5 must reads for the AEC industry today: May 18, 2020

1. Global design firms collaborate on new COVID-19 mobile testing lab to bring testing to vulnerable communities worldwide (Perkins + Will)
"Perkins and Will, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, and Arup Group develop scalable solutions for increased testing capacity within high-density and under-served neighborhoods."

2. California’s grid can support all-electric buildings (BD+C)
"The state electrical grid is ready to handle additional demand from these actions, according to a post from the Natural Resources Defense Council. Electrification of space and water heating will increase California’s winter demand for electricity, but efficiency measures could blunt peaks."

3. Most Employers in CBRE Study Favor Phased Return to Workplace, Adding Touchless Tech, Restricting Visitors (CBRE)
"New CBRE analysis across the globe shows many companies have implemented return-to-work guidelines stricter than local government requirements."

4. Coronavirus will end the golden age for college towns (Crain's Chicago Business)
"These engines of regional growth will struggle with state funding cuts, fewer foreign students and destroyed household finances."

5. Dump on Your Office All You Like. You’ll Miss It When It’s Gone. (New York Times)
"Your workplace shaped your identity in ways you never knew."

One of the hardest decisions multifamily developers and their design teams have to make is what mix of amenities they’re going to put into each project. A lot of squiggly factors go into that decision: the type of community, the geographic market, local recreation preferences, climate/weather conditions, physical parameters, and of course the budget. The permutations are mind-boggling.