Hybrid work reduces carbon emissions

New research by the IWG in collaboration with Arup reveals that working closer to home can significantly reduce carbon emissions in major cities in the UK and US, with reductions of up to 70% in Manchester and 87% in Los Angeles. Commuting to downtown offices every day has the largest carbon footprint of all modes of work, while splitting time between a local workspace/office, working from home, and occasional trips to downtown headquarters offers the largest carbon savings. In addition, replacing a car with a bicycle and upgrading offices to higher environmental standards also significantly reduces the carbon footprint. The study measured the environmental impact of hybrid work based on building and transport emissions in six US and UK cities, with a deep dive into the two main carbon contributors – London and LA. New York, Atlanta, Manchester and Glasgow were also investigated. Data from these cities has shown the potential for huge carbon savings in other cities around the world, such as South Africa, through the widespread adoption of hybrid work, which has spread rapidly among office workers who now use available technology to work where they are most comfortable and productive. . US cities showed the largest potential carbon savings when transportation due to the prevalence of car commuting was also taken into account, with Atlanta (90% reduction) just edged out by Los Angeles (87%) and New York (82%).