Preparing for a Successful Re-Opening
It has been a year since the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic and the United States declared it a National Emergency. Today, vaccine rollout is underway across the nation, and the general public is expected to have access in a matter of months. With this, many companies are preparing to reopen buildings and return to business in whatever the ‘new normal’ looks like. This brings a lot of questions for commercial property owners and operators in virtually every industry.
Re-Opening Considerations
Commercial buildings will likely need a routine facility maintenance check to ensure the building is in working order. This type of preventative maintenance covers inspection and performance review of systems such as HVAC units, plumbing, fire protection, mechanical systems, and exterior building elements like roofing.
Indoor air quality suddenly matters more than ever. Securing an Indoor Air Quality Assessment, or IAQ Assessment will give property owners and operators insight into a building’s overall air quality. Most HVAC companies offer this assessment complete with recommendations to make improvements if needed.
Energy efficiency and sustainability have always mattered but with rising costs and the questionable economy, buildings need to operate efficiently and sustainably. An energy checkup evaluating everything from consumption to costs overtime may be necessary to ensure the building performs efficiently.
A key consideration for getting people back into the office will be retrofitting office space for virus protection considerations. Items such as hand sanitizer stations, touchless plumbing fixtures, automatically opening doors, and even barricades can help a commercial facility safely get back to business.
Last but not least, cleaning processes and regimes should be re-evaluated. The frequency of deep cleanings should be significantly increased in all areas of the office to reduce any outbreaks of the virus. Common areas will also need more regular cleaning. It will be important to leverage hospital-grade disinfectants and make sure everything is disinfected including surfaces, flooring, carpets, fixtures, and furnishings.
Be Prepared
In these uncertain times, building owners and employers alike should prepare for anything. It's difficult to predict how the next few months will unfold once people return to the workplace. To that end, key considerations and CDC guidelines for returning to work safely are likely to continue to evolve.
Contact Green Heart Enterprises today to learn more about how we can support your return to work. Contact Us