With the country slowly getting back to business as usual as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are gradually lifted, the priority remains safety. Facilities managers have been tasked with providing support across Savills managed portfolios, ranging from basic PPE provision, to social distancing signage and even electrostatic disinfection services to help people get back to normality.

Consequently, a significant amount of research has gone in to finding cleaning solutions that help eradicate the infection from surfaces. Products such as BIOPROTECTUs™ feature water-based anti-microbial qualities that are able to eliminate germs for up to six weeks. Testing results for this product include E.coli, Coronavirus (feline, canine), Noravirus and SARS-CoV-2, the cognitive agent that causes Covid-19.

When deciding how best to clean commercial space, it is crucial that the solutions don’t do more harm than good. Water-based products are often non-toxic to humans and animals and contain no harmful chemicals or heavy metals.

From a sustainability perspective, substrate solutions such as this don’t leach into the surrounding environment meaning no harmful toxins are being released into the atmosphere. These type of water based products are also suitable to be used in conjunction with standard daily cleaning agents that are already utilised across property portfolios to maintain clean and safe places to work. 

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Covid-19 virus can be stable for several hours, and in some cases even days, on certain surfaces, making deep cleaning crucial in all public places. Products that provide a residual protection period from the date of application are essential in ensuring surfaces and materials both porous and non-porous remain sanitised, suitable and safe for use.

With this in mind, those who manage commercial schemes have to think carefully about ways to carry out this type of cleaning across their portfolios. Methods like electrostatic disinfection, for instance, have proven successful in helping to eliminate germs. The electrostatic equipment adds a positive charge to the solution and water contained within the equipment, which generates small airborne droplets that land on and wrap around all surfaces, effectively killing viruses.

According to Savills recent Office FiT survey, 61 per cent of people felt cleanliness was best met in the home, so there is still a lot to do to convince people to get back into public spaces.

BioProtectUs™ disinfection can be used across all sectors and is highly effective in office, leisure, retail and residential schemes, among others. Ultimately, it’s a cost effective means of sanitisation, which has been instrumental to a number of key return to work strategies for properties and occupiers at sites including the Leadenhall Building, 71 Fenchurch Street, The Royal Exchange, Lacon House and many others across our managed portfolios.

Reopening all spaces will involve learning a new set of behaviours, and early landlord and tenant engagement to agree new procedures and protocols in regards to cleaning and hygiene will be essential. Choosing the right solution will help put the shine back into returning to work.

Further information

Savills Operations Suppors & Facilities Management