"A notable transformation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting U.S. facility leaders to reconsider their operational strategies and invest in smarter, healthier technologies," said Vimal Kapur, president, and CEO, Honeywell Building Technologies. "As occupants become more aware of how the buildings they use for work, school, and care can affect their well-being, we expect them to push building owners and operators to implement new procedures with efficient, sustainable solutions that better support occupants' safety, comfort, and enhance their experiences, not only for the immediate return to office but for the long term as well."

Five Themes 

The survey results from facility managers in the U.S. underscore five key themes.

The pandemic will likely have a lasting impact on facility management and operations — Three-quarters (75%) of surveyed U.S. facility managers indicate COVID-19 has prompted their facilities to rethink their modes of operation. Many believe changes and upgrades made during the pandemic will be kept in place in some form, yet only 36% of those surveyed expect updates to the air quality system to remain permanent. COVID-19 is also driving facility managers to adjust their priorities and investments. For example, 62% are more likely to invest in IAQ optimization and other healthy building solutions, and 56% are more willing to invest in occupant experience solutions like contactless building access, smart parking, and personalized experiences.

COVID-19 remains a source of widespread unease — Among surveyed U.S. facility managers, nearly one in four (22%) mention pandemic-related issues as their top concern.

A healthy building is a top priority and will remain important — A majority (58%) of respondents consider having a healthy building a top priority right now, and 62% say it will continue to be a top priority post-pandemic. Improving IAQ ranks as the most important aspect of a healthy building for those working in health care and educational facilities, while those working in data centers and commercial real estate buildings cite cleaning procedures as their top priority.

Digital transformation of facilities is accelerating — Since COVID-19, more than half (54%) of respondents have seen digital transformation accelerate in pace as the need for remote facility management became more acute. More than nine in 10 facility managers (93%) said that remote facility management is important now, and 67% of respondents indicated they are more willing to invest in smart building solutions that drive efficiency or sustainability, including data aggregation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Respondents are interested in upgrades to improve the occupant experience, with a contactless building experience ranking high — According to surveyed U.S. facility managers, there is strong interest in upgrades, such as improving IAQ, energy efficiency, and sustainability efforts, and supporting an inviting and innovative building environment. Yet, respondent input shows a gap in the technologies currently deployed in buildings. More than half of those surveyed say the buildings they manage do not have air quality solutions (57%), integrated lighting that improves occupant productivity (66%), contactless building entry (67%), or an app that provides real-time information on building health (73%).  

The Honeywell survey was conducted by KRC research (http://www.krcresearch.com/) in four markets:  United States, Germany, China, and Saudi Arabia. To read the full report, please visit Rethinking Buildings Post-COVID-19.