Spec Finish

Welcome IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS JoeCilia,TechnicalDirector,FIS Joeprovidessupporttomembersofthe associationandworkswithrelevantbodies onlegislativeandtechnicalstandards. StephanieCornwall,Editor Stephanie isanexperiencedbusiness-to- business journalistandPRconsultant,who hasworkedwithmanyconstructionand commercialpropertycompanies. IainMcIlwee,ChiefExecutive,FIS IainisCEOofFIS,thetradebodyforthe fit-outandfinishessectorrepresenting suppliers,distributorsandcontractors, and isalsoaViceChairoftheConstruction ProductsAssociation. DavidCant,VeritasConsulting DavidCant isaH&Spractitionerand CharteredmemberoftheInstituteof OccupationalSafety&Health(IOSH)who runsVeritasConsulting.andchairstheFIS COVID-19H&STaskGroup. HelenTapper,TapperInteriors CurrentlyholdingtheroleofFIS President,HelenTapper isOperations DirectoratTapperInteriors,a family-run interiorsbusiness. www.thefis.org 5 elco e 3 Voice of the Industry 6 Business as usual 8 Innovations 12 Focus feature: Office of the future 14 Technical: Partitioning 16 Opinion piece: Community rises to the challenge 18 Focus feature Home office: The new norm? 20 Future of construction roundtable 26 Productivity 28 Focus feature: Microbials 30 Health and safety 32 New building safety programme Butchallengesextendbeyondtheobviousissuesassociatedwithmaintainingsocialdistancing duringtasks,throughimpactsofsiteflow,accessanduseoffacilitiestotheextrahygieneburdenof handwashingandcleaningtools. Factorsarealsonuancedwithinthesectorandthechallengespresentedareperhapsmost profoundlyfeltinthefinishesandinteriorssector,whereworkisofteninconfinedspaceand comparativelymanual. ThescaleofthechallengewashighlightedinarecentsurveyofFISMembers,where75%of respondentsflaggedproductivityamongsttheirbiggestchallengeandonly12%felttheycould operateprofitablyundernewsiteoperatingprocedures.