Employees spend more time at their workplace. The office designs plays a crucial role in influencing their emotional states. Businesses are known to spend extensively to incorporate design elements to boost productivity, employee satisfaction, etc. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the design of office building lobbies is being re-visualized to add safety. Here is how office building lobbies can be transformed in the COVID-19 situation:

Improved Ventilation and Air Quality

Most office building lobbies filter and recirculates indoor air. It contains higher concentrations of pollutants, which can be dangerous in the current situation. Therefore, current and future design considerations must focus on natural air and ventilation to flush out the toxins and maintain equilibrium in indoor and outdoor air.

Use of Antimicrobial Materials

With social distancing protocols and personal hygiene in place, offices must also consider minimizing contact with high traffic and shared surfaces. Fortunately, manufacturers have already introduced antimicrobial technologies in design materials such as paint, hardware, faucets, etc. Retrofitting these products in your existing lobby design is an inexpensive way to reduce health risks.

Leveraging Voice Activation and Automation

Voice-activated personal assistants like Siri and Alexa can play a crucial role in facilitating employee interaction with technology. These technological innovations can support touch-free initiatives such as sensor-based faucets and flushes, contactless elevator call buttons, and management of entry and exit points through automatic doors. Through automation and voice-activated tools, companies can minimize surface contacts and limit exposure to germs.

Sensor Integration for Visitor Screening

The SARS outbreak in 2003 was first to highlight the importance of Infrared Fever Screening Systems (IFSS) to screen symptomatic carriers. Now, again these monitoring systems are used to evaluate employees' and visitors' health in real-time. Office lobbies with integrated sensor technologies can reduce the risk posed by infected individuals within the work environment. These design modifications in the office environment can save employees and visitors from the infection. Do you want to transform your office building lobbies? Contact Nikki Fox, Nikki@ParkwestGC.com at Parkwest General Contractors, for support and assistance.