• Posted: September 23, 2020
• better construction, webinar

While it remains to be seen what the ultimate impact of COVID-19 on the construction and real estate industries will be, it is undeniable that it has brought about rapid changes that pose significant challenges to economic growth in the years ahead. As remote work has become the new normal, companies that were once reticent to adopt such practices have been forced to adapt, while firms that were already able to track work remotely and monitor productivity have reaped the rewards in the current environment. For some companies, the shift to fully remote work models may be permanent, while others will return to commercial real estate properties, albeit through a process that is dictated largely by health and safety concerns. 

Encouraging the use of commercial properties in urban centers like Chicago and bolstering the local economy in the process will depend upon creating built environments that make it safe for people to congregate and collaborate in person. Technology can play a vital role in this process, making it safer for commercial properties to reopen and companies of all types to resume operating in ways that more closely resemble the “normal” everyone is used to. 

This was the starting point for a Powering Chicago-led webinar last week hosted by the Chicago Building Congress that provided a deep dive into technologies that reduce touchpoints and generally make commercial properties safer for people to occupy during the pandemic. 

Joining Powering Chicago Director Elbert Walters III, who moderated the panel, were experts from metro Chicago’s construction industry, including Dan Allen, executive director of CISCO; Thomas Pedergnana, vice president of Malko Communication Services; Gene Kent, director of the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute; and Gary Shamasko, Project Executive / Division Manager for Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors.

Throughout the hour-long discussion, panelists addressed questions such as:   

• What technologies can promote health and safety in the workplace in the COVID-19 era?
• What are the challenges to the widespread implementation of these existing technologies? What are their limitations? 
• Are there emerging technologies that may not be available yet that we’ll see soon in response to COVID-19?
• How can all technology solutions be integrated into broader building automation systems? What does this look like and what are the benefits of doing so? 
• How can business owners/managers/tenants assess their needs and develop plans for modifications?
• What are the potential implications for businesses working with contractors that haven’t invested in preparing their workforce for this new environment?

For a replay of the conversation and the answers to these questions, please visit our YouTube page, where we’ve posted a recording of the webinar. 

To learn more about how office spaces can be adapted to safely reopen with the help of experienced Powering Chicago contractors and skilled electricians from IBEW Local 134, download The Contactless Office eBook and contact us today.