How can WELL help buildings in the fight against COVID-19?
Through an emphasis on human health, wellness and resilience, organizations will be able to come back from COVID-19 stronger and more in tune with the needs of their people.
View the recording of our recent webcast for more on this topic - and register for updates on our complete webcast series dedicated to prevention and preparedness, resilience and recovery in relation to COVID-19.
From countless talking heads on TV to innumerable headlines and newspaper articles, people have been speculating about ways the future will look different after COVID-19. Statements about why things must change in our public spaces and calls for greater community action have resounded in cities around the world. But as we look to the days, months and even years ahead, it’s important to have a roadmap to guide our way. We must answer the question: how can we make our buildings, organizations and communities safer for people after a global pandemic?
To outline a clear set of steps for building operations and policies moving forward, IWBI examined key elements of the WELL Building Standard and developed a new resource, Strategies from the WELL Building Standard to Support in the Fight Against COVID-19.
“This resource groups together the relevant strategies found in the WELL Building Standard across eight themes. Those eight themes include promoting clean contact, improving air quality, managing risk and creating organizational resilience, supporting movement and comfort—including working from home—strengthening immune systems, maintaining water quality, fostering mental resilience, and championing community resilience and recovery,” says IWBI Senior Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Easton.
In a recent webcast, IWBI’s Vice President of Research Dr. Angela Loder and Chief Engineer Nathan Stodola were on hand to provide in-depth explanations about each topic theme, as well as the science and research behind the strategies.
Limiting disease transmission through hygiene, cleaning protocols and air quality
One of the main transmission routes for COVID-19 is through particles and droplets, and Stodola shared important ways organizations can enhance handwashing efforts, cleaning protocols and ventilation to keep people safe. Specifically, Stodola addressed some confusion pertaining to the effectiveness of hand sanitizer versus handwashing.
“Hand sanitizer works as long as it has more than 60 percent alcohol content. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommend handwashing with soap and warm water—it’s the go-to solution,” Stodola says. “Handwashing is one of the best defenses against the spread of COVID-19 from surfaces, and it’s critical to support those efforts. We also have to have a cleaning protocol clearly defined and in place as outlined in the strategies resource to provide effective handwashing stations.”
Stodola cautions against overdoing it when it comes to cleaning surfaces. He recommends understanding the virus’ resistance and implementing appropriate cleaning solutions.
“For cleaning products, you don’t have to be reaching for the harshest chemicals on the market to kill COVID-19. Soap and warm water are very effective, along with many other common cleaning products like hydrogen peroxide and bleach—all of which are allowed for WELL Certified buildings,” he says.
Air quality is also crucial to combating the spread of disease, Stodola notes. Viruses—specifically COVID-19—can stay airborne for up to three hours and without proper ventilation the risk of transmission increases. It’s a tried and true method to fight against disease.
“The importance of proper ventilation goes back more than a hundred years,” Stodola notes. “Florence Nightingale was writing about it in her letters from the Crimean War, highlighting the benefits of increased ventilation at night and increased exposure to outdoor air during the day. It’s one of the first recognized solutions for airborne infectious diseases and is crucial for buildings to this day.”
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Going beyond physical changes to a building, Dr. Loder highlighted the importance of organizational plans for resilience and recovery.
“Preparing for emergencies and having a documented plan is key to a successful organizational response in a time of crisis,” Loder says. “A key component of emergency preparedness isn’t just predicting what could go wrong and planning for it. It also entails reevaluating solutions and updating them regularly with the latest information.”
She also emphasizes how the pandemic has impacted the way organizations are thinking about the traditional workday. With many employees telecommuting while also caring for young ones and acting as daily educators, work expectations must change to accommodate employee needs.
“Very young children are just not self-directed, and it’s difficult to manage that, the online schooling curriculum and an eight-hour workday,” Loder says. “Staggered work hours can help, but organizations need to be aware that if employees don’t have childcare then they’re going to be exhausted after trying to pull an 18-hour day. It’s important to have reasonable expectations and understand that this is something we’re all dealing with. When returning to the office, there must be built-in flexibility about working hours and deadlines. That can help reduce stress and it’s hugely important to employee well-being.”
Through an emphasis on human health, wellness and resilience, organizations will be able to come back from COVID-19 stronger and more in tune with the needs of their people. These interventions and many more can be found in Strategies from the WELL Building Standard to Support in the Fight Against COVID-19.
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