After weeks of remote working, more and more organizations decide to return to their offices. Echo Investment has given the highest priority to preparing its buildings to welcome their users safely. As part of a "healthy office buildings" project, the developer has launched a "five for security" program, that works in three functioning Echo Investment's office buildings and will be implemented in the next buildings that will be put into use later this year. One of the program's features will be preventive fogging of office buildings.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a team of Echo Investment's experts has set themselves the task of providing even better protection to employees of organizations that have located their offices in Echo Investment’s buildings. A number of solutions responding to post-covid needs have been gathered into the "healthy office buildings" program. Special air purification systems, a dedicated application, tilt windows, easy-to-clean finishing materials are just some of the points of the program. In addition to the solutions implemented while planning and execution of projects, Echo Investment has focused on securing functioning office buildings. The "five for security" program is a guarantee that office buildings are ready to welcome employees returning to their offices.

“Our role as property owners is to provide organizations and their employees with the most safe and healthy working conditions. This will certainly translate into a decision to return and provide the comfort that we all need today. These were our assumptions when developing the "five for security" program, that is part of the "healthy office buildings" project. Today, this program operates in our three finished projects: The Villahouse Offices in the Warsaw Brewery, Moje Miejsce in Warsaw and Face2Face Business Campus in Katowice,” says Anna Kaczmarczyk, Real Estate Management Director responsible for Echo Investment's offices.

"Five for security" is an action program for health and safety of office users. Such a guide with the most important applicable rules has been provided to every manager of Echo Investment's office building. It contains a description of principles and actions on health and safety standards.

“The program is based on five important keystones: disinfection, protection, distance, information and communication. We have created a system of visual information, building signage, that allows employees and visitors to easily find themselves in these new conditions in office buildings. In reception areas there are special UV devices for disinfecting access control cards for guests, pens or phones. Apart from basic actions such as disinfection of common areas every 30 minutes or personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, available at reception desks, we invest in a number of solutions supporting the safety of people and buildings. Our daily prevention will be supported by cyclical actions aimed at improving sanitary and microbiological safety by disinfecting ventilation systems and a building’s cubature. As part of developing the "healthy office buildings" program, we are still analyzing the market situation, looking for new solutions and talking to our tenants. The safety and setting new standards that may increase the comfort of our employees is the most important for us,” adds Anna Kaczmarczyk.

Full disinfection of office buildings by cyclical fogging

Under the "five for security" program, Echo Investment has implemented mandatory, cyclical fogging of the entire cubic capacity of office buildings for the time of the epidemiological threat.

A fogging process is perfect for disinfecting, fumigation, unpleasant smell and dust removal, humidity control and room temperature reduction. A fogger ejects a disinfectant fog that is 12 times smaller than drops in a sprayer. Water behaves like a gas – it does not fall, but floats for 40 minutes in the air, so it reaches every nook and cranny of a room, together with a suitable disinfectant. It should be emphasized that this method of removing harmful microorganisms and building contamination is safe for people, computer equipment, TV sets and other electrical appliances. Such foggers work quickly and always with 100% accuracy. They are used, among others, in medical facilities and hospitals, as well as for decontamination of cars transporting food. In addition, foggers will humidify even a large room in less than one minute, that will significantly improve the quality of the air inside buildings and thus the well-being of people.

The fogging procedure in Echo Investment's office buildings will be carried out on weekends, and tenants will be informed about it in advance.