Why we need to manage LSE space

With global economic pressures mounting, students and learners are now demanding more value for money in terms of academic teaching, support services, facilities and spatial environments. If we want to continue to recruit the best students and staff we must deliver the best within the framework of our limited building stock.

The London School of Economics has an international reputation as being one of the top learning institutions in the world. We are now striving to deliver the places and spaces to match this academic excellence in a congruent fashion.

 We all have a responsibility to humanity to ensure that we do as much as possible to help in the fight against climate change. The LSE is home to Lord Stern and the climate change research group who advise to governments around the globe. The way in which we manage our workspaces and buildings can make a huge difference. This can be achieved by switching off monitors when not in use. Refraining from using personal fans, utilising provided kitchen facilities as oppose to owning kettles. The work place can have a huge impact on how well an institution or organisation delivers against its strategic priorities. Our working environments can liberate, empower and drive creativity and productivity. Productivity is a state of mind, the workspace can help you to achieve that state of mind. Properly planned work spaces can have a massive impact on facilities costs. These savings can allow for reinvestment into further capital building projects enhancing the overall reputation of the LSE. Through the deployment of well thought out workspaces and technology strategies, we can begin to increase user occupation utilisation and reduce on floor duplication of ancillary support items such as, print consumables. Properly planned workspaces are vital to a healthy working environment. Vibrant organised environments have been linked to reductions in sick days taken by employees. Clean, well planned spaces can make all the difference in how you think and feel about your working life. Our workspaces should encourage us to be more mobile as it is widely accepted in the medical community that remaining in a seated position for prolonged periods of time can lead to the onset of back pain. Developing the right type of communities and teams is paramount to the success of any organisation. In today's knowledge and information driven society, embedding opportunities for informal collaboration into the workplace design has to be a priority. Space should be used as an enabler to this end. Through implementation of a wider variety of work settings and landscapes, we can begin to create a stronger community within the LSE that will take us to new frontiers. Securing funding for the LSE is heavily based on the criteria set by the HEFCE Funding Council. Carbon Reduction is a major factor in this policy which massively impacts on how we use space, buildings and technology.

The LSE is based in the heart of London where space comes at a premium. The LSE community spans over 9000 students and 3000 staff from differing backgrounds and interests. Adding to this diversity, the university is made up of many different departments and organisations all of which have spatial requirements from which to be able to operate effectively from. It is important that the School can manage these requirements in an even and balanced way that focuses efforts on the schools strategic objectives.

The drive to develop sustainable ways and means of living is becoming ever more critical. We are all under pressure to rethink how we use mother natures resources. The Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) has motioned towards basing future funding on carbon emission reduction. In order for us to maintain our funding status we have to greatly reduce our emissions and as a part of this re-evaluate how we use buildings and space.

The LSE have worked hard over the last few years to move towards a more sustainable estate. Find out more about the schools environmental polices.

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