Innovative construction in today’s commercial workplace By Eric Derector, Principal, Quest Builders Group
While the initial turbulence brought about by Covid-19 has appeared to stabilize, the omicron variant has once again sown uncertainty into the real estate and construction. There is reason for cautious optimism, however; while multiple sectors were unprepared for the havoc Covid-19 caused when it first appeared, the latest variant can be approached with a degree of precedent. In other words, the opportunity has now presented itself for the construction industry to apply the lessons learned over the past year and use them to build for the future. Quest Builders Group is eager to play its role in this process and has begun employing innovative and forward-thinking strategies as a result.
The need for innovative and flexible construction is particularly pressing in the commercial sector. As employees begin returning to their offices–including those at companies adopting hybrid models–it is clear that changes must be made. These changes begin as early as the pre-construction process, with companies adopting more open floor plans that prioritize spaciousness and collaborative workspaces. For one of its media clients, as an example, QBG recently performed significant renovations to its social media suite that included restructuring the office’s overall layout to nurture better ventilation and airflow. These types of floor plans bring the additional benefit of limiting the number of surfaces individuals touch over the course of the day, thereby significantly reducing the number of contaminants in the area.
As today’s workplaces slowly become more populated, more physical space for airflow is only one variable that must be considered. The HVAC industry has made great strides over the past year in terms of developing new technology that can eradicate over 99% of the Covid-19 pathogens in the air. However, there are likely more innovations yet to come as technology becomes more sophisticated and science gains a greater understanding of the virus. Because of this, new office buildings must be constructed with emergent technology in mind. QBG has not only adopted this policy but also specializes in performing renovations and retrofits that create opportunities for existing commercial spaces to install modern HVAC devices as well. The added benefit of these newer HVAC models, such as those QBG recently installed at one of its clients’ coworking spaces as part of a full renovation, is that they are generally far more energy efficient than previous models, making it easier for buildings to achieve sustainability initiatives and save costs.
These innovations in mind, it remains important to not allow our recent focus on Covid-19 to distract us from other safety issues. QBG has performed a significant amount of work across its commercial portfolio upgrading lighting, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and fire safety systems as well. These aspects of commercial workplace safety have by no means become less important over the past year and it is therefore crucial to include them as part of the industry’s newfound appreciation for preparedness. Many of these systems are also now more efficient than ever, making use of modern automation and smart building technology to allow building owners to identify potential issues before they become exacerbated. In terms of Covid-19 in particular, emerging safety technology such as Smiths Detection’s BioFlash can even be used to detect the virus in the air within two to three minutes.
Finally, the materials that the construction industry uses must also be subject to routine inspections and analysis. It is not uncommon to discover years in the future that certain building materials come with unforeseen risks, and Covid-19 poses unique challenges in this regard as well. As examples, recent research performed by the World Health Organization shows that the virus can survive for up to 72 hours on materials such as stainless steel while only up to four hours on copper. The construction industry has a social responsibility to learn as much as possible about the materials used to perform its work, and while it may be impossible to predict or prevent another viral outbreak, there are tools available to help mitigate these types of risks.
Ultimately, while workers are indeed beginning to return to work, they will not be returning to the same places they left last year. The commercial landscape must change in order to reflect modern times, and the construction industry will continue to play a critical role in building that future. This involves building with flexibility and retrofittability in mind, creating environmentally and socially conscious floor plans and workspaces, and closely monitoring the properties of our building materials. Combined with a strong foundation on essentials such as fire safety and emerging technology, the commercial landscape is poised to enter the Fall season on a cautious, but optimistic, note.
Innovative construction in today’s commercial workplace By Eric Derector, Principal, Quest Builders Group
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