Healthier Buildings Emerge Out of the Pandemic

The pandemic has left its thumbprint on commercial real estate design. It has accelerated already budding design trends, like flexible use, natural lighting and ventilation systems, but the pandemic has also catalyzed new design concepts that help to combat the risk of viral infection.

“Since the pandemic, spaces within commercial buildings are incorporating designs that allow for social distancing, such as workspaces that are staggered or all face the same direction, increased distance between seats in conference rooms, and the installation of plexiglass in spaces where people interact close to each other,” Patrick Winters, president and principal of Nadel Architecture + Planning, tells GlobeSt.com. “Touchless building systems for elevators and restrooms, an enhanced focused on sanitization, anti-microbial materials and technology, more stairways (particularly in smaller offices and buildings), and additional entryways and exits to prevent crowding in these places have also become increasingly common.”