BT and Cisco Focus on Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

BT is one of the world’s major communication services providers and among the UK’s largest employers. 

As such, the company has a large, nationwide footprint. This means the way it designs, uses and manages its buildings carries long-term implications for its environmental goals.

By rethinking space and adopting smart technologies through the Better Workplace programme, BT is addressing this challenge and transforming into a modern, flexible and lower-carbon business.

Shrinking footprints in smarter spaces

The Better Workplace programme is BT’s largest ever office consolidation and improvement scheme. 

It aims to modernise how people work, improve wellbeing and reduce environmental impact. 

At its core, the programme is designed to create workplace environments that draw talent, support wellbeing and encourage smarter office use. 

With many staff shifting to hybrid working, BT sees its new regional hubs as collaboration zones rather than fixed workplaces. 

The plan is to also test and refine new ideas in smart building design, from energy use to air quality, which could benefit BT and its customers alike.

The main environmental benefit of the Better Workplace programme is the reduction from 300 office sites to just 30, lowering emissions from building operations and commuting – especially as more employees choose when and where they work. 

These hubs run on a shared, secure network that operates across users, devices and applications. 

This model is expected to reduce unnecessary travel and building energy use by focusing on usage data and automation.

The new BT head office at One Braham in London serves as a key example. 

It can house 3,500 employees, although hybrid working means many rotate between home and office. 

Teams gather in designated “neighbourhoods” based on their business function, creating both operational and spatial efficiencies.

“One Braham is a transformational opportunity, not just in terms of office space but also in how colleagues interact,” says Colin Bannon, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at BT. 

“Having a great colleague experience is important to us. It will allow us to learn, grow and remain relevant.”

Smart infrastructure for sustainable designs

One Braham, like all the sites included in the programme, runs on a suite of Cisco technologies supported by Cisco Customer Experience (CX). 

This infrastructure is designed to reduce energy use, automate network functions and adapt to user behaviour. 

It also avoids unnecessary complexity by using templates and repeatable designs across all hubs.

Cisco’s portfolio includes Catalyst Center, Spaces, ISE, Umbrella and ThousandEyes, managing everything from network security to spatial usage and building automation. 

Cisco Spaces and Kontact IO sensors give building managers data on room occupancy, meeting patterns and traffic trends – allowing them to adjust cleaning schedules, close unused areas or repurpose rooms for different needs.

“CX is instrumental in helping us get the most out of the Cisco components,” Colin comments. 

“Whether that is lifecycle management, user adoption or network design.”

Cisco Catalyst Center plays a key role in lowering energy consumption – it automates network functions and uses AI to adjust systems during low-use periods. 

These tools help BT manage every floor and location with precision, in turn reducing waste and emissions.

“It is the heart and intelligence of the building,” Colin says. “The engagement with Cisco creates repeatable designs and methodologies.”

The benefits of hybrid work 

Mobility is central to BT’s new workspace design, and at One Braham employees can work from anywhere inside the building. 

Meeting rooms and hot desks are booked through an app, which also shows where colleagues are sitting. 

This flexible setup supports hybrid work while maximising the building’s utility and minimising idle energy use.

“A brilliant user experience is key to building trust and, as a service business, trust is supremely important,” says Colin.

The digital infrastructure creates what Colin calls a “near digital twin” of each employee, using Cisco Umbrella and ThousandEyes to constantly monitor and prepare the network for use. 

This ensures everything works smoothly the moment people arrive – and it avoids wasted energy or downtime.

“What we wanted was a persona-based design rather than a set of custom configurations,” explains Colin.

“The Cisco approach establishes finely grained access control, linked to an identity, with a security wrap. We are using Umbrella and ThousandEyes to create a near digital twin for each employee. 

“It means we're able to constantly health check the network, so when users come into the building it's fully fit and ready to go.”

Post-pandemic, BT’s focus is on creating spaces that people want to return to – not just for work, but for connection and collaboration. 

The programme helps the business progress with its sustainability goals while modelling these approaches for customers across industries.

“This is a journey without an end. The finish line keeps moving forward. We're in lockstep with Cisco on that journey. We want to continue to grow and innovate together,” highlights Colin.

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