Evaluation of infection probability in a multiroom office space using computational fluid dynamics coupled with Wells-Riley model

The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of health safety assessment in various indoor scenarios. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combined with a modified Wells-Riley equation provides a powerful tool to analyse local infection probability in an indoor space. Compared to a single infection probability characterising the space in the traditional Wells-Riley model, the coupled approach provides a distribution of infection probability within the space. Furthermore, this approach avoids assuming a well-mixed state, usually related to Wells-Riley equation. This study compares displacement and mixing ventilation strategies with four different ventilation rates to assess the local quanta concentrations modelled using passive scalar transport approach. The simulation results are processed to also account for the effect of wearing masks and vaccinations. The result show that a well-designed displacement ventilation system can significantly reduce infection probability compared to mixing ventilation system at similar airflow rate. Additionally, the results emphasised the importance of wearing mask and getting vaccinated as a means of reducing infection probability. © 2022 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022. All rights reserved.

The Impact and Complex Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Environment and the Use of Coworking Spaces in Malta

Coworking spaces in Malta have grown in their presence and use only within the last decade, yet the COVID-19 pandemic may have altered the cultural working office norms of Maltese society. Indeed, this chapter, using in-depth interviews with different groups of people, that is, co-worker owners, employees, traditional employers and members of an employment association, aims to explore how the pandemic may be impacting the coworking industry in complex ways. From the narratives, it emerged that the soft lockdown measures related to the pandemic had caused immediate negative effects due to the fear of contagion on the use of coworking spaces in Malta and the limitations related to social distances in workspaces. However, the pandemic itself may have created a shift within the Maltese context where the idea of remote working is perceived as beneficial and may become more popular. The pandemic may have contributed to the revision of the Maltese employers' priorities, such as the importance of owning or renting a permanent office space or giving permission to employees to work from home or renting a coworking space for socialisation at work. Therefore, the pandemic may have caused damaging short-term effects to the coworking industry in Malta yet possibly beneficial long-term effects. © 2023, The Author(s).

The Office Market Reckoning is Nigh

Occupied space, rents, sales transactions volumes, and sales prices were all posting record levels, while vacancy rates had fallen to their lowest level since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC). Few firms went bankrupt as generous government relief programs kept them solvent. [...]most office tenants could only exit their leases once their lease period ended. The office vacancy rate has risen over 400 basis points to 15.7%, the largest Increase In any property sector since 2019.3 A Smaller Corporate Footprint For now, the vacancy rate remains below Its GFC peak, but all signs suggest that vacancies will continue rising In the coming quarters to reach record levels as tenants give up more space than they lease. Most of that space will eventually be counted as vacant landlord space once the leases roll from the tenants' responsibility. [...]expect vacancy rates to spike over the next two years unless firms abruptly begin to lease more space than they have been.

Influence of the global environment on capital flows in the London Office market

PurposeThe London office market is a major destination of international real estate capital and arguably the epicentre of international real estate investment over the past decade. However, the increase in global uncertainties in recent years due to socio-economic and political trends highlights the need for more insights into the behaviour of international real estate capital flows. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of the global and domestic environment on international real estate investment activities within the London office market over the period 2007–2017.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts an auto-regressive distributed lag approach using the real capital analytics (RCA) international real estate investment data. The RCA data analyses quarterly cross-border investment transactions within the central London office market for the period 2007–2017.FindingsThe study provides insights on the critical differences in the influence of the domestic and global environment on cross-border investment activities in this office market, specifically highlighting the significance of the influence of the global environment in the long run. In the short run, the influence of factors reflective of both the domestic and international environment are important indicating that international capital flows into the London office market is contextualised by the interaction of different factors.Originality/valueThe authors provide a holistic study of the influence of both the domestic and international environment on cross-border investment activities in the London office market, providing more insights on the behaviour of global real estate capital flows.

The Office Real Estate Market: From COVID Disruption toUncertain Future

The Pre-COVID Decline Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. office real estate market had been subject to contraction for approximately a decade as businesses tried to lower overhead by implementing various "open office" concepts such as hoteling and/or hot-desking. For the tenants that are signing on now, there is evidence that they are asking for even less space-per-worker than prior to the pandemic;with the average being down to 175s.f. of office space per worker.M The nature of most commercial office leases blunted the effect of this COVID work-from-home move, at least for a little while. Certain property owners In especially desirable locations, or with certain marquee tenants who have all in-offlce operations, have been able to take this option and ride though lease renewals In the past three years without any material hit on their bottom-line. Rising Interest rates, which started the pandemic at 1.5% to 1.75% for the federal funds rate, and had dropped to 0% to .25% a few days Into the pandemic, have risen steadily In the last few months to 4.5% to 4.75% as of early February 2023.

The Effects of Virtuality on Agile Development

In this article, we explore how agile development teams are affected by transition from physical to virtual agile teamwork. To this end, we examined three agile teams at a software company, which due to Covid-19 had to change from working in a shared office space to individual home offices. We find that virtual work affects agile development in that there are fewer interactions, more written communication, more formalized relationships, and increased use of documentation. Furthermore, we find that virtual agile teams need a different style of team management. In light of this, we discuss whether a virtual context is compatible with agile development, or whether the form of work is affected so much that it no longer can be considered agile. © 2022 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Editorial: Uncertainty – friend or foe?

[...]just as home working has increased, so has the use of traditional office space declined. [...]that has had a significant impact upon our high streets and shopping centres with rents and capital values falling significantly. Retail values were down but relative to lower market rents, the yield was not as high as many expected. Returning to the doomsayers in my opening paragraph, there is a lovely irony that the Brexit uncertainty exacerbated by all the negative views mentioned actually led to a subdued investment market in 2019 and 2020 so, relative to Europe, the challenges and falls in value experienced in the 2021 economy hit the UK less because the pre-Brexit prices were not as high as they may have been otherwise.

Pluto~Charon Inc., or Where the Orbits of Right-of-Use Assets and Impaired Value Collide: Certified Public Accountant

According to recent articles from assorted periodicals, the Manhattan office market was at a risk of oversupply before the pandemic. [...]of COVID, additional commercial space became abruptly available, and there was over 20 million square feet of NYC sublet space actively looking for tenants. [...]although the current reduction in usage of office space would not automatically cause an impairment charge, for small organizations like PCI, it is imperative to seriously consider this collision of ROU and impairment when preparing their financial statements.

COVID-19: a catalyst for revitalizing mixed-use urban centers? The case of Paris

Since the mid-1990s, the French public authorities have changed regulations to allow commercial building conversions into housing. The COVID-19 crisis has affected the global economy, social connections, environmental trajectories and energy demand/supply. Countries have been considering measures to reduce the pandemic's long-term impact and since the beginning of 2020, national governments have recommended that companies facilitate remote work. Thus, COVID-19 has prompted some office building depopulation. With working from home expected to continue after the pandemic, due to technological, environmental and economic considerations, there is a growing impetus to convert empty office space into residential uses. The present research aims, through the Parisian case study, to consider the impacts of the pandemic and the acceleration of homeworking. Using a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology, the study aims to (1) critically analyse the policy tools implemented by the Paris municipality following the COVID-19 pandemic to accelerate commercial building conversions and (2) evaluate the potential for such conversions, considering former policies. We found that adaptive reuse policies have been implemented following the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. However, according to the collected data, conversion potential is limited, due to the continuing demand for office space despite the changes and economic considerations. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The future of work, workplaces and smart buildings

This paper presents a discussion on how smart buildings and technologies currently and will continue to contribute to the future of work and workplaces. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a hybrid way of working has emerged and physical office spaces are becoming more a space for collaboration, innovation and interactions, which can be facilitated by the use of smart technologies. An analysis of the 15 highest-scoring smart buildings through the Smart Building Certification process highlights key trends in the smartest buildings as they contribute to the future of work and a hybrid way of working: increased flexibility, emphasis on user experience including indoor environmental quality and safety, and an overall drive towards sustainability. The shift towards smarter buildings also offers an opportunity to study the impacts of smart technologies on key performance aspects of the buildings and the building occupants. © 2022 ACM.

Dynamics in Lighting- Post Covid, Flexibility and Adaptiveness in Residential Spaces/Office Spaces

Initiating from recent pandemic conditions, this study deals with the influence of light on the psychology of people during a typical working day at small scale residential spaces, aiming at delivering strategic design of anthropocentric lighting for visual, mental and biological health. © 2022 IEEE.

Our Workforce and COVID-19: How Remote Working Plays a Role: Quarterly Journal

Using a university as an example, students located in more rural areas may have issues with internet access or cannot afford to have an adequate computer system at home for participating in required class work (Camera 2020). [...]there is a cost implication for society. [...]of the approach taken, managers can acquire accurate information to make decisions on how to control costs and provide savings for the business or company and they can seek input from employees. Motivation Pre-COVID-19 research suggests remote working can increase an employee's job satisfaction, organizational commitment and help improve employee performance at their job tasks.

CFD Analysis of Airflow Patterns and Flow Path of Airborne Contaminants in Indoor Spaces-A Concept of Aerodynamic Containment

The purpose of a ventilation system for indoor spaces is to create a safe environment for the occupants by diluting the concentration levels of hazardous contaminants and to minimize the risk of infection due to spread of airborne pathogens. The effectiveness of ventilation system depends on several inter related factors including the supply airflow rate, number and locations of supply diffusers, and number and locations of return grilles. With the help of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses, this study systematically evaluates the impact of three different HVAC configurations on the airflow patterns, distribution of contaminant, and the risk of infection in a small office space with two cubicles. The HVAC configuration with a single supply and a single return can create adverse airflow patterns which can promote spread of contaminants and increase the risk of infection farther from the source. When an additional supply diffuser is introduced with the same single return, the zone of high risk of infection remained in the vicinity of the source. However, the overall risk of infection in the space remained the same. Addition of another return created aerodynamic containment zones in the space which provided easy path for the contaminated air to leave the space and reduced the overall risk of infection. Since the location of an infected individual is not known a priori, the aerodynamic containment with distributed supply and distributed return can be the best strategy for reducing the probability of infection in indoor spaces. These studies demonstrate that CFD analyses can help in identifying the potential risk of high infection due to poor airflow distribution into a space and can provide valuable insights for developing appropriate mitigation strategies to create safe indoor environment.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis of Ultraviolet Germicidal (UV-C) to Control the Probability of Infection due to Transmission of Airborne Pathogens

The wavelength band of200-280 nm of UV-C radiation generated by the Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) system can destroy the reproduction ability of microorganisms. Severalfactors related to UVfixtures, HVAC layout, and the resulting airflow flow patterns can affect the performance of upper-room UVGI applications. With the help of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses, this study systematically evaluates the impact of UV-C intensities on the effectiveness of an upper room UVGI system. It shows that the addition of even a small amount of UV-C energy in the upper region of space can significantly reduce the probability of infection as predicted by the Wells-Riley model. Increasing the UV-C output shows a further reduction in the infection probability, although with a diminishing impact. A further investigation is necessary to evaluate the effect of airflow patterns on the performance of UVGI systems. These studies demonstrate that CFD analyses can help optimize the performance of UVGI systems to minimize the probability of infection in indoor spaces.

Identifying interior design strategies for healthy workplaces – a literature review

Purpose>It is widely recognized that interior office space can affect health in several ways. Strategic and evidence-based design, including explicit design objectives, well-chosen design solutions and evaluation of results, aid realization of desired health effects. Therefore, this paper aims to identify possibly effective interior design strategies and accompanying design solutions and to provide examples of effectiveness measures.Design/methodology/approach>A literature sample of 59 peer-reviewed papers published across disciplines was used to collect examples of workplace design features that have positively influenced workers’ well-being. The papers were grouped by their health objective and design scope successively and their theoretical assumptions, measures and findings were analyzed.Findings>Four main workplace design strategies were identified. Design for comfort aims at reducing or preventing health complaints, discomfort and stress, following a pathogenic approach. It has the longest tradition and is the most frequently addressed in the included papers. The other three take a salutogenic approach, promoting health by increasing resources for coping with demands through positive design. Design for restoration supports physical and mental recovery through connections with nature. Design for social well-being facilitates social cohesion and feelings of belonging. Design for healthy behavior aims at nudging physical activity in the workplace.Originality/value>By drawing complementary perspectives and offering examples of design solutions and effectiveness measures, this paper encourages workplace designers, managers and researchers to take a transdisciplinary and evidence-based approach to healthy workplaces. It also serves as a starting point for future empirical research.

Cracking the hybrid work culture conundrum: how to create a strong culture across a workforce you may never even see

Purpose>The purpose of this paper is to look at how workplaces can create a healthy corporate culture as a hybrid way of working comes into force. The pandemic has made many businesses rethink their corporate culture strategy, and this study addresses how to regain and sustain a positive long-term culture. This is done by exploring aspects of pre-pandemic work life, how businesses can continue this going forward, and additional ways to ensure employees are fulfilled – all while providing a safe environment to work in.Design/methodology/approach>The author analyses pre-pandemic working culture, impartial report findings, third-party research, and her deep understanding and domain expertise in human resources (HR) to guide the reader in identifying key components of an effective corporate culture during this fast-paced, disruptive era. The study provides background context and offers three main ways on how to successfully achieve this.Findings>The findings from this study demonstrate three main ways in which HR leaders can enhance the working environment and how this can have multiple positive business outcomes. Driving and living core values from the most senior positions all the way through the workforce, changing values which are no longer fit for purpose, creating new workplace networking opportunities and recognising colleague contributions, especially during times of uncertainty, are all critical components of long-term culture success. The findings demonstrate how this is not only beneficial for a business but for the workforce too – helping retain important talent and also attracting new employees.Originality/value>The study fulfils an identified need to analyse and inform on forward-looking corporate culture trends and challenges amid the pandemic.

Guest editorial: The pandemic-driven metamorphosis of a modern workplace

[...]the last paper, which is an additional paper to the three special issue papers, seeks to determine whether corporate real estate ownership can be priced into the capital market of non-property companies. By understanding workers’ needs and expectations, post-pandemic work environments can adapt to these preferences and humanize the places where we work and socialize and cohabitate for a large proportion of our work-active lives. [...]featured research on Covid-19-related stressors in the workplace and integral employees’ health can serve as a footing for corporate managers to establish a more functional and desirable place of work. [...]the selected papers should not be read solely by scholars and industry experts but also by policymakers who have the tools and the ability to support the future development of healthy work environments.

The human factor: the “unknown unknowns” in the real estate development process

Purpose>Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) are terms the military have coined to describe the environment they often operate in. This paper examines how this decision-making framework can be used to better inform real estate investment and development. In celebration of this journal's 40th anniversary, we also explore how VUCA can be related to and expand on the teachings of Dr. James A. Graaskamp who published his seminal piece on the Fundamentals of Real Estate Development (1981) the same year. In that piece, he highlights the importance of paying attention to the human factor, the consumers of real estate.Design/methodology/approach>This is a thought piece on an alternative decision-making framework that can help capture the dynamic environment that commercial real estate investors and developers are currently working in. VUCA captures the difficulty of predicting the future in a world of accelerating, unpredictable change. This is particularly important in today's rapidly changing world caused not only by the current COVID-19 pandemic but also the exponential growth of the proptech industry as well as the increasing risks and opportunities associated with climate change that continues to impact the built environment.Findings>This is not a traditional research project with empirical findings. We are presenting an alternative framework for thinking about making investment decisions in these current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times today and in the future. In addition, the importance of multidisciplinary training and the human factor are stressed.Research limitations/implications>There are no limitations to this research as it is the ideas of the authors. Implications are to help real estate investors, developers and educators better understand the environment that they are working in.Practical implications>VUCA captures better the dynamic nature of real estate investments compared to traditional analysis. It helps one better analyze the risks and returns but also to acknowledge that there is a lot you cannot predict and there are many exogenous variables that can, at times, completely change the rules of the game. Flexibility and adaptability are essential tools for working in a VUCA environment. In addition, the human factor plays an increasingly important role and real estate investors and developers that clearly understand this and focus on the consumer will likely be more successful.Originality/value>We believe that this is the first time that VUCA has been used in the real estate academic literature.

The Role of Mandatory Building Efficiency Disclosure on Green Building Price Premium: Evidence from Australia

Extensive studies have examined the financial performance of green buildings in recent years. The results have frequently observed that the premium of green buildings is time-varying and dependent on the study period and markets being examined. Further, virtually no dedicated study has been devoted to examine the role of mandatory building energy rating disclosure policies on green building price premium. This raises the question of whether the mandatory energy rating disclosure policies would have an influence on the financial performance of green buildings. This study assesses the premium of green buildings by considering the role of mandatory energy efficiency of commercial building disclosure program (CBDP) using the MCSI/IPD NABERS data over 2005–2020. The results of the study showed that, in Australia, buildings with NABERS rating of 4 stars and above delivered a higher total return compared with buildings with lower NABERS ratings. This also supports the Freeman’s (1984) social impact hypothesis in which favorable social performance will ultimately lead to favorable financial performance. In addition, our empirical modelling results also demonstrated the premium of green buildings is stronger since the launch of CBDP, reflecting the importance of mandatory building efficiency disclosure. The policy implications of our studies have also been discussed as buildings play a crucial role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly net-zero carbon emissions.

The impact of COVID-19 on office space utilization and real-estate: a case study about teleworking in Israel as new normal

Purpose>This study aims to investigate whether the shift to teleworking during COVID-19 pandemic is going to diminish the need to procure/rent extensive office space and how this emerging trend impacts the real-estate market in Israel.Design/methodology/approach>The methodologies used in this study include triangulation of Google search engine, survey and post hoc case study analysis.Findings>The analysis indicates a decline both in procuring office space and its price per square meter. Employee productivity while teleworking remains relatively high despite home distractions. Interestingly, the survey results forecast a continuous shift to hybrid work mode after the pandemic.Practical implications>The study introduces the development of numerous innovative Israeli technologies to allow a gradual return to work in public places.Social implications>As the coronavirus outburst, business sectors were forced by government regulations to change the way of employment extensively, specifically, teleworking has become an integral part of the routine to accommodate social distance. The study provides insights into the impact of teleworking on gender and ethnic diversity in the Israeli workplace.Originality/value>Israel provides a unique bedrock for investigation because of its status as a start-up nation with both high skilled workforce and advanced information technology infrastructure. The study enlightens an Israeli perspective on how a small size country with a high-density population succeeds to deal with coronavirus by teleworking coupled with strict government enforcement of social distance.