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The short answer is yes because the world is evolving — or at least human interaction with shared environments seems to be evolving for the foreseeable future. It is plausible that the current pandemic will affect the goals of designers and owners of various property types — healthcare, office, hospitality, retail, etc. — as they look toward the future.

The answer starts with looking at the healthcare design playbook, which focuses on using the built environment to prevent and control infection. The synergy between high design potential, durability, and cleanability of acrylic solid surface products is on the verge of rendering many traditional, inferior products obsolete.

Holly Neber, CEO of AEI Consultants recently spoke with Stephen Hopkins, President of Shield Casework, to talk about the use of microbial-resistant surfaces and healthcare furniture to prevent the spread of pathogens in the workplace.

Holly asked Stephen four questions in response to this topic:

1. I understand your products are microbial-resistant and bleach cleanable and are used in everything from medical environments to locker-rooms. With the increased focus on hygiene in office, retail and hospitality sectors, do you see those sectors increasing their use of such products?
   
   SH: Yes…everyone should immediately go buy all the Shield furniture they can grab.
   
   Of course, that is tongue in cheek. So much has yet to play out, but I have a hard time believing that we will care less about cleanliness, distancing, and the interactions with public environments. This will be with us for the short term at minimum, and perhaps years into the future.
   
   Products like ours, those specifically built for high-acuity areas and with a high design aesthetic in mind, are migrating into more and more environments. We started in operating rooms and moved into pharmacy, and then into infusion and maternity, and now out into hospital rooms or public spaces and even into athletics. I wouldn’t be surprised if that migration continues to wherever people want great design and to limit the spread of pathogens. We’ve all become amateur epidemiologists, so why wouldn’t we start to think of our highly public environments the same way we think of our high acuity healthcare spaces?
   
2. For owners and operators of non-healthcare assets, what adaptations do you suggest they consider in design or reconfiguration of current spaces (touchless check-in, pass-thru for restaurants, etc.)?
   
   
3. Beyond products like yours, what have you seen in the healthcare world that could be applied elsewhere? What are your thoughts on UV light or misting applications to clean areas such as hotel rooms or offices?
   
   
4. I understand Shield is involved with the design and construction of durable housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness. Have you seen changes to how this is being approached since the Covid-19 crisis began?

Visit AEI’s blog to see the full write-up from Stephen’s Q&A session.

AEI Consultants is an international consulting firm that provides comprehensive services to commercial lenders, property owners, managers, tenants, and developers, institutions, government agencies, and insurers, including many Fortune 500 companies. These services include environmental, property and facility assessments, zoning, energy consulting, site investigation and remediation, industrial hygiene, and construction risk management.