The Guide to Specification is one of the BCOs most anticipated and recognised publications. The guide recognises shifts in industry behaviours and adjustments in legislation to keep office building design up to date with the latest technology and research available.

The BCO Guide to Specification was last fully published in 2019 however significant shifts in industry behaviours following the effect of Covid-19, hybrid working and commitments to net zero carbon targets sees a significant update to their design criteria which will affect all major new developments and refurbishments.

The BCO provided a Position Paper in June 2022 which was issued to the industry for consultation and the results of which have been published as part of the February 2023 Briefing Note.

The Briefing Note aims to tackle issues and an emerging concern that some designers are over specifying equipment using BCO 2019 figures meaning that plant selections generally are over provided.

The Note also addresses the latest occupancy patterns and occupancy densities which have had to adapt and be updated since the Covid-19 pandemic. The June 2022 Position Paper boldly proposed a utilisation factor of 60% however this has been relaxed in the Briefing Note.

The key design criteria changes are summarised as follows: