Work in Mind

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is calling on professionals across the built environment to take part in new research that with gauge how well the sector is adaption to the UK’s updated building safety regime. Launched in partnership with analysts Barbour ABI, the survey aims to understand levels of awareness, legal compliance and real-world behavioural change following the introduction of the Building Safety Act.

The UK’s buildings are not fit for the future, and the risks to human health are mounting. That’s the warning from a new report by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), which urges action to make offices, schools, homes, schools, and care facilities more resilient to extreme weather. Published today, the UK Climate Resilience Roadmap outlines the need for sweeping changes to how the built environment is planned, retrofitted, and maintained.

New research reveals growing unease among European employees about the influence of American corporate practices on their work environments. A survey of 1,000 workers across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain found that 86% believe U.S. workplace culture is increasingly shaping European businesses. While some respondents pointed to benefits like higher salaries and entrepreneurial opportunities, others expressed concern about the potential downsides.

A landmark European study has found that people living in built-up areas with limited green space, high levels of pollution, and exposure to artificial light at night face a significantly higher risk of developing asthma. The findings come from EXPANSE, a major EU-funded project that analysed data from 14 population cohorts across Europe. Researchers studied over 349,000 individuals and identified around 7,400 new asthma cases.

Seven office projects across the Midlands and Central England have been recognised for setting new standards in workplace design, wellbeing, and sustainability at the British Council for Offices (BCO) Regional Awards. Announced at the BCO’s annual Midlands and Central Awards Lunch, held at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, the winning schemes demonstrate excellence in creating spaces that prioritise people and the planet.

Two of the world’s leading building standards organisations, CIBSE and the International Code Council (ICC) signed the MOU to strengthen global cooperation on some of the biggest challenges facing the built environment. Signed on 23 April, the agreement aims to accelerate the exchange of knowledge, promote best practice, and jointly address critical issues such as building safety, sustainability, and performance. What will the MOU help accomplish?

A new timber-structured building at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton is redefining what a high-performance research space can look and feel like. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the Thornton Building is the latest addition to the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and has been developed with an ambitious low-carbon and wellbeing-first agenda.

A new nationwide survey has revealed that UK employers may be falling short in protecting workers’ eye health, with more than half (55%) of employees unsure or unconvinced that their employer prioritises eye safety at work. The research, commissioned by NuVision Biotherapies and conducted by Leadership Factor Research, surveyed over 2,000 UK workers across office, industrial, outdoor, and healthcare settings in February 2025.

Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) is set to return in 2025, once again transforming London’s historic design district into a hub of creativity, innovation, and industry insight. This year’s festival will feature over 600 showroom events, 11 curated exhibitions, and a packed programme of talks, workshops, and interactive installations.

Expectations around workplaces and working patterns are entirely different now compared to pre-2019 expectations. Having eliminated the often-long office commute, many employees now enjoy the benefits of flexible working. But, has the experience come full circle? Are the pitfalls of working from home too often? Now, the UK is seeking answers to these questions in preparation for future developments in the workplace across the nation.