The COVID-19 crisis presented architecture, engineering and construction companies, and code departments with an enormous challenge: transitioning an industry long reliant on personal relationships and in-person connections to a remote, digital environment. Like other hands-on sectors, builders and other trades can’t ply their trades over Zoom.

Because of COVID-19, many buildings have sat empty for the better part of a year, and there are possible health risks tied to the return of these unoccupied spaces.

The National Institute of Building Sciences recently hosted a webinar to discuss the costs of the remote work world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All eyes are on the COVID-19 situation, watching things unfold.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), different parts of the country are seeing different levels of COVID-19 activity.

“The duration and severity of each pandemic phase can vary depending on the characteristics of the virus and the public health response,” the CDC reports, on its situation summary.

The global pandemic has changed much of how we live, work, and operate.

So, the National Institute of Building Sciences has developed a resource for those looking for recent developments, financial assistance information, webinars and events, continuing education, and other impacts of the coronavirus on the building sector.

The Building Industry COVID-19 Resource Hub lives on the Whole Building Design Guide site, and it regularly is updated as new information becomes available. It is personally curated by our team.

May is Building Safety Month.

In this coronavirus world, building safety has taken on greater meaning as the nation’s leaders figure out how to keep citizens safe, while reopening the parts of the economy to business again.

The International Code Council is readying for its 40th annual Building Safety Month, which includes a host of virtual resources to promote building safety in our communities.

Bringing America back to work and restarting the economy will take planning and vision.

Any movement in the direction toward reentering and repopulating buildings, businesses, and transportation systems must follow the health and safety guidelines set forth by science and data, the federal government, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and World Health Organization.

As states begin to reopen in phases, it’s important to psychologically prepare your staff to go back to work and attend meetings again.

There’s a lot of anxiety around the future of work, and one industry that’s been particularly affected is tourism and hospitality.

Experts say consistency will be critical toward building trust and credibility.

Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association, says it’s important to communicate with employees and provide ample notice of plans.

It’s not easy when plans change.

But the coronavirus forced a lot of new territory on the world and its global community, requiring change in many ways, especially with regard to health and safety.

White House coronavirus health official Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, November 12, to address virus surge and share encouraging news about vaccines.

The situation in the United States is difficult with 10 million infections, 250,000 deaths, and 60,000 hospitalizations. Health officials recently reported 143,000 infections in a single day.