The Leader - November/December 2007 - (Page 34)

IN N ova tIN G th e Wor kpla ce thro uG h De s I G N: I mp le me NtI NG tre NDs that traNs ce ND not wish to incur the additional up front expense of seeking LEED certification. For many organizations, this decision is driven by their company values and culture, and in some instances, mandated by their local cities and jurisdictions. LEED certification or not, incorporating sustainable design features is good for employees and good for business. Examples of sustainable design strategies include the use of more energy efficient lighting solutions, use of natural and locally available building materials, water conservation (low flow water fixtures), and the use of recycled materials, as well as designing in flexibility to reduce future potential cost and waste. chaNGe maNaGemeNt IN the Work eNvIroNmeNt ‘studios,’ ‘neighborhoods,’ or ‘teams’ with other fellow collaborators. Common Areas, which include conference rooms, flexible enclave spaces, and large-scale open working environments, have replaced space previously dedicated to private offices. New furniture systems balance the need for open office with some element of privacy, incorporating translucent, movable walls and portable filing cabinets and bookshelves. This is an effective strategy to provide some structure to open and flexible office environments. rIse of the braNDeD eNvIroNmeNt that enhances the corporate identity. Some specific features that communicate an organization’s personality and brand include strategic use of corporate colors, company logo, vision/marketing/ advertising images as art, product display boards, or graphic interpretation of the business’s core philosophy. With an increasingly tight labor pool and fierce competition for talent, companies look to designers to transform their spaces into visible replications of their brand and culture, thus setting them apart from their competition. maINstream GreeN Dynamic companies are seizing the opportunity to reinforce their brand and emphasize their company culture through the design of their office space, a technique termed “branded environments.” Branding the space generally translates into providing a consistent aesthetic and graphic design/signage LEED™ and Sustainable Design are very hot trends across numerous industries, with commercial real estate being no exception. Some companies are choosing to pursue LEED-Commercial Interiors certification. Many businesses we work with value environmental consciousness and responsibility, but do The changing work environment is a hot topic of discussion in industry and the media. We are challenged to adapt to the latest technologies and a new generation of workers (Gen X and Gen Y) who have very different ideas about work style and life balance/priorities than the Baby Boomer generation. As designers, we must be more flexible and nimble in how we navigate rapid change. Further complicating our planning of the ‘next office’ is the lack of clarity about what new technologies will be at the doorstep of our future. This reality underscores the need for us to continue to find creative ways to allow flexibility to prevail. Today’s commercial real estate executives and design professionals must facilitate a forward look. We need to ask appropriate questions to ensure that we are designing facilities that engage today’s work styles, while keeping in mind that the pace of change has accelerated. We only need to look at the example of product design, to see how 2 0 0 7 the le aDe r 34 November / December

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leader - November/December 2007

The Leader - November/December 2007 Leadership Contents Message from the CEO Real Estate in the News Investing in India 110 to One Smaller Workspaces, Better Workspaces Innovating the Workplace Through Design Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Getting It Right Using Location Intelligence to Reinvent Franchises Philips International’s Ron Blanken CB Richard Ellis’ Karen Ellzey The State of Louisiana’s Mike Olivier Industry Tracker Economic Developer Directory Discovery Forum Findings Career Development Emerging Leader Economic Development in the News A Look Ahead Executive Development Spotlight

The Leader - November/December 2007

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