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Designing on the cutting-edge
of workplace wellbeing

Year

October 2020

Outcome
  • Certifying outstanding
  • Future-ready real estate
Lmi score

81.7

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The opportunity

EDGE Technologies is leading a mission to redefine the concept of healthy buildings worldwide.

In 2015, Bloomberg hailed The Edge, Deloitte’s flagship headquarters in Amsterdam, as the “smartest office space ever constructed.” However, for EDGE Technologies, The Edge represents just the beginning of what’s achievable. The real estate developer leverages data from its sophisticated smart platform to drive continuous learning and development across all its projects.

Leesman’s pre-occupancy survey of EDGE employees confirmed what the organisation already suspected: it had outgrown its old space. Having doubled the number of employees, EDGE needed to re-evaluate the workspace and what employees needed to feel supported in their roles.

Value delivered

The company has successfully demonstrated the potential of its smart platform in designing and managing workspaces, evidenced by EDGE’s HQ earning an impressive Leesman Index score (Lmi) of 81.7 and a Leesman+ certificate. The survey revealed high satisfaction levels among respondents, reinforcing the success of the project’s WELL V2 Platinum certification.




Background


In 2019, EDGE Technologies unveiled EDGE Olympic, a 119,000-sqft building in Amsterdam’s central business district, housing not only EDGE’s new headquarters but also offices for long-term tenants, co-working spaces, a central atrium, cafeteria, and rooftop terraces. The company, formerly known as OVG Real Estate, rebranded itself as EDGE Technologies to align with its shift from a building provider to a product provider, emphasising its smart platform.




Approach

The outcome is centred on four pillars: wellbeing, sustainability, design, and technology. Sandra Gritti, formerly Product Excellence Director at EDGE, emphasises that the smart platform is a tool to address global warming and the need for better workplaces, focusing on the health and wellbeing of tenants.

As part of that mission, the company employed Leesman to carry out employee experience surveys of its spaces in the spring of 2019. Leesman was able to conduct pre- and post-occupancy surveys with EDGE staff, while all other occupants completed a post-occupancy survey. The results were emphatic. Respondents agreed almost unanimously that the

building is a place that they are proud to bring visitors to (97.8%) as well as an enjoyable environment to work in (96.7%). This achievement adds to the project’s WELL V2 Platinum certification, which scores workplaces on areas including water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community.

The journey wasn’t without challenges. Pre-occupancy surveys revealed growing pains, indicating that the old office space was inadequate for the doubled workforce. Dissatisfaction with workspace variety, meeting rooms, and noise levels prompted a re-evaluation for the new EDGE Olympic space.

Post-occupancy surveys showed significant improvements in satisfaction levels, particularly in workspace variety and meeting room satisfaction. The strategic addition of different zones, acoustic-friendly open spaces, private areas like phone booths, and specialised rooms like a library and sound scaping area contributed to increased satisfaction.

EDGE’s smart platform extends beyond physical design. Sensors throughout EDGE Olympic monitor temperature, CO2 levels, humidity, daylight, and noise. Occupants have a mobile app empowering them to make decisions about their workspace. This data-driven approach has led to improvements in employee experience, with notable increases in satisfaction with noise levels, air quality, and natural light.

The technology not only benefits current occupants but also provides EDGE with real-time, objective data for evidence-based improvements. Florijn Vriend, Product Lead Wellbeing at EDGE, emphasises the company’s commitment to sharing this technology and data-driven decision-making with future tenants through a Workplace Performance Check.

EDGE Technologies emerges as a trailblazer in redefining workspaces, as evidenced by the Leesman+ certification for its headquarters. Positioned at the forefront of smart and sustainable office solutions, EDGE’s innovative approach, focus on wellbeing, and data-driven strategies present a compelling blueprint for the future of workplace design and functionality.

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