Smart Work Center

Key Facts

• Smart Work Center (SWC) is a landmark innovation and a key element of the Connected Uurban Development (CUD) Connected and Sustainable Work framework. Launched in September 2008 at the CUD Global Conference in Amsterdam, the SWC pilot is a collaborative effort involving Cisco IBSG—the global strategic consulting arm of Cisco—and the cities of Amsterdam and Almere.

• Now, more than ever before, knowledge workers are opting for more collaborative and flexible forms of work that allow them to contribute when they want, from virtually anywhere, and with almost anyone. At the same time, the speed demands and complexity of knowledge work have increased significantly, driving the need to collaborate and engage a broader workgroup to obtain needed results.

  The convergence of these factors is spawning new paradigms for how work gets done, along with great opportunities to innovate. One such innovation is the Smart Work Center. An SWC is an office center in close proximity to a residential community, providing space to workers in individual or group settings. Through the use of ICT, all work processes are fully supported and enhanced. Employers can take advantage of this collective setting to provide workers with flexible and scalable workspace options.

  The use of SWCs benefits workers by providing a physical workspace close to their residences, resulting in reduced transportation demands and increased productivity. The SWC features a wider “cloud” of services that not only allows for seamless work experience, but also aims to optimize worker’s daily lives. Components included: 34 fully equipped workstations; 30 Lounge workstations; CISCO TelePresence suite. The project was launched in September 2008 and is ongoing.

• The project took 12 months to implement

• While the ROI for this project has is not yet calculated, the following benefits can be articulated at this point:

  • Users experience an average saving of 66 minutes per day wrt avoided commute time. This technology suite can also be leveraged to reduce traffic congestion
  • Telepresence access and SWC workspaces cost approximately 50% to 70% of the cost of traditional work spaces
  • SWC also represent a significant business opportunity, These centers often have day care, restaurants and other services which can be run at a profit on site.
• The primary sponsor for the project was Cisco’s Chairman and CEO John Chambers as a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, and as a core contribution to Cisco’s corporate social responsibility activities.

What was the impact?

• Did you use a specific methodology or third party to calculate CO2e or KWh savings?

  The economic and environmental value case models, developed by Cisco IBSG uses independently verified methodologies.

• Comments on energy savings

  A projected CO2 Emissions decrease of 33% is expected for users of the Smart Work Center. The full Smart Work Center value case analysis can be found here (ppt).

  In Seoul, an integrated perspective as a mobility alternative is provided by Seoul Development Institute. The benefits of combining Smart Work Centers, together with the Personal Travel Assistant application, and Smart Transportation Pricing , in the city of Seoul are analysed here (pdf).
  

• The project has independent verification for results

Making it Happen

• Barriers experienced during the initiation of the project

• Comments regarding barriers

  At this pilot stage, there were no significant barriers to implementation. However, to scale the solution, there may be unforseen challenges, starting with a lack of awareness of the benefits of alternative ways of working.