A significant number of employees who work in office towers may be reluctant to return to work for fear of contracting the coronavirus in elevators.
That could result in hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of office real estate continuing to go largely unoccupied. Cities and employers have taken steps to reduce risk, but they may not be enough.
For instance, New York City’s Department of Buildings’ COVID-19 task force has slashed in half the maximum capacity of elevators it oversees. But, previous maximum capacity was so high that the new rule is unlikely to provide comfort for users.
The risk of COVID-19 transmission in elevators is unsettled, but the risk may actually be low, experts say. Most elevators are well ventilated, and the short periods that people occupy the enclosed spaces translates into low risk. Wearing masks, not pressing buttons with bare fingers, and facing to the walls would further reduce the chances of contracting COVID-19 in an elevator.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 17, 2018
Contractor charged with fraud in winning $200 million in federal contracts
Accused of falsely claiming veteran- and minority-owned business status.
Codes and Standards | Apr 16, 2018
Wide variations in adoption of National Electric Code could jeopardize safety
An NFPA report found that code adoption is under heavier political scrutiny, leading to delays and decisions motivated by factors other than safety concerns.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2018
Corruption in New York City construction industry is common
Scale of projects, number of players involved contributes to problem.
Codes and Standards | Apr 11, 2018
Urgent need for government to make communities, infrastructure more resilient
More than 350 people died from extreme weather events in 2017.
Codes and Standards | Apr 10, 2018
Boosting energy efficiency helps reduce health risks
Cleaner air results in fewer heart attacks, respiratory disease, and premature deaths.
Codes and Standards | Apr 9, 2018
U.K. business leaders call for zero-carbon buildings by 2030
Real estate, construction industry executives among those supporting the goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2018
In Houston, proposed rules would require building above 500-year flood level
Change would impact 85,739 pieces of property.
Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2018
New ASTM standard supports stucco use in construction
Provides way to measure tensile strength in vertical applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 3, 2018
LEED v4.1 O+M for Existing Buildings available for beta testing
Update said to be most inclusive and transparent platform to date.
Codes and Standards | Apr 2, 2018
Experts chosen for ICC, ANCR buildings resilience benchmarks project
Specialists to focus on community preparedness for disasters.