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The new normal may be anything but
Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMaybe we've hit bottom. Three months into the COVID-19 lockdown, it appears that mitigation measures have "flattened the curve." Measures are being taken to reopen the economy on some level in just about every state in America. How far and how fast this will proceed remains to be seen. A common refrain is that we are trying to "get back to normal." There’s only one problem. Those days are gone — if not forever, for a very, very long time.
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Health concerns are reshaping the housing landscape
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsAs expected, home sales plummeted in April, the first full month during which much of the nation was under orders to remain indoors. Nonetheless, in some parts of the country buyer demand continued to outstrip supply, and prices increased due to inventory shortages. Without question, the health crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for social interaction are having a significant impact on real estate markets and communities.
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Airport concessions in crisis as coronavirus takes toll on air travel
Matt Falcus Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementVictims of the coronavirus outbreak and its effect on air travel include the thousands of airport concessions across the country, and indeed the world, that have been forced to endure closure and laying off employees or, if still open, next to minimal sales. Now, with airports and airlines receiving funds to help them through these difficult times, airport concessions are also calling on the government to recognize their plight and provide relief before many are forced out of business.
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How COVID-19 might affect the commercial real estate market
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCOVID-19 has negatively impacted every industry, including the commercial real estate sector. Whether or not this industry can bounce back — and to what extent — is dependent on several factors. "COVID-19 will usher in a form of real estate Darwinism where only the financially strong will be able to survive," warns Michael Gevurtz, CEO of Bluebird Lending in Philadelphia.
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How your hospital’s radiology department can be a key line of defense…
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a healthcare professional, your goal has been to blunt the impact of COVID-19 as well as you can. Yet, you may have never considered how one specific part of your hospital could be a most effective containment area. Your radiology department can serve as an essential point of protection for all your patients and staff, according to fascinating, fresh research. The study, published in the journal Radiology, contains many important recommendations every hospital should implement.
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Public restrooms are reopening but may cause more challenges than can be…
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsAs the world awakens from its COVID-19-forced economic slumber, one vital and essential service offering remains largely at large. Across the U.S., from California and Iowa to Florida, there is a confusing topic of conversation: To open restrooms, leave them closed, and how to clean them among the clatter of how best to reopen businesses across the country. The chaos of the typical American public restroom could change forever, Fast Company reports.
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VR goes to work in interior design
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesConfronted with the need to maintain social distancing and minimize direct contact with clients, many design firms have turned to visualization tools such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) during the past few months as means of increasing engagement with clients and facilitating virtual design planning and decision-making. This is likely to be merely the first step towards tapping the considerable potential these of technologies.
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The ABCs of cargo insurance
Gail Short Distribution & WarehousingAs COVID-19 swept through Wuhan earlier this year, China fought to contain the spread of the virus by locking down the city and closing the port of Fuzhou from vessels from several foreign countries, including the United States. Subsequently, exports to the United States fell sharply. But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, shipping freight has always been a venture full of risk. The potential disasters and mishaps include theft, hurricanes, train derailments, truck collisions and containers jettisoned or lost at sea as well as corruption and political unrest in foreign nations.
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Innovation, cloud solutions will drive the future of manufacturing
Bambi Majumdar ManufacturingHistorically a conservative industry, the manufacturing sector must now be more agile and innovate at a higher level in the years to come. The industry has been bombarded with new and unprecedented challenges and has had to pivot in record time during the coronavirus pandemic. There have been supply chain disruptions, factory closures due to COVID-19 cases, and delayed launch schedules. Some oversight processes have been stalled and raise quality issues that need to be solved immediately.
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Do you live in a top mosquito city? Here’s how to keep the bloodsuckers…
Terri Williams Waste Management & EnvironmentalThree major events typically occur during the month of May: Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and the beginning of mosquito season. And the last event is never a cause for celebration. There are roughly 176 mosquito species in the U.S., and almost 3,000 worldwide, but all of the females share the desire to bite and sting. And now, a new report by Orkin reveals the top 15 mosquito cities of 2020.
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