The Commercial Inspector Blog Posts

Hands-Free Tech Finding More Applications After COVID

HANDS-FREE TECH FINDING MORE APPLICATIONS AFTER COVID
 April 21, 2021 |  Property Management, Commercial Real Estate News, Property Maintenance |  real estate trends, safety, interior maintenance, building renovation, retail space

Most of us have had to adjust to a new world post-COVID, and we’re trying to anticipate and plan for the future. As we push ahead, people are looking for more ways to stay healthy and reduce unnecessary contact with others. This has led to CRE managers integrating additional contactless technology into their buildings. Offices, apartments and every kind of establishment in between are doing their part to crack down on germs.

Preference for Touchless
As worries around contracting the virus grew in 2020, so too did the attraction with touchless technology. Businesses had to come up with ways to make visitors feel more at ease. Even with the vaccine rollout and public places opening up fully, a large majority want current procedures to stay. According to a study by the Capgemini Research Institute, almost 62 percent of people worldwide said they’d increase their use of touchless interactions after COVID slowed. This includes voice assistants, facial recognition, using certain apps to avoid contact with others, and incorporating more touchscreens.

Door Sensors
Germs can survive on surfaces like door handles, lasting anywhere from a few hours to a week, depending on the environment. The common cold, H1N1, and meningitis bacteria are all found to live on door handles. To counteract this issue, many commercial property owners are installing automatic doors. You no longer have to worry about disinfecting multiple handles, and it allows for an easier flow of traffic. For more security, you can add scanners for proxy cards or QR codes on employees’ or residents’ phones. Combining security with sanitation makes for a happier working or living situation.

Tap and Go
Over the years, we’ve seen the evolution of tap and pay point-of-sale systems in restaurants and storefronts. You don’t have to waste time pulling out your wallet, inserting your card or cash, and fumbling with your change and receipt. It’s definitely more convenient, and we’re seeing companies develop systems that are nearly 100 percent contactless. This means no more using a touchpad or stylus that’s been handled by countless others. Even employee clock-in systems are making the transition to touchless to reduce the chance of staff to staff contact.

Robotic Restrooms
Automatic toilets, hand dryers, and faucets became popular both for their cleanliness and eco-friendly aspect. If you still have a few older features in your common restrooms, upgrading them to sensor activated ones might be worth the investment. Reducing the amount of surfaces that harbor bacteria can help cleanup an otherwise fairly dirty part of your building. You could start to see a decrease in tenant health issues and your building’s water bill.

In Your Hands
Nowadays, smartphones can do just about anything, so it’s only natural that you can now control your whole building from one app. Just a few taps can control your heating or cooling system, lights, projector, and so much more. Similar to automatic restrooms, wireless personal controls for your building can have both environmental and hygienic benefits. Less people will be touching the same light switches or other room controls to limit the number of high-traffic surfaces. Offices and residential buildings can greatly benefit from having a touchless control system for added convenience. Demand for these buildings of the future is growing and only expected to get more popular with tenants.

Keeping your building up to date on its maintenance is important for your tenants’ safety, and a professional commercial inspection with NPI can help. Contact your local inspector and schedule an appointment today!