Office re-entry after the Covid-19 lockdown

All around the globe lockdowns are starting to ease and societies are slowly transitioning back to a more ‘normal’ reality. Retailers, hairdressers and dentists are opening their doors again and there is a notable increase in cars on the highway, strollers in the city and (socially distant) face-to-face appointments.

During these times, our Global PropTech network has been everything but dormant. Our creative entrepreneurs compiled new best practices for using their solutions to tackle back-to-work challenges or in some cases, invented new technological solutions to assist us with re-entering our workplaces, smoothly and safely. A few of the solutions we’ve identified are:

Limit, monitor and control simultaneous office users with Officelynq BOOKS

In order to increase the chances of adherence to the 6-feet distance mandate, it is advisable to limit office congestion as much as possible. The larger the amount of people present, the higher the risk of contagious interactions. To avoid overcrowding, while giving office users a maximum amount of freedom, companies can make use of the booking system Officelynq BOOKS. Via an app, users can book an office space from the comfort of wherever. Only users with a current booking are allowed admittance in the building. This way the number of simultaneous office users is limited, monitored and controlled. Upon entering the building, office users have to scan an NFC-chip of QR-code, follow the navigations in the app to arrive at their booked space, scan the code again, enter the booked space, and work there till the end of their booking time. The moment their time runs out, they get an app notification so they can re-book the same room, make a new booking or leave the building. In this way, office operators can ensure that people return to the office building in a phased, safe way.

Monitor, ensure compliance and mitigate short-term disruption with Spacewell’s new digital solutions

Social distancing and the hygiene measures put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have implications for how we work and how workplaces are managed and serviced. Spacewell focuses on helping workplace managers with new and updated digital tools to manage the transition phase, monitor and ensure compliance and mitigate short-term disruption. Spacewell’s Covid-19-tailored solutions rely on IWMS software coupled with the IoT to help companies leverage utilization data and dynamically adapt facility processes. They are based on proven, existing solutions and newly added features that are available immediately. Key areas and capabilities include:

• Workplace density: Spacewell software makes it easy to mark workstations as unavailable on digital floor plans, made available to workers through a range of user-friendly touchpoints. Motion and image sensors can track, anonymously and in real-time, when people break social distancing rules and an alert will be emitted. And workplace managers can track and monitor workplace utilization with real-time data, time lapses and user-friendly dashboards. They can also receive alerts and leverage occupancy data for compliance reporting.
• Reservations: Mobile software makes it easy for people to book spaces and resources remotely based on daily availability – using their own smartphone. Privacy-aware contact tracing can be enabled using reservations systems data to keep track of potential exposure.
• Real-time employee guidance: Smart software helps people navigate the post-Covid-19 workplace. It shows walking routes and available desks on digital floor plans (kiosk, smartphone) and visualizes crowdedness across multiple floors so that people can avoid busy places.
• Indoor climate monitoring: To minimize the risk of airborne contamination, it is recommended to increase fresh air intake and monitor ambient conditions and air quality parameters. Organizations can reassure employees by communicating key information and showing that they are monitoring wellness.
• Cleaning and sanitation: More intensive and adapted cleaning will be necessary to mitigate Covid-19 spreading on surfaces. A field-tested mobile app (in a hospital setting among other places) gives cleaning crews clear instructions and safety precautions visualized on floor plans. Clients can update the configuration at any time through a self-service portal.

All these solutions fully respect people’s privacy at work, are scalable and suitable for both small and large organizations. They can be quickly implemented, generally in a matter of days.

6-feet distance protection devices for desk staff by Aura Aware

How do you ensure that customers and desk staff keep enough distance? Relying on people’s intuition is too risky and placing ribbons and warning signs is oftentimes futile, as they are easily overlooked. It is hard for us humans to estimate what 6 feet looks like in every situation and, on top of that, to be constantly vigilant about keeping enough distance. To combat this problem, TryLikes devised The Aura Aware, a smart distance meter that warns if people get too close to each other. The device consists of a transparent screen on a stand, equipped with sensors. The patented technology detects if there is someone in the room within 6 feet distance (or any other distance you set up) and if that is the case, a red light warns both parties to take more distance. If the distance becomes even smaller, you will hear alarming beeps. If the distance  is correct, the screen turns green again. The device is very easy to use: just plug it in and it works.

The end-to-end re-entry solution by Office App

Office App is an integrated modular & scalable employee experience platform for offices. After speaking with customers about the problems they were facing while preparing their workforce to getting back to work, Office App came up with an end-to-end workplace re-entry solution that is easy to implement. Their GDPR-proof solution encompasses, among others, phased employee access control, workforce communication, touchless room booking, crowdedness measurements and occupancy limits. But they also understood how vital measurements are for the successful implementation of a post-Covid-19 strategy. For this reason Office App also ensures that each customer is provided with analytics regarding the effectiveness of each feature they implement. This helps their customers optimize their strategy, so that they can effectively reduce health and safety concerns in the workplace.

Communication & crisis management by Mallcomm app

Mallcomm is a multi-award-winning 360-degree integrator for managing and engaging real estate communities: occupiers, property teams, operations, suppliers, visitors and other stakeholders.

Mallcomm is a occupier engagement solution  that has proven critical communications and crisis management at its core, having assisted over 300 retail & mixed use destinations worldwide during the Covid-19 crisis by delivering efficiencies through streamlining of communication, operations and security processes around a building. Most recently, they have partnered with their clients to develop best practices for reopening including:

• Distributing relevant information about plans for re-opening
• Creating Document Library for all required documentation
• Digital checklists for each department
• Booking time slots to access the tenant’s unit/store prior to the reopening
• Securing time slots for delivery by external suppliers
• Requesting access to building for contractors
• Footfall counter during the transition period when the amount of people within buildings is restricted
• Notifying customers through the B2C part of the app of store openings, opening hours, booking time in the mall, personal safety guidelines and much more

Corona alarms on the construction site by VORM Holding & Mapiq

The construction company VORM Holding was looking for a corona solution to ensure the safety of its builders when they are working on the premises. We matched them with PropTech company Mapiq and within only three weeks this partnership resulted in a working prototype of a ‘corona alarm’, a device that notifies builders when they are standing too close to each other. The market demand turned out to be so big, that companies are already talking about substantially scaling up the production. This is how it works: each builder gets a sensor that emits a generic Bluetooth signal and captures those from other beepers. If a signal is caught within 6 feet, the builder hears a warning beep. If they are 6 feet away from each other again, the beeper stops and they can continue to work. The sensors do not have an internet connection and are not personal, which makes them fully GDPR-proof.  

Yardi helps facilitate social distancing

Some business necessities don’t change, even in a crisis as monumental as Covid-19. Examples of these  include quick analyses of investors, fund and portfolio key metrics, effective communication with investors, and efficient management of fund raising and deal tracking. An integrated platform for investment management can be a real estate investment manager’s best tool for maintaining normalcy at this unprecedented time. Whether people are at home, in the office or in the field, Yardi investment management solutions will help drive efficiency and investor satisfaction. Yardi also has an existing range of solutions that help support the requirements of social distancing for tenants, vendors and staff which include, but are not limited to, online leasing, certifications, payment options and ID verification.

Keep your employees engaged when working from home with Healthy Workers

Considering the fact that we simply don’t know how long this pandemic will last, (partially) working from home will remain the standard. But how do you make sure your employees can work as healthy and productive from home as they did at the office? Healthy Workers’ new solution, Anywhere, is here to help. Anywhere gives your employees personal and actionable tips – based on their experience, creates an overview of the biggest issues within your company and provides suggestions on how to improve. Anywhere helps optimize remote working spaces and increases employee engagement and commitment.

Monitoring indoor air quality with uHoo

Available before the end of May, uHoo is releasing a software update to launch the uHoo smart indoor air quality virus alert.

Perhaps one good thing about the Covid-19 outbreak, is how it is teaching an entire generation of people proper hygiene and safety habits to prevent the spread of disease. Keeping the air in your office, home workplace and home clean through monitoring can help greatly in reducing airborne infections. Particulate matter is a potential carrier of viruses, the wrong humidity levels influence virus growth and VOCs can and NO2 can put a strain on your immune system, weakening it and making you more susceptible to the virus. This is where uHoo’s air quality monitor comes in. With its advanced sensors, the uHoo monitor can check the quality of the air in your home or working place and let you know the air you breathe is safe. Knowledge is power, and knowing there is a problem means you can take the steps to correct it.

**Did your company also come up with an innovative solution that helps to enable the post-Covid-19 life? Email us at fay@contechproptech.nl