CREJ

80 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / September 2020 devices and fixtures. “With respiratory vi- ruses like this, they’re spread when there’s a closed area without much ventilation, which allows droplets and aerosols to build up,” says Dr. Poeschla. “So, increased ventilation is very good, as is improved humidity. Low humidity in the office can be destructive to our mucous membranes. It dries them out and decreases airway defenses. Proper build- ing humidification, I think, is one of the central things that (ar- chitects and developers) should pay attention to.” But, when it comes to infrared fever screening, currently being touted by many politicians and pundits as a safe reopening tactic, Dr. Poeschla is not a fan. “In fact, it doesn’t do anything. You have a prob- lem with false readings, and even if you were to pick up a fever, what are you going to do, throw the person out of the building on the spot? Especially when you could’ve detected the illness through a simple question- naire. I wouldn’t recommend it for many reasons. “What we worry about are door handles, elevator buttons, things like that. The real issue is trying to have touchless things. Automatic door openers are a good way to go so, again, I would emphasize eliminating high touch surfaces, increased ventilation and proper humidification.” Hybrid Working Model For its clients, OZ has created something it calls the “Hybrid Working Model,” which helps them determine the needs of clients, now and in the future. “This Hybrid Working Model allows us to talk to our clients about how they use the office and how their teams use the office in an effort to understand how the office is going to be used in the future,” says Johnson. “For some, it might mean that their office is 50% larger because they need to be in the office most of the time. And they need people to be spatially organized in a way that they can feel safe in their work en- vironment. And others might be more inclined to downsize their footprint. So, it’s a really interesting dialogue we’re hav- ing with our clients in rethinking program flexibility.” COVID-19 has created a new world that we all must navi- gate. Moving forward, Colorado’s architects, developers and builders are creating new ways to work in that world safely and efficiently. “This is going to alter the way we all live and work,” says Sebben. “There’s a new normal that will come out of it.\\ / Safer Office Builds / IMAGES: OZ designed Riverpoint for Crescent Real Estate.