To make ABW a success, it needs to have a purpose. Having clear objectives will help to give direction to the design of both the concept and the implementation process. Furthermore, it will help foster acceptance as employees are more likely to accept change when they understand the reasons behind it. Below, we discuss the most common objectives of ABWsome of which are easier to achieve than others. Reducing costs It is often argued that cost reduction should not be theHOW?prime objective of activity-based working, which is true. A one-sided cost focus sends the wrong message toOBJECTIVESemployees and it is likely to result in an office that is tooCONCEPTScramped and too crowded to be productive. Yet it would be nave to suggest that costs are irrelevant. As mentionedREQUIREMENTSearlier, traditional workplaces are not very efficient in terms of occupancy. Applying ABW means better spaceSOLUTIONSutilization and thereby a reduction in occupancy costs, typically by 20 to 40%, depending on how radical theWHY?concept is. Part of these savings can be reinvested to create better workspaces, part can be seen as real savings.Reducing the environmental footprintBy increasing workspace utilization, ABW helps to reduceFROM OBJECTIVES TO SOLUTIONSthe environmental footprint; organizations will require lessThe formulation of clear objectives can be seen as the start of a process in which space to serve the same number of employees. This meansstrategic intentions are translated step-by-lower amounts of energy needed to light, heat and cool thestep into concrete design solutions. This office space, and thus fewer carbon emissions. Moreover,process can be represented as a pyramid it reduces the environmental impact of constructionconsisting of four levels: 11activities in terms of the use of raw materials, the1Objectives: strategic benefits that must be production of construction waste, and the use of energy delivered (e.g. enhancing staff performance)for manufacturing and transporting building materials 2Concepts: general ideas about how that can be done (e.g. good acoustics)and elements. 3Requirements: specific, verifiable requirements (e.g. a reverb time of 0.6 sec)4Solutions: design solutions that meet those requirements (e.g. specific ceiling panels)23