The Impact of Covid19 in the Future of Building Design: A New Approach for Commercial Builders and Contractors

06 November 2020

The impact of Covid-19 on each aspect of life is undeniable. As the pandemic began to spread all through March 2020, nobody might have foretold the ways wherein this disease would change society. One industry that has remained open all through lockdown and been forced to rapidly innovate is construction.

Gone are where you could appreciate a show encompassed by a huge number of individuals or embrace anyone as a cordial greeting. Instead, we currently live in a universe of social distancing and masked outings. In any case, the impact of Covid-19 isn’t only those changes staring commercial builders and contractors in the face. There are more inconspicuous, underlying ramifications that are yet to be investigated, for example, alterations in building design.

With that being said, this begs the question – Will current COVID-19 related changes in building designs remain in the future or are they simply just a passing pattern as the industry attempts to manage itself until the end of the pandemic?

Requirement Changes

Perhaps the greatest change in building design is the importance that is currently being placed on ventilation. The requirement for appropriate circulation and natural air to decrease the danger of contamination has never been more prominent – especially in areas where large gatherings of people must move around the building during regular intervals. This necessity also means that designers must think about the importance of cleanliness and hygiene, and also consider window patterns and wall fans and their impact on the people in the premises.

Cost Management

Cost management is key with regards to these alterations, yet many businesses are struggling to weigh up the momentary advantages with the financial impact that it can have in the long run. This reaction is being reflected by local authorities. Spatial issues are expected while discussing social distancing in schools, yet most event management industries don’t have the cash, space or interest to make long haul changes to facilitate social distancing measures. Even so, many hospitality companies take a similar stance. There is a concentration for adapting operational strategy rather than a significant change to buildings and the way they are designed to work.

Structural Processes

It’s not simply the components of design that have been impacted by COVID-19, yet additionally, the cycle where these designs are created. The informal nature of building locales means that social distancing is often hard to maintain. With a mountain of competing factors to fight with –, for example, the requirement for teamwork, the variety of occupations that have to be finished simultaneously and severe time scales that have to be adhered to – contractors have had to make dramatic changes to guarantee that their staff stay socially distant while working on ventures.

Off-Site Manufacturing

One of the key things that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated is off-site manufacturing and the various ways in which we may have the option to use modern methods for construction (MMC). MMC is already an interesting issue for the industry and the pandemic has essentially enhanced this – and such allowed commercial builders and contractors the chance to investigate the option and employ them when necessary.