i + D - May/June 2020 - 21

COVID-19
SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTS
KITCHEN &
BATH MARKET

FITWEL GUIDANCE
FOR WORKING
FROM HOME AND
HEADING BACK
TO THE OFFICE

The Q1 2020 Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI), released by the
National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and John Burns Real
Estate Consulting (JBREC), reported kitchen and bath professionals
considered economic uncertainty and fear of a recession their
primary concerns as the first quarter of the year closed out. The
concerns that held the top three spots in the previous quarter-cost
of materials, availability of skilled labor, and labor costs-moved to
seventh, eighth, and 11th places, respectively.

The Center for Active Design, which operates Fitwel, responded
to the COVID-19 crisis with a series of research pieces addressing all
areas of building safety. Research to Action: Building Health for
All in the Face of COVID-19 includes evidence-based data that is being
updated on a chapter-by-chapter basis as new science emerges. Chapters
available at press time included Leveraging Buildings to Mitigate Viral
Transmission, Building Trust in the Workplace, and Addressing Mental
Health Within Residential Settings. Planned future chapters include Density
and Resiliency, as well as Chronic Disease, Equity, and COVID-19.

There is, however, an indication of recovery on the horizon.
While an estimated 69 percent of all kitchen and bath projects
were impacted by the pandemic, 48 percent of those cases were
postponements, not cancellations. And, new data from JBREC
shows cancellation rates stabilizing. Cancellations hit a high of
14 percent in early April, and by May 1 the number had dropped
to 11.9 percent.
Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed expect recovery by September,
while 25 percent were more cautious, predicting it may take until
2021 for conditions to improve. The report found retailers to be
among the most optimistic with 42 percent stating they expect their
businesses to return to normal before the end of June.
"As we all adapt, the KBMI is a look into an industry that is one
of the quickest to recover in times of crisis and recession," notes
Todd Tomalak, senior vice president of research for JBREC, in a
statement regarding the findings, adding the details and expectations
found within the report "can be used as a gauge for other economic
indicators, such as housing and consumer confidence."

COVID-19 K&B Impact Factor*

8.08 8.29 7.84
Overall
business

Building/
Construction

8.3

7.96

Retail sales

Design

Source: Q1 2020 Kitchen & Bath Market Index

Manufacturing

*On a scale of
1 to 10, with
1 being no impact
and 10 being
significant impact

The organization also published a variety of detailed fact sheets that outline
best practices in a variety of areas that are affected by COVID-19. Among
them are 5 Ways to Optimize Buildings for COVID-19 Prevention, 6 Ways
to Stay Engaged While Social Distancing, and 7 Ways to Optimize Health
While Working From Home.
For more on Fitwel's COVID-19 response materials,
go to fitwel.org/covid-19.

Optimize Buildings for COVID-19*
1. Increase ventilation. While recirculating air has become the default
in our buildings, ventilating with outdoor air is vital to diluting airborne
contaminants and decreasing disease transmission rates.
2. Post educational handwashing signage. Health officials
recommend washing hands often with soap and water for at least
20 seconds.
3. Strengthen cleaning protocols. Increase cleaning frequency,
replenish cleaning supplies ahead of time, and ensure that bathrooms stay
stocked with hand soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, and tissues.
4. Maintain optimal humidity. Evidence suggests viruses survive
better in low-humidity environments. Buildings can increase humidity
via heating and ventilation systems to maintain an optimal range
of 40 to 60 percent, or by purchasing and installing portable
humidifiers throughout.
5. Filter indoor air. Research suggests filtration of recirculated air may
be effective in reducing transmission of airborne infectious diseases. When
operating at their full potential, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
filters can remove 99.97 percent of particles 0.3 microns or larger.

*Adapted from Fitwel's 5 Ways to Optimize Buildings for COVID-19 Prevention

i+D - May/June 2020

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http://www.fitwel.org/covid-19
i + D - May/June 2020

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