any organisation, times of contraction can lead to difficult decisions. The same goes for periods of growth. Accurate, reliable data is critical in every case.
What future for flexible workspace providers?
Demand for flexible workspace in the UK has dropped to roughly 20% of pre-Covid-19 levels and does not look set to recover soon. But many providers are remaining open, though often with skeleton staff.
Retrofitting workspace to meet new demands
The Covid-19 pandemic is causing us to rethink what is important for the workplace and how offices are designed, built and managed.
Digital twins: two is better than one
With access to limitless data in every aspect of our lives, it’s about time that we really utilise that data to improve the world around us. Rob Charlton argues the case for digital twins.
Crunch time for business occupiers
No matter the sector, be it technology, finance, retail, manufacturing or any other, virtually all UK businesses rent their HQ and operational premises under commercial leases. Scott Keown offers some timely advice.
Moving to business focused maintenance
The traditional one-size-fits-all maintenance approach uses interval-based inspection, planned maintenance and reactive repair. Alistair Clements makes the case for a better solution.
Why compliance maintenance should be a priority
In order to ensure a safe environment, it is important that all aspects of a building remain compliant and within the law. Property services firm MSL offers some advice on the basics.
Cracking the retail conundrum
The decline of the British high street has been feature of the news for some years now. One factor compounding the problem for retailers comes with their legacy estates. But there are opportunities for action, as Rob Marriott explains.
Transparency: the key to better buildings
In Poland, a major contractor has been working with a local building technology specialist to implement new solutions to the age-old problem of transparency of information. Even operating costs can be accurately predicted now.
Coworking and the demise of the commercial property lease
Traditional commercial office leases are under threat, as an increasing number of organisations begin to recognise the value of flexible working. But why should facilities managers care about this new trend?
Barriers to BIM adoption in FM and how to overcome them
How many people reading this have BIM fatigue? Who is tired of hearing how BIM can transform facilities management? How come since the 2016 UK government mandate, there is still little evidence of BIM for FM becoming business as usual?
Coworking comes to the corporation
Coworking spaces create community and collaboration. Some enterprises want a bit of that buzz, reports Fiona Perrin from the frontline of flexible working.
Three ways to make a building energy efficient
In the world of facilities management, energy efficiency is a theme that is growing ever more important. With an anticipated surge in energy bills, clients are now expecting FM professionals to provide solutions to their energy management problems.
BIM: why contractors and FM providers need to work together
Building information modelling is not new. Nor is the tension between building contracting and facilities management. Mike Knapp argues the case for closer collaboration.
New energy standards: are you ready?
From April 2018, a new legal standard for minimum energy efficiency will apply to rented commercial buildings. Carl Ghinn explains the benefits and risks involved for facilities managers.
The service charge challenge
Service charges are a necessary part of multi-occupancy locations, but assessing value for money for the services included can be difficult. A new report from Property Solutions looks at the issues in the retail sector.
Flexible workspace: drivers and the direction of travel
Things are obviously changing fast in the world of work. Business centres, serviced offices and similar flexible options have been around for years; but suddenly the coworking phenomenon is taking off. Sector expert Kurt Mroncz explains why.
Why the future of work is more human than you think
Everyone wants to be happy at work, and a growing number of forward-thinking companies are starting to recognise the importance of happiness in the workplace. Marie Puybaraud explains what's behind this shift in attitude.
Sensory overload
Sensor technology is spreading fast. How do we balance the benefits of that with growing concerns about privacy? Raj Krishnamurthy looks at the issues and opportunities.
Using facilities assessments to gain funding
Jay Pearlman offers some advice on selling-in the need for action in a higher education setting, with plenty of applicability in other sectors.
What's the deal with productivity?
Can workplace design improve productivity, and is that measurable? Simon Iatrou talks to some of the key players behind The Stoddart Review about the report, its aims and the workplace puzzle.
Are FM people constrained by data?
Michael McCullen implores facilities managers to ask the right question when it comes to specifying a BIM system.
Asset Management: Opportunities & Challenges
There's increasing recognition that effective asset management has much to contribute to the successful operation of any organisation.
Creating Flexible Space
Tony Cahill provides advice on transforming an older building into a flexible workspace, ensuring the interior works are in line with the latest in office practice.
Room for improvement
Our cities are developing at such an incredible rate that space is now at a premium. In response, Paul Statham says, organisations should turn to resource scheduling systems.
Not All EPCs are the Same
Marcus Brodin explains why an energy performance contract from an experienced solutions provider can offer a number of advantages over traditional procurement models.
Benchmarking Placebos
Bernard Williams explains why FMs should not try to benchmark facilities services using standard statistical data. Site-specific benchmarking is the only real option, he argues.
The Benefits of Benchmarking Service Charges
Service charge management in commercial property is not regulated by law and management practices often lack consistency across the sector. That can present a challenge to real estate and FM managers.
BIM: Solving the Mystery of Building Failure
The poor performance of many buildings is a constant source of embarrassment to engineers and mystery to FMs. Building information modelling offers a glimpse a more efficient future. Bruce Bisset makes the case.
Dealing with Disaster
FM consultant Bernard Crouch explains how facilities managers can overcome the myriad of challenges that arise from a flood or fire.
BIM: the ultimate FM tool
Building information modelling is taking the building services design industry by storm, but what can it possibly do for facilities management?
Giving Buildings a New Life
Refurbishing existing buildings might not sound exciting, but it sits right at the top of the political agenda.
Saving Money on Space
At a time when cost is a key concern for all organisations, making the most of existing space is critical.
Making More Space
Improved utilisation of available space is on the agenda for many businesses. In some cases, thinking creatively could be the answer.
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
How can FM balance intense cost pressure with good practice and the protection of asset values?
Time for Change
Chris Kane, Head of BBC Workplace, is a man with a mission. A clue to what drives him lies in his choice of job title.
Smooth Exit
Greg Kemp writes: Costly and time-consuming legal wrangles about 'wear and tear' at the termination of a lease or a break point can be avoided by understanding your obligations as a tenant on exit when you take on the lease.
Space - But Not As We Know It
Rob Harris argues that space utilisation patterns are changing, probably for good. That means our approach to planning and measuring the workplace also needs to change.
Boarding The Ark
Elliott Chase writes: Whether you love it, loathe it - or are simply bemused that the thing ever got built in the first place - The Ark is a remarkable building.
A MoDEL Approach
Stephen Dance argues that the MOD's strategy for delivering improvements to its London estate should become the model for change at other public sector bodies.
Green Landlords?
Dave Wilson asks: Could FMs and occupiers be dictated to by landlords that adopt ‘green leases'?
Living up to the Code
Martyn Hayward writes: The new RICS Code of Practice on service charges comes into full effect from 1 April. It is already putting more weight behind a fundamental market shift: the property industry is realising that occupiers are important.
FM + CRE = the Future
Dom Sherry argues that integration of facilities management and corporate real estate services is the shape of things to come.
Let's Talk About It: Customer Service Comes to the Property World
Elliott Chase writes: The first RICS Tenant Satisfaction Index made disappointing - though predictable - reading. But as more landlords follow in the pioneering footsteps of Brixton Estates, we should see things change for the better.
Re-thinking corporate real estate after September 11th
Andrew Laing from Journal of Corporate Real Estate.
Challenges and opportunities in aligning real estate and the workplace
Results of a survey of leading CEOs by Lucy E. Allard and Christine Barber, from Journal of Corporate Real Estate.
Restructuring corporate real estate
Restructuring corporate real estate and facilities in mergers, acquisitions and consolidations by Rachel Kessler-Park and Scott D. Butler. Journal of Corporate Real Estate Volume 5 Number 1.
New horizons for a real estate industry
Corporate real estate executives were given an insight into the social, political and technological trends that will affect their clients, their markets and their jobs. Geraldine Bear reports from CoreNet's Global Summit held in Lille last month.
Comments - Search found 27 comments
Retrofit for purpose: how to unlock progress
The operations of buildings represent over a quarter of global energy-related emissions.
Managing more than space
The FM learning curve for new premises.
Six burning questions for FM
In every conversation I have with clients, peers and our own teams, the same themes keep emerging.
A greener future for the office
Property markets have experienced significant turbulence in recent times – so, what’s next?
Connecting the dots
We live in a world where droves of information and data are at our fingertips, containing limitless potential insights.
Delivering energy-efficiency retrofits
To deliver effective energy-saving retrofits, FM professionals need to implement the most suitable solutions for their buildings. Stewart Little explains.
Sewing up safety with the digital golden thread
The next deadline in the roll-out of the UK’s new building safety regulations is coming up fast.
The empty office space challenge
Organisations are grappling with an unprecedented challenge – what to do with vast, often underutilised floorspace.
Proptech: the future of CRE management
Simon Russell explores current challenges and new opportunities as teams push for better solutions in the hybrid working age.
A few thoughts on 2022, and some on 2023
Simon Iatrou looks back, and then forward, from his perspective on the other side of the Atlantic.
Build smart for smart business
Smart. Facilities management is awash with the concept, hailed as the future not just of buildings but of the whole built environment.
MEES deadline – will you sink or swim?
The UK’s new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard comes into play in just over six months. Property owners and occupiers need to be aware.
Redressing the balance of power
For centuries, landlords have had the upper hand in the UK commercial property market.
Pre-construction: the devil is in the detail
Having a detailed pre-construction phase undertaken before starting the design and build or upgrade of a data centre facility has a number of major benefits, says Jon Healy.
Playing whack-a-mole with schools funding
Years of under-funding have exacerbated the problem of the condition of school buildings to such an extent that the recently announced £1bn spend on re-building schools in England is nowhere near enough.
Security in a time of uncertainty
As the country continues to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, security officers have a vital role to play in keeping communities safe and helping to keep critical national infrastructure going.
The transformational journey to workplace 2030
In the year 2020, I am approximately 43 years into a career that has been more or less exclusively focused on corporate real estate. So writes Chris Hood, looking back in order to see forward more clearly.
A new approach to sustainability in the built environment
Sunil Shah looks at the current practice of responsible business in the built environment and explains the collaborative approach that RICS is taking to create the new model necessary to transfer knowledge of sustainability through the property lifecycle.
FM and the need for leadership
With the world changing fast this is an important time to position facilities management as the lead enabling function for positive progress in multiple aspects of our lives, from the workplace through to cities. Geoff Prudence argues for greater focus.
The Elemental Workplace
The relationship between facilities management and the emerging discipline of Workplace has always been slightly awkward.
BIM means us too
There's no escaping the fact that FMs are part of the government’s BIM drive, says Kath Fontana.
Business rates: how can FMs help?
Despite an optimistic defence from the government and a promise to alleviate pressures on smaller firms, there has been a highly negative response from a large number of businesses to the long awaited new business rates, which come into effect in April.
Where are the innovators?
Who is making things happen in the built environment sector? Who's stimulating change?
Not Just a One-night Stand
We have been there too many times before, lost together in the heady success of a project and forgetting ourselves entirely.
Why the property industry shuns social media
What is it with the wider property and workplace industry and social media?
Death of the Office?
Research suggests that almost total redundancy of the physical office is on the cards in as little as twenty years' time.
Frustrated of Bedford
I’ve just got back from the British Council for Offices conference in Birmingham, a frustrated Martin Pickard writes.
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