The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is releasing a new Re-occupancy Assessment Tool today that provides strategies for limiting exposure to COVID-19 in buildings.
"Design is a response to the conditions, needs and functions of our society,” said AIA 2020 President Jane Frederick, FAIA. “This may be the most pivotal and defining moment in our lifetime for design. Architects are needed in this crisis to help safely transition our communities back to offices, schools and the many other places that are important in shaping our daily lives.”
AIA’s Disaster Assistance Committee developed the Re-occupancy Assessment Tool to provide public officials, businesses and architects with practices that protect the health, safety and welfare of the public while businesses, stores, restaurants, etc., reopen. The tool provides a framework of strategies and general mitigation measures that can help reduce exposure to COVID-19.
Using credible science, a multi-disciplinary team of architects, public health experts, engineers, product designers, and facility managers will evaluate behavioral, spatial, material and operational strategies to customize the tool for a variety of building types, including:
• offices;
• schools (K-12);
• multi-unit dwellings;
• retail establishments, restaurants; and
• senior care facilities.
Findings will be released in phases as they become available, with a priority focused on strategies that address immediate needs. Long-term strategies will also be developed for making buildings more resilient in the face of pandemics, natural hazards, climate change and other risks.
Visit AIA’s website for more COVID-19 resources for architects.
Related Stories
Coronavirus | Nov 9, 2020
Even now, marketing is not a four-letter word
As AEC firm leaders consider worst-case scenarios and explore possible solutions to surmount them, they learn to become nimble, quick, and ready to pivot as circumstances demand.
Coronavirus | Nov 5, 2020
Thornton Tomasetti releases 'Healthy Reentry' free software to aid safe office return
Open source app provides customizable health reporting and contact tracing capabilities.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 30, 2020
The Weekly show: Multifamily security tips, the state of construction industry research, and AGC's market update
BD+C editors speak with experts from AGC, Charles Pankow Foundation, and Silva Consultants on the October 29 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Coronavirus | Oct 19, 2020
Flexible design helped the University of Kansas Strawberry Hill Behavioral Health Hospital adapt to the coronavirus
The University of Kansas Strawberry Hill Behavioral Health Hospital had been open for just over six months when it was faced with the global coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus | Oct 14, 2020
Altering facilities for a post-COVID-19 world
There are several possibilities when it comes to reconfiguring or adjusting a space to maintain the health and safety of workers, from reorganizing spaces to enable social distancing measures to full teardown and reconstruction of a plant.
Coronavirus | Oct 8, 2020
The Weekly show: Statue of Liberty Museum, emotional learning in K-12, LA's climate change vulnerability
The October 8 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.
Coronavirus | Oct 7, 2020
AIA releases 3D models, strategies for reducing risk of COVID-19 in polling places
Awards program highlights trends in healthcare facility designs.
Coronavirus | Oct 2, 2020
With revenues drying up, colleges reexamine their student housing projects
Shifts to online learning raise questions about the value of campus residence life.
Coronavirus | Oct 1, 2020
The Weekly show: Decarbonizing Chicago, re-evaluating delayed projects, and the future of the jobsite
The October 1 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.
