Search

Addressing work environment design methods has become increasingly important due to pandemic-induced changes in the ways and locations of work. This research addresses work environment design through a theory-informed workplace design framework to study the co-design process, the impact of spatial atmosphere on workplace experience and satisfaction, and infrequently studied spaces, i.e. meeting rooms and breakout areas. This case study is based on co-design methods, a workplace design intervention study and its evaluation. Comprehensive design is addressed through analytical dimensions of design, i.e. instrumental, symbolic, aesthetic and perceived dimensions of atmosphere and affordances. Furthermore, the spatial experience is explored through need-supply fit theory and workplace satisfaction. The pre-design results showed that employees have distinct design preferences based on perceived and analytical dimensions for technical, hybrid and creative meetings and individual work and recovery events. The workspace interventions were designed using the design information gathered from the co-design process; the changes implemented in intervention spaces increased employee satisfaction towards them. The study's methodology contributes to establishing a theory-informed workplace design framework supporting user-centred workplace design and evaluation and indicates a role for spatial atmosphere in need-supply fit formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activity-based flexible offices (AFOs) provide a variety of workspaces to meet the need for social interactions and privacy at work. This study investigates the relationship between the design characteristics of AFOs and users' perceptions of visual and acoustic privacy and social interactions. This case study is based on post-occupancy evaluations in three AFO layouts at a public service organization in Sweden. A mixed-method approach is adopted that combines questionnaires and layout analysis. In general, the results showed that while aesthetics received the highest satisfaction scores, office functionality, task support, storage and visual and acoustic privacy received the lowest ratings. Key design characteristics for AFOs were operationalized, observed and exemplified: zone diversity, proportion, readability, spatial enclosure, sharing ratios and functionality of furniture and tools. These insights may contribute to better-informed decisions about the design characteristics that influence privacy and social interactions in AFOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between energy use and height is examined for a sample of 611 office buildings in England and Wales using actual annual metered consumption of electricity and fossil fuels. The buildings are of different ages; they have different construction characteristics and methods of heating and ventilation; and they include both public and commercial offices. When rising from five storeys and below to 21 storeys and above, the mean intensity of electricity and fossil fuel use increases by 137% and 42% respectively, and mean carbon emissions are more than doubled. A multivariate regression model is used to interpret the contributions of building characteristics and other factors to this result. Air-conditioning is important, but a trend of increased energy use with height is also found in naturally ventilated buildings. Newer buildings are not in general more efficient: the intensity of electricity use is greater in offices built in recent decades, without a compensating decrease in fossil fuel use. The evidence suggests it is likely -- although not proven -- that much of the increase in energy use with height is due to the greater exposure of taller buildings to lower temperatures, stronger winds and more solar gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Office workers are commonly targeted in interventions to modify their sitting behaviour, yet there is limited evidence of the correlates of breaks in sitting to inform intervention development. This study identifies the individual, workplace and spatial configuration correlates of the frequency of breaks in sitting (number/hour) in office workers (n = 5531) stratified by office type (private-enclosed, shared, open plan). All behaviours and potential correlates were measured via self-report using an online cross-sectional survey. Regression analyses revealed age was the only socio-demographic characteristic associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in all office types. Greater job autonomy and local connectivity were positively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in shared and open-plan offices. In open-plan offices co-worker proximity was negatively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting. Co-worker visibility was positively associated with frequency of breaks in sitting in all office types. This study demonstrates that individual, workplace and spatial configuration factors are all associated with the frequency of breaks in sitting and that these relationships differ by office type. These observations extend prior studies that have only examined correlates at a single level (e.g.the individual). This evidence could be useful to guide future interventions in the design of workplaces to increase breaks in sitting and workers’ physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tubular daylight guidance systems (TDGS) are linear devices that channel daylight into the core of a building. The experience of some of the first uses of TDGS is explored in actual buildings in UK temperate latitudes. The nature of the systems and the factors influencing the costs and various benefits that contribute value are identified. Lighting systems in working offices, lit by electric lighting and daylight guidance, were surveyed. Data on the physical characteristics of the systems, lighting conditions achieved, and user views were collected. The results formed the input to a cost and value analysis which permitted the economic limits of the systems to be evaluated. A number of daylight and environmental benefits were identified as value items, but the systems were clearly uneconomic in cost terms as presently configured and used. Long-term cost-value was compared with electric lighting alternatives making assumptions about future energy costs and system configurations. Some pitfalls of attempting to integrate innovative technology into existing lighting systems are identified and remedies suggested. Les systemes tubulaires de guidage de la lumiere du jour (TDGS) sont des dispositifs lineaires qui canalisent la lumiere du jour jusqu'au centre d'un batiment. L'auteur analyse quelques-unes des premieres applications des TDGS dans des batiments existants au Royaume-Uni, sous des latitudes temperees. Il identifie la nature des systemes et les facteurs qui ont des incidences sur les couts et les divers avantages qui contribuent a la valeur de ces systemes. Il etudie les systemes d'eclairage electrique et de guidage de la lumiere du jour utilises dans les bureaux. Il a recueilli des donnees sur les caracteristiques physiques de ces systemes, sur les conditions d'eclairage obtenues et sur le point de vue des utilisateurs. Ces resultats ont servi a une analyse de cout et de valeur qui a permis d'evaluer les limites economiques de ces systemes. On a identifie un certain nombre d'avantages de la lumiere du jour et de l'environnement comme etant des elements interessants mais il est clair que ces systemes ne sont pas rentables en termes de cout tel qu'ils sont actuellement configures et utilises. On a compare l'ensemble cout-valeur a long terme a des alternatives d'eclairage electrique et elabore des hypotheses sur l'avenir des couts energetiques et des configurations de tels systemes. On a identifie quelques obstacles a l'integration de technologies novatrices dans les systemes d'eclairage existant et on a suggere des solutions. Mots cles: Mots-cles: technologies alternatives, lumiere du jour, retour d'information, systemes de guidage, conduits de lumiere, systemes d'eclairage, conception de bureaux, evaluation technologique, valeur [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]