Buildings are by far the most permanent part of the workplace. With an average lifespan of about 80 years, many buildings outlive the occupants they serve.
Recent construction trends favor wild designs, featuring buildings that push the boundaries of engineering, market return and consumer popularity. Buildings are also redefining height limitations; at least eight of the world’s tallest buildings are planned to top out within the next five years.
While new buildings showcase cutting-edge technological, engineering and architectural innovations, existing buildings make up the majority of the built landscape now and will continue to do so long into the future. As the typical building requires a refresh approximately every forty years, building retrofits and repositioning are an important factor in the future of buildings and workplaces.
In addition to adopting and normalizing the design innovations of the most forward-thinking buildings, there will be a continued emphasis on reducing energy, water usage and costs.