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Page 22 — Property Management Quarterly — July 2020 www.crej.com Maintenance with the energy demands needed to condition and filter the air poses an interesting challenge to many. Identi- fying the appropriate middle ground that considers both energy efficiency and healthy air quality is an impera- tive discussion as new building stan- dards are implemented. Specifically, improved monitoring of economizer operation with control of humid- ity and temperatures will need to be addressed in these new design stan- dards. • Air patterns: Return air paths will become a greater awareness in design practices as airflow patterns will need to be designed in a manner that allows for isolation of critical zones, eliminat- ing common returns in buildings. n Beyond the immediate. On average, we can spend one-third of our lifetime in a workplace environment. As we have all started the return to the work- place and adjusting to this idea of a new normal, changes related to ongo- ing occupant and building health can and should be addressed. • Remote workers may become more standardized as businesses have determined that productive work still can be accomplished while working remotely. As a result, occupancy rates may fluctuate more, resulting in more variable HVAC system performance. Therefore, new design standards and best practices will need to attend to the part-load capacity in the HVAC systems. Improved control systems and monitoring will enable the system to adjust as needed to these situations in the very near future. • The term sick building syndrome has been around for some time; how- ever, understanding the gross impact of pathogens and particulates in the air can cause in the wake of COVID-19 is critical to ensuring a healthy build- ing and thus a present workforce in the future. Therefore, reducing patho- gens and other particulates in the air is key to healthy occupants. Technolo- gies that have increased the awareness of the potential to eliminate pathogens in HVAC systems are bipolar ionization and UV-C lighting systems. The ben- efits of these technologies are proven to be effective against many pathogens and other particulates that are within the HVAC system, including common allergens, bacteria and viruses. Their utilization in commercial buildings should be considered for the ongoing effectiveness for occupant health. • Smart buildings have been gain- ing acceptance in the past few years, but moving forward, smart data will re-energize the smart building con- cept. Systemmonitoring for energy efficiency is crucial to understand how the building is being used and to controlling financial outcomes. In conjunction with the idea of remote worker environments, occupant loca- tion tracking within the commercial space allows systems to adjust, ensur- ing social distancing practices and reallocating proper resources to make building usage the most efficient. n Operational environment. These ideas relate to systems and system components, particularly the HVAC system. But, what changes should be expected in the operations of the buildings in our new normal? • Social distancing is critical to maintaining occupant health and reducing transmissions of illness. Fur- niture layouts and workflows should be analyzed to ensure those distance factors can be achieved. Moreover, the open office or “cubical farm” concepts may be reduced in favor of traditional offices and high-wall-separation work zones. • Group meetings already have shifted to virtual meetings, and web conferences will become the norm for many people and companies. Those meetings that should be addressed as email communications may be closer to realization as we seek to reduce per- sonal contact when possible. • Cleaning protocols have become critical during the pandemic, driving localized disinfection protocols as their effectiveness is defined and vetted by health professionals. n Conclusion. Driving change as a result of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is imperative as we focus on design standards, build- ing health and the well-being of occu- pants. Continuously assessing facility optimization measures through this new lens is paramount to the health of the workforce and the buildings we inhabit. If your building isn’t healthy, then your people won’t be either, thus your business won’t be healthy finan- cially. Understanding your building and its systems are a key component to those initiatives.We must embrace the design practice standards to keep everyone healthy and ensure that we can continue business as a bit different than usual. s Continued from Page 1 • Facilitate social distancing and hygiene by using signs to identify the safest routes for foot traffic within buildings.Where possible, owners should collaborate with tenants to identify and demarcate one-way traf- fic flows that allow occupants to circu- late within the building without pass- ing each other in narrow corridors. • Screen for coronavirus symptoms, including screening the building staff for fevers and asking employees to monitor their health for other symp- toms of the coronavirus. Temperature checks would normally be considered a medical exam and restricted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has updated its guid- ance to employers, permitting them to screen employees for fevers due to the coronavirus outbreak. • Update entry and receiving proto- cols. • Frequently consult the most recent state and local regulations that apply to buildings and tenants, as guidelines are continually being updated. The guide also offers best practices for tenants. The report is available to download at www.naiop.org/safeof- ficereturn. n Engineering Economics Inc. announced a new facility assessments service line that offers building own- ers an added layer of assurance that their facilities are operating more safely. In addition to EEI’s independent research and new policy guidelines, the firm partnered with Intertek to develop guidelines for Intertek Pro- tek, a new assurance program that provides audits, training, inspection, verification and certifications for facilities. s News Continued from Page 4