AV essentials for office refurbishments

Office refurbishments are a key part of how an office performs, with layout, furniture, and finishes no longer the main focus.

Meeting rooms, video conferencing, digital signage, room bookings, and collaboration spaces all affect the experience of the people who actually use them. If audiovisual systems are implemented after the design process, it can create delays, added costs and avoidable disruption. This is why it’s important for AV to be part of the project strategy from the start.

Table of Contents

1. Why AV should be planned early
2. Design around how people use the space
3. Support hybrid working properly
4. Include room booking and digital signage
5. Reuse existing technology where possible
6. Coordinate AV with the wider fit-out team
7. FAQs

Why AV should be planned early

AV should be planned from the beginning of the project to avoid placement issues and determine which technology to use. If the room is designed without AV in mind, this can lead to the following:

• Screens in the wrong place
• Cameras that don’t capture the room properly
• Microphones that struggle with acoustics
• Cable routes that require rework

If the technology is planned early, these problems can be avoided and coordinated with the wider fit-out, reducing risk, improving usability, and avoiding late-stage changes.

Design around how people use the space

Initial planning should consider how people will use the space and, therefore, what technology will be needed.

For example, a boardroom may need high-quality video conferencing, presentation control and reliable audio. A training room may need flexible layouts and support for larger groups. Smaller meeting rooms may need simple screen sharing and easy video calls.

The key question is: what do users need to do in this space?

When AV is designed around real workplace behaviour, the result is easier to use and better aligned with the needs of employees, occupiers and facilities teams.

Support hybrid working properly

Hybrid meetings are now standard in most offices, so meeting rooms need to work for people within the room and people joining remotely. This makes it even more important to consider high-quality audiovisual technology that works for everyone.

Low camera quality affects the meeting experience, but audio is the most important. If it isn’t up to standard, remote attendees will be the first to notice, and it will impact their experience of the meeting and may mean they miss key points.

A meeting room designed with hybrid meetings in mind should make it easy to start a meeting, share content, hear clearly, and see people in the room.

Include room booking and digital signage

Room booking panels in meeting rooms are always a good idea to help employees find and manage spaces more efficiently, reducing confusion and improving room use. Digital signage works well in reception areas, shared spaces, and communal zones for wayfinding, visitor messaging, internal updates, and brand content.

These digital touchpoints can make an office feel more organised, professional and easier to navigate.

Reuse existing technology where possible

Not every refurbishment needs a completely new AV system. Existing displays, mounts and other equipment may still be suitable for reuse.

An early AV audit can identify what can be relocated, recommissioned, or upgraded, helping reduce waste, save costs, and support sustainability goals.

Where possible, Viewpoint AV has reused existing screen technology and recommissioned AV equipment when part of relocation projects. This helps reduce unnecessary waste while still creating a modern workplace experience.

Coordinate AV with the wider fit-out team

Office refurbishment projects involve multiple stakeholders, including property teams, workplace consultants, designers, fit-out contractors, M&E consultants, IT teams and furniture suppliers.

AV needs to work with all of them: screen locations affect furniture layouts, cameras affect room design, microphones depend on acoustics, and digital signage requires planning around power, data and content.

When AV is brought in early, it supports the wider project rather than creating pressure when it’s almost complete. For project managers, fit-out consultants and property teams, this can make delivery smoother and reduce avoidable changes.

FAQs

When should AV be considered in an office refurbishment?

AV should be considered during the early planning and design stages, alongside layout, furniture, power, data, lighting and fit-out requirements.

Why does AV matter to property teams?

AV affects how people use the workplace. Meeting rooms, hybrid working technology, room booking and digital signage all influence occupier satisfaction, employee experience and the perceived quality of the office.

Can existing AV equipment be reused?

Yes. An AV audit can identify displays, mounts and other equipment that may be suitable for reuse, relocation or recommissioning.

What AV should be included in a modern office refurbishment?

Typical requirements include video conferencing, meeting room displays, microphones, speakers, room booking panels, control systems, digital signage and presentation technology.

How does AV support hybrid working?

It helps people in the room, and remote participants communicate clearly through reliable audio and video conferencing, simple content sharing, and easy-to-use controls.

What is the biggest AV mistake in office refurbishments?

The biggest mistake is treating AV as an afterthought. Late planning can lead to poor user experience, added cost, project delays and avoidable rework.