Insights
Thinking, research and practical guidance from the Optima team — on acoustics, sustainability, fire performance and the future of the built environment.
- Sustainability
Optima contributes to industry debate and guidance on the reuse of glass partitioning
Optima is an active member of the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) and has contributed to the ASBP’s “The Reuse of Glass Partitioning Systems” guidance. We also took part in ASBP’s industry-wide webinar on the subject earlier this year.
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TrendsIs AI amplifying design thinking, or replacing it?
With AI impacting all aspects of work in the design community and construction industry, a question on everyone’s lips is what does this mean for me?
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SustainabilityCircular Economy in Commercial Construction
Ever thought about the ripple effects your building projects might have on the environment? In the realm of modern construction, there’s an escalating movement towards adopting circular materials, which use sustainable practices deeply rooted in the circular economy.
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TrendsCan educational design influence student success?
Acoustics, adaptability and student experience are redefining campus design Learning environments can shape how students experience education. Acoustics, adaptability, comfort and access to natural light all influence how spaces support concentration, collaboration, wellbeing and everyday learning.
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TrendsWhat’s Next for Workspaces? 5 Trends Redefining Office Design
Workplace design is shifting towards greater flexibility, connection and user experience. Five emerging trends show how offices are evolving to support changing expectations around how, where and why people work.
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AcousticsThe Quiet Revolution: Part 1 | The Challenge of Noise in Modern Workspaces
Poor acoustics make it difficult to communicate and even harder to concentrate – affecting productivity, learning, and overall wellbeing. Excessive noise is a major source of workplace stress, impacting both mental and physical health.
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BlogWhat Is an Access Control System? A Guide for Commercial Buildings
Access control systems help manage who can enter specific areas of a commercial building, using cards, mobile credentials or biometric identification in place of, or alongside, traditional keys.
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BlogCelebrating Women in Construction Week 2026
This Women in Construction Week, we’re celebrating the talented women across Optima and the expertise they bring to design, sales, estimating and the wider construction industry.
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BlogTeresa Gorham on Building a Career in Construction
Teresa Gorham reflects on 17 years in construction, the experiences that shaped her career across health, safety, quality and environmental management, and how the industry can encourage more women to progress.
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BlogBuilding a Career in Construction with Holly Streeks
Holly Streeks shares her experience of building a career in construction, from entering the industry without a technical background to developing confidence through specification, client relationships and live project experience.
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BlogInvesting in People: Developing the Next Generation at Optima
Developing the next generation means creating opportunities to learn, progress and take on greater responsibility. At Optima, that includes apprenticeships, graduate pathways, live project experience and learning from experienced colleagues.
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BlogOptima Cycling Teams support Mental Health UK
Optima colleagues have been getting on their bikes to support two important charity fundraising events, joining teams from across the construction industry to raise money for Mental Health UK and KIDS.
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BlogWhat Is Heat-Soaked Toughened Glass and Why Is It Specified for Glazed Partitions?
Heat soaking helps reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage caused by nickel sulphide inclusions in toughened glass, providing an additional level of assurance for glazed partitioning applications.
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BlogWhat is Powder Coating? Exploring Our Aluminium Finishes
Powder coating gives aluminium components a durable coloured or textured finish without liquid paint. The process uses electrostatically charged powder, which is applied to the surface before being cured with heat.
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TrendsImproving Your Workspace: 12 Things to Make Your Office Better
Small changes can make a noticeable difference to how an office works and feels. From lighting and acoustics to layout and comfort, thoughtful improvements can support focus, collaboration and everyday wellbeing.
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FireEvidence: interpretation and disclosure
Grenfell exposed serious failures in how fire test evidence was interpreted, communicated and disclosed. Reliable specification depends on evidence being relevant, transparent and presented without ambiguity.
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FireDelayed Reactions to Fire Roundtable: 5 key takeaways
Why is confidence in passive fire protection specification still lacking? Better understanding, clearer evidence and earlier collaboration are all critical to reducing uncertainty and improving fire safety decisions.
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FireWhy specifying a futureproof, fire safe office space is more relevant than ever
Changes to building safety legislation are reshaping expectations around fire safety, quality and accountability. For office design, that makes futureproofing specifications and understanding evolving compliance requirements increasingly important.
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FireFire resistant glass: the importance of co-ordinated design
Specifying fire resistant glass means balancing design intent with tested fire performance. Coordinated design is essential to ensure partitions, doors, interfaces and surrounding construction work together as a compliant system.
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FireFire safety for wall linings in office pods: combating misrepresentations and misunderstandings
Fire safety requirements for office pods can be easily misunderstood, particularly around wall linings. Approved Document B sets important guidance, but misinterpretation and misrepresentation can create real specification risk.
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FireFire Resistance & Direction of Fire – Guidance for the Design and Construction Industry
Fire resistance can vary depending on which face of a passive fire protection system is exposed, making testing from both sides particularly important for asymmetrical systems and single-acting doors.
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SustainabilityWhat is ISO 14001?
ISO 14001 provides a recognised framework for managing environmental responsibilities, helping organisations identify impacts, set objectives and continually improve environmental performance through a structured and independently recognised management system.
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SustainabilityWhat Does Environmental Quality Mean in Construction?
Environmental quality looks beyond a single sustainability claim. It considers environmental impact, indoor conditions and the quality of evidence used to demonstrate performance throughout a product or project’s lifecycle.
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AcousticsWhat Affects the On-Site Performance of Glass Partitions?
The acoustic performance of a glass partition can be influenced by several factors once installed. Flanking sound transmission, doors, penetrations, ceilings, floors and surrounding construction can all affect the final on-site result.
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AcousticsUnderstanding On-Site Acoustic Testing: How to Measure Real-World Performance
Laboratory testing establishes a controlled measure of acoustic performance, but completed installations can behave differently on site. On-site testing helps verify how a glass partition performs within the finished building.
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AcousticsThe Distraction Tax: Why Acoustics Are the Next Frontier of Employee Performance
Workplace noise can have a measurable impact on concentration and productivity. In open-plan environments, repeated interruptions can make focused work harder, increasing the importance of acoustic design in supporting how people work.
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AcousticsWhat is Sound Reduction Index (SRI)? A Guide to Acoustic Performance in Glass Partitions
When specifying glass partitions, one of the most important measures of acoustic performance is the Sound Reduction Index (SRI). But while it’s widely referenced, it’s not always clearly understood.
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SustainabilityDesigning the Right Office Atmosphere for Employee Wellbeing
Workplace wellbeing is shaped by more than layout alone. Air quality, acoustics, materials, light and comfort all influence how an office feels, functions and supports the people using it.
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AcousticsOffice Acoustics and the WELL Building Standard: Reducing Noise for Better Workspaces
Acoustics can have a significant influence on how a workplace feels and functions. This insight looks at the relationship between noise, well-being and the WELL Building Standard, and how design choices can help create more comfortable working environments.
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AcousticsAcoustic performance of glass partitions: questions to ask of your acoustic test certificate
When specifying glazed partitioning, acoustic performance is a key consideration. Our Fire and Certification Director, Peter Long, explains what to check before relying on an acoustic test certificate.
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AcousticsUnderstanding how glass type influences the acoustic performance of glass partitions
Several factors influence the performance of acoustic glass partitions. The partition system, glass type, glass thickness, installation conditions and surrounding construction can all affect the level of sound reduction achieved.
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BlogOptima volunteers at Whitechapel Mission
Colleagues from across Optima recently volunteered with Whitechapel Mission in London, helping to prepare and serve breakfast for people experiencing homelessness.
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BlogOptima at this year’s Mental Health World Cup
Optima was proud to take part in this year’s Mental Health World Cup, an event that brings people from across the construction industry together to raise awareness of mental health and generate vital funds for support charities.
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SustainabilityHow our Environmental and Sustainability team supports a project
Environmental requirements now influence every stage of a fit-out. Our Environmental and Sustainability team helps turn those requirements into practical project information, from specification and tendering through to site reporting and handover.
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BlogOptima takes on Movember for men’s health
Throughout Movember, colleagues across Optima came together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, taking on a company-wide step challenge, growing moustaches and supporting conversations around mental health and wellbeing.
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BlogOptima at Epicor Insights 2024: Driving Innovation and Sustainability
Optima’s Steve Hare joined industry leaders at Epicor Insights 2024 in Prague to discuss how digital systems can support smarter manufacturing, operational improvement and more sustainable ways of working.
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