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Home > Design Guidance > Design Objectives > Productive > Design for the Changing Workplace
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by the WBDG Productive Committee Last updated: 08-13-2009
In this electro nic/info rmatio n age, wo rk teams fo rm and refo rm to meet o rganizatio nal needs, techno lo gical inno vatio ns, and changing business relatio nships. Buildings and interio r spaces need to be flexible to anticipate and suppo rt this changing nature o f wo rk. Within the past few years, designers have so ught to create a new generatio n o f "flexible" buildings and wo rkplace enviro nments within buildings that have infrastructures and structures that fully suppo rt change while sustaining new techno lo gies, and multi-capable individuals and teams.
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BO O KMARK AND SHARE
Design f or the Changing Workplace
OVERVIEW
LO G IN
Aesthetic Challenges Aesthetic Opportunities Within This Page Overview Recommendations Emerging Issues Relevant Codes and Standards Major Resources
Air Barrier Systems in Buildings Air Decontamination Assessment Tools for Accessibility VIEW ALL RELAT ED (4 5) VIEW RESO URCE PAG E INDEX
The changing nature o f wo rk means greater mo bility fo r wo rkers, a multiplicity o f wo rkspaces within and external to buildings, greater use o f geo graphically dispersed gro ups, increased dependence o n so cial netwo rks—and greater pressure to pro vide fo r all o f these needs and behavio rs in a leaner and mo re agile way. Wo rkplaces have respo nded with many new o ptio ns, including mo re teaming and info rmal interactio n spaces, mo re suppo rts fo r virtual individual and gro up wo rk, mo re attentio n to integrating learning into everyday wo rk experience, greater flexibility in wo rk lo catio ns, and mo re fo cus o n fitting the wo rkplace to the wo rk rather than vice versa. Many wo rkplaces are also inco rpo rating spaces that enco urage relaxed engagement with co lleagues to reduce stress and pro mo te a sense o f co mmunity.
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D ESIG N D ISC IPLIN ES PR O D UC T S & SYST EMS
Left: GSA's Public Buildings Service (PBS) workplace renovation incorporates a space for relaxation that includes an exercise room, lounge area with TV and a pool table. The space is used for group social events as well as breaks. And Right: The PBS space also has a daylit cafĂŠ where workers gather at lunch time or for meetings throughout the day. BACK TO TO P
RECOMMENDAT IONS Design f or Flexibilit y Pro vide flexibility fo r delivering po wer, vo ice, and data. Pro vide distributed, vertical co res, satellite clo sets, and genero us ho rizo ntal plenum spaces with relo catable, user-based services to ensure technical, spatial, and enviro nmental quality in the rapidly changing electro nic o ffice. See also WBDG Pro ductive—Integrate Techno lo gical To o ls. Pro vide systems that are co ntro llable and adjustable by the users witho ut burdenso me reliance o n o utside co ntracto rs. Inco rpo rate sustainable design principles, which can help achieve flexible spaces.
Personal control features include overhead personal air jet diffusers and task lighting, which can be controlled from the occupant's desktop computer. Courtesy of Public Works Government Services Canada, Innovations and Solutions Directorate PDFmyURL.com
Support Mobilit y Co nsider wireless techno lo gy and mo bile pho nes to enable wo rkers to mo ve effo rtlessly amo ng spaces as their needs change. Pro vide a multiplicity o f spaces fo r individual and gro up wo rk. Pro vide co nnectio ns to internal netwo rks and to the Internet thro ugho ut the wo rkplace. See also WBDG Pro ductive—Integrate Techno lo gical To o ls.
Enable Inf ormal Social Int eract ion Pro vide multiple places to meet and greet. Co nsider pro viding info rmal wo rkspaces in cafeterias. When designing cafes and co ffee no o ks, lo cate them centrally alo ng well traveled pathways to enco urage use and interactio n. Design the circulatio n system with info rmal co mmunicatio n o ppo rtunities in mind.
Flexible spaces and services support multiple spatial configurations and densities, and allow for rapid and easy spatial change.
Design f or a Variet y of Meet ing Siz es and Types Pro vide enclo sed ro o ms to suppo rt gro ups o f different sizes. If o pen info rmal spaces are used, make sure that they are separated fro m individual quiet spaces. Co nsider sharing meeting spaces amo ng private o ffices. Pro vide visual display techno lo gies and writing surfaces fo r gro up wo rk. Co nsider the use o f dedicated pro ject ro o ms fo r so me types o f gro up wo rk.
Support Individual Concent rat ion If o pen spaces such as po ds o r bull pens are used, pro vide attractive aco ustically so und ro o ms fo r individual co ncentratio n as needed. PDFmyURL.com
Lo cate co ncentratio n bo o ths clo se to wo rk spaces. Zo ne space fo r range o f quiet and interactive needs.
Support St ress Reduct ion and Relaxat ion Co nsider spaces fo r relaxatio n and playfulness. BACK TO TO P
EMERGING ISSUES Increasingly, co mpatible and packaged building co mpo nents are available o n the U.S. market that meet these go als. Several vendo rs market systems co mprising raised flo o rs, plug and play wire management co mpo nents, and demo untable wall systems as a single package. Open co ntro ls pro to co ls such as Lo nTalk and BACNet, which allo w co mmunicatio n between different types o f building systems (HVAC, lighting, security, fire alarm, and po wer), are being adapted to an increasing number o f pro ducts. This will enable a wider range o f co st-effective po ssibilities fo r user co ntro l o ver a co mmo n netwo rk. BACK TO TO P
RELEVANT CODES AND STANDARDS ANSI/TIA/EIA-569 Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces ASTM E 1334 Practice for Rating the Serviceability of a Building or Building-Related Facility ASTM E 1663 Classification for Serviceability of an Office Building for Typical Office Information Technology ASTM E 1679 Practice for Setting the Requirements for the Serviceability of a Building or Building-Related Facility ASTM E 1692 Classification for Serviceability of an Office Facility for Change and Churn by Occupants Department o f Defense DG 1110-3-122 Design for Interiors , U.S. Army Co rps o f Engineers MIL-HDBK 1004/7 Wire Communications and Signal Systems MIL-HDBK 1190 Facility Planning and Design Guide TM 5-805-13/AFM 88-4, Chapter 9 Raised Floor Systems U.S. General Services Administratio n GSA Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service, P-100 BACK TO TO P
MAJOR RESOURCES WBDG PDFmyURL.com
Building / Space Types Applicable to all building types and space types, especially tho se regularly o ccupied o r visited. Project Management Building Co mmissio ning Tools Building Life-Cycle Co st (BLCC), LEED® Versio n 2.1 Credit / WBDG Reso urce Page Matrix , LEED® -Do D Antiterro rism Standards To o l
Organiz at ions Teleco mmunicatio ns Industry Asso ciatio n —The leading U.S. no npro fit trade asso ciatio n serving the co mmunicatio ns and info rmatio n techno lo gy industry
Publicat ions Green Federal Facilities: An Energy, Environmental, and Economic Resource Guide for Federal Facility Managers High Performance Commercial Buildings—A Technology Roadmap (PDF 58 1 KB) by U.S. Department o f Energy. 19 9 9 . The Integrated Workplace: A Comprehensive Approach to Developing Workplace by Office o f Real Pro perty in the Office o f Go vernmentwide Po licy o f the U.S. General Services Administratio n, May 19 9 9 . Sustainable Building Technical Manual , DOE USAF Environmentally Responsible Facilities Guide BACK TO TO P
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