Is Flex More Sustainable? And Why Are We Measuring It Incorrectly?
This article explores the sustainability advantages of flexible office spaces and why traditional measurement methods fail to reflect real-world usage. It explains how flex spaces, with higher desk utilization and lower emissions per occupant, offer a more efficient and eco-friendly alternative to traditional leased offices. It also highlights how companies and investors can use these insights, through analytics and new metrics, to support net-zero goals.
The old workplace models will not achieve net zero. Here is how we get there.
Commercial real estate tenants can choose from a range of office space options, from long- or shorter-term leases to subscription managed services and flexible commoditized space. Each has its pros and cons but, when it comes to sustainability, current measurement techniques do not reflect operational reality.
This matters because the three core groups that guide business decisions — investors, customers, and workforces — have placed sustainability firmly on their priority list. Investors recognize the long-term benefits of green operations in terms of risk and resilience. Customers demand transparency and disclosure from suppliers. The modern workforce is increasingly unwilling to work for companies without purpose and ethics, which are reflected in their approach to sustainability.
So how can commercial real estate support a company on its journey to sustainability, and which model works best?
Rethinking the Role of the Office
The most effective approach is flexible space. In today’s post-pandemic world, the office has a new role. No longer an automatic part of the daily routine, it is used by far fewer people than before. The workplace has become a hub for specific individual and group activities, as well as a focal point for broader company goals.
Modern offices should be designed around collaboration, creativity, and team building. Flexible space has always been built to support this model, making it well suited to both the new reality of work and a more sustainable future.
Why Flex Is More Carbon Efficient
Flexible offices are more sustainable because they are utilized differently. When companies are assessed by their emissions, carbon usage is central. Unused desks represent wasted carbon. Because flexible space typically achieves higher utilization rates, it delivers greater carbon efficiency.
However, measuring this has been problematic. Standard intensity metrics do not reflect actual usage. Emissions are traditionally calculated across the total square footage of office space, which favours large, fixed spaces filled with traditional desk layouts. This approach assumes all desks are consistently used, which is no longer the case.
Measuring What Actually Matters
New metrics allow us to reflect real-world usage more accurately. Instead of measuring emissions per square foot, we can assess emissions per occupant. This shift changes the picture significantly.
In London, for example, only around 30 percent of desks are currently in use. When occupancy is factored in, the efficiency gap becomes clear. Because flexible spaces maintain higher occupancy rates, they operate far more efficiently.
Analysis from a 2021 data set covering 100 London offices shows that emissions from leased offices are three times higher than those from flexible spaces. This provides a clear, analytics-based business case for companies considering a shift to flex.
The Bottom Line
Traditional office models are measured in ways that no longer reflect how workplaces are actually used. When emissions are assessed per occupant rather than per square foot, flexible space emerges as significantly more carbon efficient.
For companies pursuing net zero targets or responding to investor demands for sustainability disclosure, flexible workspace is not only more efficient and cost effective than conventional leases. It is demonstrably more sustainable.
