Need to Know
22 : 02 : 22

Sanand, India – The new factory of multinational electronics company Secure Meters is designed with worker wellbeing at its core. The complex, located in the Gujarat region of India, brings elements of humanity and empathy to industrial architecture.

The production facility, designed by Studio Saar, is situated in a densely planted green plot, with four buildings joined by open air pathways that are shaded underneath white geometric canopy structures. In addition to the main industrial facility, reception building and utilities bay, there is a recreation centre where employees can unwind.

The building also boasts a high environmental standard. On top of solar panels that supply 50% of energy demand, the campus includes a seasonal lake that varies in size from one to three acres to enable rain water collection. Soon, an additional 2,000 trees will be planted on the complex.

Following the principles of Rewilding Retail, this industrial facility illustrates how businesses can incorporate nature into their factories as well as offices to improve welfare for all employees.

London – Inspired by the grounding movement, the Recharge Shoe by footwear company Bahé uses conductive material to improve the running experience.

The grounding movement, also known as earthing, argues that humans have an electrical energy imbalance as a result of spending so much time indoors and using more technology. A greater positive charge is said to be damaging to human health. As soil is negatively charged, our energy imbalance is corrected when we come into contact with the natural world. Modern rubber-soled shoes insulate us from the earth, however, preventing the flow of energy.

To remedy this, the Recharge Shoe uses conductive materials that allow people to be electrically connected to the world while walking on a natural surface. ‘Bahé is all about how we can have a healthier connection with the earth, both physically and psychologically. Something that is vital for ourselves and the planet’s wellbeing,’ explains Alex Ward, co-founder of Bahé.

Made entirely from vegan and upcycled materials, the Recharge Shoe take a holistic approach to green exercise, combining the Synchronised Care movement with the Sustainable Footwear Market.

As consumer attitudes to alcohol change, Dry January is growing ever-more popular in the US. In 2022, 35% of individuals of legal drinking age participated in Dry January in the US, a share that is up from 21% in 2019.

According to research conducted by CGA, adults who participated did not, however, abstain from visiting restaurants and bars. During their month of sobriety, 78% of Dry January participants chose to visit the on-trade. This is a change from 2019, when 61% of dry January participants drank out of home less than usual or not at all. This suggests the wider array of non-alcoholic drinks now available in bars and restaurants – from CBD seltzers to zero-proof wine and beer alternatives – are enticing non-drinkers out of their home and into hospitality venues.

As the trend for drinking less-but-better gains hold in the US and overseas, companies have a chance to revitalise their alternative alcohol offering to appeal to Low-proof Drinkers.