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Are Buildings Bouncing Back?

July 20, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, buildings are beginning to reopen.

So much has changed in the world over the last few months. Around the time our May/June issue printed, I had been working from home for a little over a month and many buildings were still closed.

Now, facilities are reopening for both employees and guests, which has been an interesting experience, to say the least.

Every business seems to be handling reopening a little differently.

There are a few common threads, though, like reduced occupancy and plenty of safety strategies in place.

Some of the more popular safety measures I’ve noticed include:

  • Markings on the floor to promote social distancing
  • Abundant hand sanitizer stations
  • One-way paths through facilities
  • Frequent disinfection of “hot spots” that are touched regularly

With the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, these things are likely to become more important than ever.

[Related: What Do Healthy Buildings Look Like Post-COVID? (BOMA 2020)]

That’s why we’ve dedicated a significant portion of this issue to helping you come back stronger than ever, with tips for specifying disinfectable furnishings (page XX), optimizing your air filtration (page XX), revamping your business continuity plans in case of another shutdown (page XX) and catching up on tasks that may have been neglected during the first round of building closures (page XX).

What is your building doing to minimize the risk of COVID-19? I’d love to hear from you about what you’re doing to keep people safe.

Let me know at [email protected] or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Read next: Is Your Location Adopting Building Energy Performance Standards? Here’s What to Do

About the Author

Janelle Penny | Editor-in-Chief at BUILDINGS

Janelle Penny has more than a decade of experience in journalism, with a special emphasis on covering facilities management. She aims to deliver practical, actionable content for facilities professionals.

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