{"id":30431,"date":"2021-06-29T16:35:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T15:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=30431"},"modified":"2021-06-29T16:35:45","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T15:35:45","slug":"scotlands-csic-new-plans-unveiled-to-transform-public-spaces-into-sustainable-office-hubs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=30431","title":{"rendered":"Scotland\u2019s CSIC: New plans unveiled to transform public spaces into sustainable office hubs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Responding to the changing working patterns of a post-Covid Scotland, the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has revealed new plans to help retrofit public spaces into out-of-town alternatives to city centre offices.<\/h3>\n
image: for illustration purposes only – DBW<\/em><\/h6>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2026 technology experts have developed a blueprint for a self-build, modular approach\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

\u2026 with a kit made from Scottish timber\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

Scottish Construction Now writes:<\/p>\n

As part of the\u00a0NearHome<\/em>\u00a0project, supported by \u00a3250,000 in\u00a0Scottish Government\u00a0funding, a team of construction, sustainability, office design, and technology experts have developed a blueprint for a self-build, modular approach to office fit out using a kit that can be replicated and adapted to different types and sizes of buildings.<\/p>\n

South Lanarkshire Council\u00a0and\u00a0Smart Sustainable East Kilbride\u00a0are also supporting the initiative, with input from infrastructure experts, the\u00a0Scottish Futures Trust. The plans are designed to align with the emerging 20-minute neighbourhood approach to city planning that has gained momentum during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

The toolkit, which will be freely available to businesses and construction firms, centres around a kit-of-parts structure that can be installed quickly and with minimal interference for the building\u2019s external fabric. It will also offer a solution for buildings that may have previously been considered too difficult or costly to retrofit.<\/p>\n

Sustainability is also a core element of the design, with a kit made from Scottish timber that can be easily deconstructed and re-used if required. Increased use of homegrown timber \u2013 across all areas of construction \u2013 could have a significant impact on the sector\u2019s carbon footprint by reducing the reliance on imported materials and making the most of natural resources.<\/p>\n

Lynsey Brydson, innovation manager at CSIC, said: \u201cCovid-19 has caused a significant shift in working patterns and this approach to office design could be transformational in providing commuters with an alternative to heading into the city centre for work. Retrofitting is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to improving the carbon footprint of our built environment, but this sustainable approach is designed with low carbon materials and can be applied to older or unused buildings which would typically not be considered for office space.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing modern methods of construction, the design is easily replicated…<\/p>\n

NearHome office costs are designed to be in line with typical fit-out spend, with added benefits in terms of sustainability and a design fit for the future workforce. …<\/p>\n

Cabinet secretary for net zero, energy and transport Michael Matheson said: \u201cFor those who can work from home, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely create a longer-term shift in working and travel patterns. If harnessed, it can be beneficial for local communities, our environment and in supporting Scotland\u2019s world leading target of net zero emissions target by 2045….<\/p>\n

Read more….<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Responding to the changing working patterns of a post-Covid Scotland, the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) has revealed new plans to help retrofit public spaces into out-of-town alternatives to city centre offices. image: for illustration purposes only – DBW<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30431"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30432,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30431\/revisions\/30432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}