As part of an effort to help guide the transition to "new lifestyle norms" in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has published a collection of tools that spell out strategies for re-occupying and retrofitting existing spaces. 

The tools, an ongoing COVID-19 response project developed by AIA as the pandemic has taken hold, are designed as "enhanced tools for reducing risk of COVID-19 transmission in buildings" set to be reoccupied as stay-at-home orders are gradually lifted. 

Building experts expect that many existing buildings, including offices, classrooms, shopping centers, and government facilities, will need to be temporarily retrofit for use that accommodates social distancing guidelines. These guides are aimed at helping inform those adaptations in a way that includes input from designers, architects, public health experts, engineers, and facilities managers, according to the AIA.  

Remarking on the latest update to the guide, 2020 AIA President Jane Frederick stated, “Communities need guidance for reopening buildings safely during the pandemic,” adding, "This initiative used credible science and current infectious disease data to develop practical strategies that can help businesses reopen their doors more safely during this pandemic.”

The three tools follow:

• Tool #1 - Risk Management Plan for Buildings
• Tool #2 - AIA Re-occupancy Assessment Tool (2.0) 
• Tool #3 - COVID-19 ArchMap 

The announcement also states that AIA is helping develop typologically specific strategies for different building types, including "offices, retailers, schools, and senior living facilities." Individualized reports for these facilities will be released "in phases, in the near future," the organization writes.