8 Thought Leaders On How The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change The American Home – Forbes

Whether their vantage point is home building and design, technology, or health and longevity, those whose careers intersect with residential architecture agree that this pandemic will likely change how our homes look and function in the years to come.

Heres the perspective of eight thought leaders on whats likely to shift in the places that we and our children will call home in the future whether were buying, building or remodeling them. Listed alphabetically, they are:

How will the classic American home change after the COVID-19 pandemic?

HEALTHIER SPACES AND MATERIALS

Tim Costello: I dont think you will see any perceptible change in construction soon. However, on the design side, you may see builders add or highlight new design features. In particular, you may see changes that further differentiate a newly built home vs. a used home. Options that could be deployed faster than changes to architecture [include] UV air treatment, indoor air quality monitoring, viral-resistant surfaces and health monitoring systems for homeowners. Changes like these that greatly benefit homeowners and that respond to learnings from COVID-19 could make their way into product offerings very quickly.

Veronika Miller-Eagleson: Germ-resistant counter tops and flooring will likely see an upswing. It would be good to see improved options for carpeting too. Self-sanitizing door handles actually exist. There could be a huge demand if these systems can be made available. Smart filtration systems for air and water will be a must-have. Smart toilets will be the biggest Christmas gift for 2020 and beyond! Home builders must plan for these now with electrical pre-wiring near the toilet.

Jennifer Quail: There was already an increasing interest in healthy materials, and I expect consumers will make an even bigger move in that direction, especially when products like antimicrobial surfaces are so readily available. There is a peace-of-mind connection to those decisions that will provide even more comfort than before we all had to shelter-in-place.

Veronica Schreibeis Smith: Our homes must be seen as a sanctuary. Too often they meet basic shelter needs and minimum code requirements that don't give us clean air or pure water.

The use of healthier home materials will increase in future design and construction.

PANDEMIC PROTECTION

Alex Capecelatro: Consider how many hands touch the elevator button in your building, the doorknob in your home, your TV remote or light switches. We're hearing a greater demand for voice control and to be able to control more devices during this pandemic. With more people working from home, the need to feel grounded, healthy and alert with the help of circadian rhythm lighting, nature sounds, and other smart home technologies will rise.

Sarah Susanka: Even before the pandemic, Ive been aware that we currently have a missing place for a new functionpackage deliveryand today it is even more critical. We need to design in an area for package drop-off that is accessible by delivery people, but not accessible by thieves.It should be a small room with a door to the outside [and] be able to receive drone deliveries. This room should also include a pass-through to the recycling bin so that unpacking can happen there before the contents are brought into the house.

Peter Chapman: All those bonus spaces developed in the heyday of big building might better be considered as isolation rooms now. Even with couples living alone, there may be a need for separate facilities for each in case one or the other is exposed.

Eagleson: A greater need to store non-perishables and frozen foods may come back with bulk goods storage and smarter pantries. Wine and beer storage may become a more common kitchen feature too.

Voice control technology will reduce shared surfaces and germ spread.

MORE NATURE CONNECTIONS

Dan Buettner:Gardening is a common activity of centenarians because it combines so many elements that contribute to longer life. Sunlight (vitamin D), fresh air, fresh veggies, purpose, and regular natural movement. It's making a comeback in the Statesand we hope this continues. Planting a kitchen garden or even a container garden reaps many benefits. There are houseplants that naturally clean the air and add greenery, which has been proven to reduce stress in people.

Eagleson: Biophilia will move from trendy to necessary, from indoor plant schemes (including lighting) to green walls, to indoor vegetable gardens, to integrated screens/monitors for nature sounds/visuals throughout the house. Increasing usability and improving design of outdoor spaces will likely see a lot of new development as well.

Homes will be designed with more space and technology to support indoor and outdoor plant life.

INCREASED SOCIAL CONNECTION

Buettner: One thing that is key to Blue Zones is face-to-face connections. However, that's not possible now. But one thing I recommend based on my research is front porches or front balconies. I love to see what's happening in Italy and Spain neighbors on their own front porches to connect, many feet apart, with each other during this uncertain time.

Eagleson: Possible solutions that will manifest during and after this crisis [include] easy-to-use tech, especially for seniors to never have to feel so isolated again. Addressing isolation side effects: Always-on communication options like Zoom, Facebook Portal, and in-home/virtual exercise products like Peloton, Mirror Gym, Echelon, etc. with dedicated spaces.

Front porches and balconies foster social connection between neighbors.

IMPROVED HOME OFFICES SPACES AND TECHNOLOGY

Chapman: Weve been moving away from discrete spaces within the home to a more open plan, but its clear that we will need to reconsider the need for more isolated spaces if (and when) these pandemic outbreaks become more frequent. Its ironic that a while back we were proclaiming the end of the home office, as we all had the capability to work from anywhere any time. Now it seems were all thrust back into the 1990s and 2000s as we strive to continue our jobs from home.

Capecelatro: I think the need for video calls will only rise, and with them the need to design rooms specifically optimized for quiet work sessions. I also think this time at home with increased devices pulling on the network, as entire families stream video and audio content, only exemplifies the need for a world class network highly optimized for the data rates we require today.

Eagleson: To work efficiently, a home office cant be the dining table or the den; it has to encourage productivity and minimize distractions. Designers have a huge opportunity to think about creating spaces that are designed for teleconferencing, removed from the rest of home to minimize household distractions, including noise control and physical separation.

Quail: I also believe well see a return to a dedicated workstation in the home. The emergence of laptops, tablets, and smart devices led homeowners away from that business station in the home where the desktop computer used to live but, after two weeks or possibly months of living and working in the same place, the need for a dedicated space for professional hours and a clear separation between working at home and actually being at home becomes much more necessary.

The need to work from home will spur the creation of more quiet, separate, tech-friendly office ... [+] spaces.

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8 Thought Leaders On How The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change The American Home - Forbes