The economy is becoming increasingly circular (at last)

A staggering 83% of new workspace launched in early 2025 came from refurbishments rather than new construction according to Deloitte’s London Office Crane Survey. This is an extraordinary shift in approach and it has taken place within a remarkably short space of time.

Why the shift?

• ✔️Sustainability – reusing existing buildings reduces environmental impact
• ✔️Employee wellbeing – demand for healthier, more flexible workspaces
• ✔️Time & cost savings – faster and more efficient than building new

Here at rhbr, we are seeing first hand that refurbishment is redefining the future of offices. We are increasingly being involved in large-scale reupholstery projects, phased over several months of a rolling office refurbishment project. And it is heartening to see the extent to which some of our large corporate entities have embraced the sustainability agenda in the most tangible possible way. All these chairs are ones we have given a new lease of life rather than them ending up in landfill.

As a manufacturer, we hope that this momentum will also lead to those in the furniture industry starting to change their approach to the design of furniture and the materials used in production. More often than not we are struck and shocked by the careless way in which items have been designed – they have clearly been made with obsolescence in mind, rather than disassembly and refurbishment.

Our message – Design for Green, not for the bin. That’s what we do at rhbr.