Glossary

Glossary – Jargon Dictionary:

 

While we aim to keep things clear and concise, the world of office refurbishment sometimes brings specific terms that benefit from explanation.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it covers the essentials. If there’s a term you don’t recognise, ask your Commercial Fit-Out partner – clear communication avoids confusion and costly assumptions.

Here’s a quick-reference guide to the most common terms and acronyms you
may encounter:

ABW (Activity-Based Working): A strategy where staff have no fixed desk but choose work settings (pods, lounges, benches) based on their current task.

Acoustics: The science of sound control. Treatments (panels, baffles) are used to improve speech clarity and reduce noise distractions in open-plan areas.

Agent (Commercial Agent): An external property expert who helps tenants find space, negotiate lease terms and navigate market rates.

Anchor Days: Mandated or curated days where specific teams (or the whole company) must be in the office to ensure collaboration happens.

AV (Audio Visual): Technology for presentation and communication, including video conferencing screens, microphones, speakers and room booking panels.

Biophilic Design: Integrating natural elements (plants, natural light, wood textures) into the workplace to reduce stress and boost cognitive performance.

Break Clause: A specific date in a lease agreement where either the landlord or tenant can end the contract early (subject to conditions).

BREEAM: The leading sustainability assessment method for buildings, rating environmental performance from ‘Pass’ to ‘Outstanding’.

Building Control: The regulatory process ensuring a workplace meets UK Building Regulations for safety, accessibility and energy efficiency.

Capital Allowances: A UK tax relief allowing businesses to claim back the cost of qualifying items (like IT, furniture and HVAC) against taxable profits.

CAT A Fit-Out: A basic landlord specification. Includes raised floors, suspended ceilings and basic mechanical services, but no internal rooms or furniture.

CAT B Fit-Out: The tenant’s custom fit-out. Includes internal partitions, kitchens, meeting rooms, branding, IT infrastructure and furniture.

CDM Regulations (2015): Construction (Design and Management) laws governing health and safety. They assign specific legal duties to the client to ensure safe planning.

Change Control: A formal process to manage alterations to scope, budget or timeline during a project to prevent “scope creep”.

Change Management: The structured approach to preparing staff for a new workplace, involving communication, training and behavioural support.

Churn: Refers to the cost of moving people or teams within an office.

Circular Economy: A design principle focused on eliminating waste by repairing, reusing or recycling furniture and materials rather than buying new.

Comms Room: The secure, temperature-controlled room housing servers and network cabling; the digital “nervous system” of the office.

D&B (Design & Build): A procurement route where one company (like Maris) manages both design and construction, providing a single point of accountability.

D,E & I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion): Designing spaces that support all users, including features for neurodiversity, physical accessibility, and cultural needs.

Defects Liability Period (DLP): A warranty period (usually 12 months post-completion) where the contractor must fix any workmanship issues free of charge.

Dilapidations: The legal obligation to return a leased property to its original condition (often an empty shell) at the end of a tenancy.

Embodied Carbon: The carbon footprint associated with creating the office (materials, transport, manufacturing) before the building is even occupied.

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration): A verified document reporting the environmental data of a product, acting like a “nutrition label” for sustainability.

Ergonomics: Designing furniture and tools (chairs, monitor arms) to fit the human body, supporting comfort and health.

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance): A framework measuring a company’s ethical impact. Fit-outs contribute via energy efficiency (E) and wellbeing design (S).

F10: The official notification form submitted to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to alert them that a construction project is about to begin.

FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment): Loose items not fixed to the structure, such as desks, task chairs, soft seating and monitors.

FRI Lease (Full Repairing and Insuring): A lease where the tenant is responsible for all repairs, maintenance and insurance costs for the building.

GA (General Arrangement): A detailed 2D floor plan showing the layout of furniture, walls and zones across the office footprint.

Heads of Terms (HoTs): A document outlining the main commercial terms of a lease (rent, incentives, duration) agreed before legal contracts are drafted.

Hot Desking: A flexible desk policy where workstations are unassigned, supporting hybrid working and efficient space usage.

HVAC: Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems, critical for temperature control and air quality.

Hybrid Working: A model where employees split work time between the office and remote locations, requiring technology that bridges
the gap.

IoT (Internet of Things): Smart devices (sensors, meters) that exchange data to automate building functions like lighting or occupancy tracking.

ISO Standards: International benchmarks for quality. Common fit-out standards include ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environment).

Landlord Works: Improvements the landlord agrees to carry out (e.g., upgrading toilets or lifts) as part of the lease deal.

Licence to Alter (LTA): A legal document from the landlord granting the tenant permission to carry out construction works.

M&E (Mechanical & Electrical): The essential building services, including power, data, lighting, water and ventilation.

Neighbourhoods: Zoning the office into specific areas for departments to give teams a “home base” within an open plan.

O&M Manual (Operations & Maintenance): The “User Guide” for the new office, containing warranties, service schedules and technical data.

Occupancy Sensors: Devices that detect presence to control lighting/HVAC automatically or gather data on how space is used.

OOH (Out of Hours): Construction work done evenings or weekends to minimise noise disruption in occupied buildings.

Partitioning: Internal walls used to create rooms. Can be solid (drywall) or glazed (glass) and sometimes demountable for flexibility.

PC (Practical Completion): The contractual milestone where the fit-out is certified finished and ready for occupation.

PM (Project Manager): The person responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the project, managing budget, schedule and risks.

POE (Post-Occupancy Evaluation): A review conducted 3–6 months after move-in to measure if the space is meeting its performance goals.

Prelims (Preliminaries): General site costs like management staff, insurance, security and temporary electrics (not material costs).

Principal Designer: A statutory health and safety role under CDM regulations, responsible for safety planning during the pre-construction phase.

RAF (Raised Access Floor): A flooring system sitting above the concrete slab, creating a void for cabling and pipework.

RCP (Reflected Ceiling Plan): A technical drawing showing the layout of the ceiling, including lights, sensors and AC grilles.

RFI (Request for Information): A formal process used during the project where a contractor or supplier asks for clarification on a drawing, specification, or design detail.

Shell and Core: A building delivered with only the structure and core services (lifts/lobbies) complete; requires full fit-out to be habitable.

SKA Rating: An environmental assessment method specifically for non-domestic fit-outs (Gold, Silver, Bronze).

Snagging: The process of inspecting the fit-out before handover to list minor defects for the contractor to fix.

Soft Landings: A strategy where the project team stays involved during the first weeks of occupation to train staff and fine-tune systems.

Space Utilisation: Data measuring how efficiently space is used (e.g., desk occupancy rates) to identify wasted areas.

Turnkey: A delivery method where one partner manages everything (strategy, design, build, furniture) for a fixed price.

Value Engineering (VE): Optimising the design to reduce cost without sacrificing function (e.g., changing material specifications).

VAV (Variable Air Volume): A type of HVAC system that maintains a constant temperature by varying the amount of air blown into a space.

VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow): An energy-efficient HVAC system that controls the amount of refrigerant flowing to multiple indoor units, allowing simultaneous heating and cooling of different zones.

Wayfinding: Visual cues (signage, maps, colour coding) that help people navigate a workspace easily.

Wayleave: A legal agreement allowing digital infrastructure (like fibre optic cables) to be installed across a third party’s land.

WELL Building Standard: A certification system measuring features that impact human health (Air, Water, Light, Mind, Comfort).