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11 <br />Orange County Space Study Work Group Progress Update <br />Technology <br />Technology offers the potential for greater space efficiency in the future. Work environments <br />have changed and continue to change significantly due to the use of laptops, tablets, <br />smartphones and wide - spread availability of wifi service, offering opportunities for more <br />collaborative, less structured work environments that do not require being "tethered" to <br />individual offices. This also provides the opportunity to increase the use of private offices that <br />may currently be in use for only part of the day, by allowing shared use. Meeting spaces can <br />also be used more efficiently by allowing collaborative work to be performed on a routine basis <br />in the spaces. <br />Technology also offers the potential for far greater use of electronic record and document <br />storage and retrieval. The Information Technology department has worked with several <br />departments already, and continues to work with others to digitize and make searchable <br />records, allowing some physical space to be repurposed from records storage to more valuable <br />office, meeting, or other space uses. <br />New Construction <br />There is no identified need for new construction beyond current projects (Cedar Grove <br />Community Center, Environment and Agriculture Center, Southern Branch Library, Orange <br />County Jail, and the Southern Campus Master Plan). Unused and /or unassigned space, and <br />space not being used for its intended purpose (i.e., office space being used for storage) remains <br />available in several County buildings. A complete summary of unused and /or unassigned space <br />and space not being used for its intended purpose will be included in the final report. <br />Real estate costs are the second highest expense for most companies and organizations, after <br />personnel costs. While the County owns the majority of the space that is occupied by County <br />staff, the properties that it owns represent a huge investment of County dollars. As such, it is <br />critical to ensure space is being used at its highest and best purpose. A detailed analysis of <br />current use of space in County building will be included as one of the "Next Steps" (see next <br />section) for the Work Group <br />NEXT STEPS <br />The Work Group will next focus its attention on identification of short and long -term space <br />utilization and priority, which will provide routine input to the capital investment planning <br />process. Work will include: <br />• Current space use analysis <br />• Current practices for records and other storage <br />• Opportunities for improved efficiency <br />• Underutilization of existing space <br />• Sub -group input to Space Group <br />10 <br />