The commercial buildings industry is gearing up for a return to occupancy. Although it may seem like a return to business as usual, at least one pandemic-era change will stick around: The idea that indoor air quality (IAQ) matters. In fact, 80% of recently surveyed commercial real estate companies expect healthy building initiatives to shape their strategies over the next three years.

The coronavirus crisis has been more than just a short-term shock to the system. It has prompted a profound long-term rethink of what office buildings are really for, and how they should perform in the future. With more flexible work patterns, flexible teams and flexible organisations, should we not also demand more flexible buildings? But what do we mean by a flexible building? How can we define its key attributes? What are the key benefits of developing a flexible building and how can real estate professionals go about delivering one? These are the questions that this report sets out to answer.