Ingenuity Magazine Fall 2020

Pond Ingenuity Fall 2020 13 seating in every other seat position. This distancing can go hand-in- hand with other measures such as, staggering shifts and arrival/lunch times. Implementing one-way traffic patterns throughout the building and a new rolling building occupancy will help reduce crowding in lobbies and elevators. Rolling occupancy can be calculated by reviewing pinch points to direct traffic in circulation corridors and assembly. Another distancing strategy is defining visitor contact protocols. These can include, providing contactless pick-up and delivery and using video or telephone conferencing instead of in-person client meetings. Health Screening and Frequent Sanitizing Most government buildings, especially courthouses, already have digital security systems in their entry lobbies. Upgrading these existing technologies by installing temperature scanning technologies and health screening equipment like rapid COVID testing should be considered. In larger courthouses, access procedures can include specific queuing for ease of check-in, limiting belongings, and containing documents at security. Citizen interactions and meetings should be conducted on the ground floor following temperature scanning. Rigorous cleaning and sanitizing protocols for frequently touched surfaces should also be implemented. When cleaning, incompatible disinfectants and ammonia-based cleaners for transparent plexiglass barriers should be avoided. Physical Architectural Elements Implementing physical isolation controls without relying on worker behavior can help foster a feeling of safety. Installing physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards at entry points has proven to be a necessary and effective solution. Installation considerations for these barriers include: height, breathing zone region as defined by AHSRAE, fire safety and life safety codes, performance standards for acrylic sheeting that meet ASTM D4802-16 and ANSI Z97.1- 2015, as well as ANSI 2-2014 for food service areas. Designing a drive-through window for customer service areas and reconsidering spatial opportunities to maximize underutilized space maybe required in some instances. All extraneous furniture should be removed and replaced with non-porous furnishing and wipeable surface fabrics. Installing social distancing signage and floor decals throughout the buildings can also help define expected behavioral patterns. Case Study: Pond’s COVID- 19 Rapid Response for Dekalb County, Georgia Pond recently provided design services in response to support Dekalb County’s “Return to Work” plan. The scope of design services for the County’s response was to create protocols that protect public-facing employees from direct contact.This work included assessments and architectural improvements to determine a solution for providing a transparent barrier between the public and Dekalb County employees who must interface with them during normal business operations. “Supporting the “Return to Work” effort in Dekalb County, Pond’s leadership team has provided a dedicated work group to assist, assess and provide recommendations, as we incorporate preventative measures. They were attentive to address all concerns of the stakeholders and provided solution-driven retrofitting designs.” – David M. Asbell, AIA, Deputy Director, Dekalb Facilities Management, Architecture and Engineering Where Do We Go From Here Implementing protective measures into offices spaces is crucial to the health and well-being of returning workers and guests. Navigating these changes require careful assessment and planning. Pond’s team of experts are prepared to help ease this transition for clients by designing infrastructure that will maximize safety for building patrons. Vital operations must continue and we are ready to guide agencies as they safely return to work. Sonia Sabherwal, RA Senior Project Manager Before After