Many have been following Sweco and their new headquarters, actually long before Sweco moved in and began using it, but what has made this project such a great success?
– From our perspective, it’s about Sweco being bold and curious. They’ve dared to test and pilot, and they have been genuinely focused on data and insights to make the right decisions, says CEO of BLDNG, Bjørn Gabrielsen.
Sweco started the journey to their new headquarters four years ago, and BLDNG has been involved in the project from an early stage.
– We have provided data and insights at a high level regarding the utilization of spaces, meeting rooms, and support rooms, down to measurements of desks and foosball tables. Everything in this project has been carefully thought out, tested, and piloted, with solid data as the basis for decision-making, says Gabrielsen.
– That’s why this project has been a success, he adds.
Cross-disciplinary innovation and collaboration
When Sweco’s employees move into Urtekvartalet in Oslo these days, they are coming into a well-thought-out design with the right distribution of meeting rooms, support rooms, and other spaces.
This provides great benefits for both the employees and Sweco’s management.
BLDNG will continue to provide insights into human movement and room status for Sweco. This will be done by utilizing the building's internal systems, SD installations, and existing sensors. Additionally, the delivery to Sweco includes occupancy/vacancy lights outside all collaboration rooms.
Large information screens will also display data such as the occupied/vacant status of phone booths, meeting rooms, and floors, as well as the occupancy rate for the different floors.
This makes it easier and quicker for employees to find the optimal workspace, whether the need is for a quiet space for individual work or a suitable area for collaboration with others.
The advantages of using workplace analytics to optimize office spaces are numerous. Workplace statistics provide users with valuable insights that can help optimize the use of the workplace, increase employee productivity, and reduce costs.
By tracking space utilization in real time, data-driven decisions can be made about office layouts, resource allocation, and future needs. This leads to more efficient operations, increased employee satisfaction, and a work environment tailored to the needs of the workforce.
Flexibility is another key advantage. Flexible office spaces that adapt to a company's actual needs are crucial in addressing changing workstyles.
With the necessary insights, managers can create environments that support both collaboration and individual work, while ensuring that spaces can be adjusted to evolving work patterns.
Additionally, meeting room efficiency can be improved by addressing challenges such as 'ghost meetings'—situations where meeting rooms are booked but remain empty. With integration into Microsoft 365, meeting rooms can be automatically freed up based on specific rules, and management can receive reports showing the extent of the issue.
The potential is vast, and the benefits are many. The most important thing is to start.