By Mandhir Sidhu, Fit Out Director, Willmott Dixon Interiors
Cyber security is usually associated with computers, networks and data. But as office buildings become more connected, it is also something that needs to be considered as part of the workplace.
Access control, CCTV, lighting, heating, ventilation and building management systems all rely on technology. They can make workplaces safer, more comfortable and more efficient, but they also need to be properly planned and coordinated.
The latest UK Government Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 43% of UK businesses had experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the previous 12 months.
For organisations investing in a fit-out or workplace refurbishment, this raises an important question: how can the workplace support their wider approach to security?
Bringing the right people together
Our role is not to define a client’s cyber security strategy. It is to understand what that strategy means for the workplace and make sure it is considered throughout the design and delivery of the project.
That starts by bringing the right people into the conversation early.
The client’s IT, security, facilities and property teams may all have different requirements. Access control, CCTV, building management systems and network infrastructure may also be designed and installed by different specialists.
At Willmott Dixon Interiors, our role is to coordinate those requirements and make sure they work as part of one workplace, rather than being treated as separate packages.
This helps to identify potential gaps early, clarify responsibilities and avoid changes later in the project.
Understanding what is already there
This is particularly important in workplace refurbishment projects.
Some offices have relatively little connected technology. Others have had different systems added over a number of years, often by several suppliers.
A workplace refurbishment provides an opportunity to review the existing infrastructure, identify what can be retained and understand where systems may need to be upgraded or replaced.
It also allows the client to consider how new technology will connect with what is already there, rather than introducing it in isolation.
Designing security into the workplace
Many of the decisions that support security are practical design decisions.
Critical equipment needs to be located in suitable areas, with access limited to the people responsible for managing and maintaining it. The design also needs to provide the right power, data connections, containment and ventilation. The layout of the workplace matters too.
Reception areas, meeting rooms, staff spaces and restricted areas may all require different levels of access. Thinking about this during the design process makes it easier to create a workplace that feels open and welcoming while still protecting sensitive areas.
For organisations working in complex or secure environments, these decisions can be fundamental to how the building operates.
Coordinating connected systems
Building technology is often delivered by several different suppliers, but the systems need to work together once the office is occupied.
At Willmott Dixon Interiors, we coordinate the interfaces between these different systems as part of the wider project.
That includes understanding where equipment will be located, how it will connect to the building infrastructure and how it will be accessed for testing, maintenance and future upgrades.
It also means making sure the client and its specialists have the information they need when the project is handed over.
Good coordination during the project can make the workplace easier to operate and reduce the risk of systems being introduced without a clear understanding of how they fit into the wider environment.
Planning beyond project completion
Technology will continue to change long after a fit-out or refurbishment is complete. Providing sufficient power, data capacity and accessible routes for future equipment can make later upgrades simpler and less disruptive.
There also needs to be a clear record of what has been installed and how the different systems fit together. This gives the client a stronger starting point for managing and maintaining the workplace over time.
Connected technology offers real benefits. It can improve security, building performance, energy efficiency and the experience of the people using the space.
Our role is to help clients realise those benefits by making sure workplace technology is considered early, properly coordinated and supported by the design.
At Willmott Dixon Interiors, we have delivered projects in complex and sensitive environments, including for British Transport Police and Thames Valley Police. That experience has shown us the value of understanding security and operational requirements from the outset.
Cyber security may be wider than the fit-out or refurbishment itself, but the workplace has an important part to play. Getting the design, infrastructure and coordination right provides a much stronger foundation for the client’s connected building systems.
If you are planning a fit-out or workplace refurbishment, speak to our team about how security, technology and operational requirements can be considered from the outset.