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Intelligent Buildings

MANAGING BUILDINGS IN THE NEW NORMAL:

TECHNOLOGY PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE

MARC PETOCK How do we begin to answer and have action plans in
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer place to address these changes?
Lynxspring, Inc.
While there is no simple/single answer, we must lay the
These are strange times for all industries and the built groundwork to deal with what will be permanent changes
environment is no exception. For building owners, or the new normal in we how manage and operate
integrators, contractors and solution providers, this virus buildings. So, what are the critical conversations we
has created new implications not only on the business should be having?
side, but the operational and environmental side as well.
Here are several that I have considered. While I am
sure there are additional ones that should be included
(I don’t profess to have them all), this list was born
from conversations I have had with a variety of people
including: owners, operators, integrators, analysts,
technology and solution providers, colleagues and
attorneys.

Business Implications
What are the short-term business implications? What are
the long-term business implications?

What will be required when an event such as this
occurs again? What measures can we put in place now
that will help reduce the crisis levels we are currently
experiencing?
The topic of risk avoidance and mitigation has always
been a complex issue. Now, add to the conversation, the How will the open office environment change? How is it
risk associated with a pandemic, and the ball game has going to change the building systems controls?
changed, and the stakes have gotten higher. Right now,
there is probably no issue that has become more crucial, How is the service and delivery model going to change?
more rapidly, but is less understood. So how much risk
are you willing to take or sustain? Operational & Environmental Implications
How is building usage going to change and what effects
Buildings have made great strides over the last decade. will it have on building operational systems?
They operate at better performance levels and in many
cases are energy efficient. COVID-19 has both short- and The increase in the use of data and analytics are
long-term effects that require changes. As we navigate paramount. Now more than ever, new data points such
and consider how to best prepare our facilities for a as cleaning records, air balance, indoor air quality, and
Ready State to Return, the important questions are: occupancy by square foot are worth considering. How
will it be handled? How will it be analyzed? How will it be
What are the changes that will both be needful and/or visualized? How will it be exchanged?
mandated?

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