Modern Building Services

8 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES AUGUST 2022 FEATURE ELECTRICAL SERVICES T he COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live and work for good. Even as we begin tentative steps towards rebooting office routines and shared workspaces, there is a widespread acknowledgment that what we’ve learned from the pandemic experience will shape the way we behave and perceive our work environment for years to come. The conventional ‘office job’ no longer needs to be done entirely in the office, which begs the question: is the conventional office still what companies need? A Time of Change Over the past year, we have discovered the pivotal role of technology in contemporary working practices. Not only have we learned how dependent we are on effective and reliable technology, but we have also seen how quickly people can adapt to new tools and platforms and how much more technology allows them to do. Collaboration across departments, sites, and borders has become easier, paperless office practices have fallen into place out of necessity, and agile working has become routine. The importance of a comfortable and welcoming work environment has also been firmly established over the past year. While some have struggled to find an ideal space, ergonomic setup, and sufficient connectivity while working at home, many have benefitted from softer surroundings and biophilia, along with the flexibility of planning their working hours around their lifestyle. All of these experiences will influence workplace trends moving forward, across electrical fit-out, interior design, and office equipment. In reality, they are building on evolution towards more agile, welcoming, and tech-enabled offices that were already emerging, but the pandemic has escalated those trends. What that means for contractors is that refurbishment and investment plans are being expedited to allow employers to adjust to the new normal, keep their teams safe and motivated, and prepare for the future. The key to securing customer relationships as the future office takes place will be understanding product requirements and how they fit into specifier needs. The Office Environment Futureproofing of office environments is far from a new concept. CMD’s Betatrak busbar powertrack systems and Power Hub power distribution systems are widely used in office environments to enable spaces to be reconfigured and occupancy to be scaled up or down. The ability to locate a tap-off anywhere on the network at 30cm intervals allows versatile layouts, with redundancy and resilience built in where required. Similarly, the Rotasoc modular workstation power system provides flexibility in desk location and orientation, with a 360 0 rotation of the under-desk socket and integral circuit protection. Looking ahead, we are likely to see an increased focus on power track or hub distribution systems, so that layouts can remain flexible as needs change. The stark white bench desk layouts that have been a ubiquitous feature of corporate environments over the past decade will make way for interiors that havemore of a resi- commercial look and feel, combining amore homely visual style with a layout that enables both social distancing and collaboration, with connectivity built-in. Tim Shirt from office power and connectivity specialist, CMD Ltd, discusses the emerging trends shaping electrical fit-out and workstation solutions and the opportunities for contractors to provide solutions for future flexibility and working practices in office environments. How will working practices, technology and design trends influence future offices ?