Houston BOMA Highlights Q2 2020

Feature
Preparing for Resuming Operations in a New Normal:
Things to Consider for Building Re-Entry
When it comes to COVID-19 and tenant re-entry, any mitigation actions you can take now will be money and time well spent,
according to experts participating in BOMA’s recent COVID-19 webinars. There are several things you can do right now to facilitate
tenant re-entry and the return to business. View BOMA International’s guide here for more information.
Know your documents.
If you haven’t done so already, review existing leases, contracts and insurance policies for risks, protections and notice requirements.
Consult with your legal team on potential issues, including force majeure, rent abatement, and other lease-related
concerns, so you can be prepared should they arise.
If you’re not sure where to
start planning, build a
reverse timeline.
Anticipate shortages in supply.
Ordinary things like toilet paper, soap and sanitizer have become hot
commodities. You may be well-stocked now, but what happens if supply
chain disruptions are long-term? Get in touch with your vendors, suppliers
and contractors to ask how they plan to be available to you during recovery.
When planning on restocking supply, anticipate bottlenecks and possible
shortages or delays.
Serving your
community for
all restoration
and disaster
planning needs.
Create an employee re-entry plan.
As the spread of the virus slows and state governments begin allowing employees to go back to work, each company’s leadership
will need to determine how to proceed with re-entry. To ensure a smooth transition back to the office, communicate with
your employees about what they can expect. Will there be new workspace configurations, social distancing practices, employee
screening, or scheduling changes? Then, help minimize disruption for your employees by consulting your IT provider about what
you need to do to get everyone reconnected to your network. Finally, consider your office’s shared resources and common areas.
Did anyone empty the refrigerator?
Outline and communicate a tenant re-occupancy plan.
Keep in mind it’s much easier for tenants to leave your office building than to return. Communication with your tenants is key.
You’ll want to ensure their individual systems are being properly maintained, and they will need to know what kind of environment
and procedures to expect in your building. Are your common areas limited or closed? Do you plan to allow fewer people to
utilize an elevator at one time, and how will you deal with lines to use the elevator? All of the equipment that left your building
now has to come back in. Do you have a plan to accommodate all the people and equipment coming back into the building?
Consider what you need to do to get your building physically ready before tenants arrive. Have you ensured the water supply
is safe for tenant use? You may want to flush building water systems before re-opening. Disinfection of premise plumbing may
be needed, and water testing (for potability) may also be necessary to either validate efficacy of remedial processes or determine
if remediation is needed to restore building water system conditions. You may also think about implementing new operational
changes, like maximizing outdoor air supply of HVAC system where possible and extending operational periods up to 24/7, with
building purges at night.
If you’re not sure where to start planning, build a reverse timeline. Start with your re-entry date, and work backwards to
determine what must be done when.
These are just a few of things you’ll need to think about when planning for re-entry. Ask, “What must go right?” and “What
could go wrong?” to help guide your decision-making process and mitigate risk. With the right precautions, we’ll soon be able
to return to our buildings and find a new normal. n
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Houston Building Owners & Managers Association Q2 • 2020
Houston Building Owners & Managers Association Q2 • 2020
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