Built Environment and Covid-19: Recovery, Challenges, and Changes

This essay examines the significant impact of Covid-19 on the built environment and construction industry, highlighting the challenges faced by the architecture profession and the building sector due to government lockdowns and project delays. It discusses the effect on achieving the UK's 2050 Net Zero Target and the European Union's climate-neutrality goals. The essay further explores the concept of resilient recovery, emphasizing innovative solutions and health-oriented designs. It also identifies potential changes in the construction industry, such as increased safety measures, remote working, and the use of contactless tools, while referencing projected growth in the construction industry between 2020 and 2024. Desklib offers a platform for students to access this and other solved assignments.

Built Environment and
Covid-19 Recovery

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Challenges arise due to Covid-19 on the Architecture Profession and Building Industry..........3
Resilient Recovery Post Covid-19...............................................................................................4
Challenges and Potential Change in Construction Industry After Covid-19...............................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Covid-19 puts a major impact towards the economies across the globe along with
impacting various sector including the constructions. It had significantly impacted the business
of construction industry. All government decision and lock-down resulted in shut-down of
construction sites.
The essay includes the number of challenges, opportunity and potential change in
construction industry. It also covers the impact of Covid-19 on building and architecture
profession and potential changes required for recovery.
MAIN BODY
Challenges arise due to Covid-19 on the Architecture Profession and Building Industry
The government guidelines and lock-down effected the construction sector in very bed
manner. The projects of architects get stopped and delayed which result as decrease in their
income. The delay and government lock-down resulted in cancellation of upcoming projects.
Social gathering have been stopped which has impacted the networking of architects with their
clients. The negativity spread all around, income has stopped, business operations are not
running and become a wide challenging for everyone (Jallow and et.al, 2020).
Illustration 1: Impact of Covid-19 on Construction Industry
(Source: Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry Market, 2020)

The above chart gives the idea about the impact of Covid-19 on the construction industry,
and the how the industry will recover back in term of turnover is defined for future period. The
green colour box reflects the fact about the UK.UK 2050 Net Zero Target Follows The Paris Agreement
The European Union aims for neutral climate by 2050, the economy with zero
greenhouse and gas emission. This aim is also affected by the hit of Covid-19. Because number
of big improvement are needed in filed of transport, agriculture, building, construction, etc to
attain zero target. It is important that reaching the net zero target by 2050 of the Paris
Agreement, limits the global warming the 1.5 degree Celsius. But the guidelines and restriction
result in shut-down of operations in every field, and also impacted the target to achieve till 2050.
Resilient Recovery Post Covid-19
The built environment play a vital role in building the country economy again after the
Covid-19. As the country is reopening, everyone is adopting the new way of living and imposing
the drastic change to their lives. The architects have created a number of innovative solution that
is helping the sector to build back. Some are designing the new concept, rethinking about the city
infrastructure. Now they are changed with their mind and focuses more on future project,
measure new parameters like; health oriented approach, design which eliminate the risk of
transmission, use of material that help to prevent from diseases. Overall the recovery rate is very
low as compared to other sector but the innovation and sets of design will definitely result in it
(Stiles and et.al, 2021).
Challenges and Potential Change in Construction Industry After Covid-19
The Construction Industry is facing the number of difficulties from few years. The major
challenges arise is the closure of sites and delays in crucial projects. The challenges faced by
construction industry reflect massive impact on supply chain, the delay in supply of raw material.
The temporary suspension of work due to self isolation as well as increase in safety and health
measure in order to protect people from virus (Shibani and et.al, 2020).
It has also provided the architects with several new opportunity like rethinking for city
infrastructure, design of new concept and use of material which help in preventing the health as
well as environment.
After the impact of Covid-19 now again the workplace are reopening. And it has resulted
in several changes at construction sites. Now the physical distancing, use of PPE kits, adopting

the contactless tools, remote working is essential for every construction site as per government
norms. Worker education and training related to health and safety is given importance in order to
keep them safe and disease free.
The above picture reflect the growth of construction industry in period of 2020 to 2024.
the projected growth rate is 6.0% between 2020 and 2024.
CONCLUSION
The above discussion reflect the impact of Covid-19 on architecture profession and
building sector. Construction industry faced the number of challenges and hurdle to overcome
with those issue. It also covers the list of potential changes which is required for resilient
recovery after Covid-19.
Illustration 2: Growth Opportunity in Construction Industry
(Source: Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry Market Global Forecast, 2021)

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Jallow, H., and et.al., 2020. The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on United Kingdom
infrastructure sector. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment.
Shibani, A., and et.al., 2020. The effects of pandemic on construction industry in the
UK. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 11(6). pp.48-48.
Stiles, S., and et.al., 2021. Impact of COVID‐19 on health and safety in the construction
sector. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries.
Online references
Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry Market, 2020 [Online]. Available through
<https://www.google.com/search?q=impact+on+covid-
19+on+construction+industry+in+UK&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKE
wiA36L3_-
nzAhVDU30KHZxbBk8Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1535&bih=711&dpr=1#imgrc=
Yyyp8-jWws7hxM>
Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry Market Global Forecast, 2021 [Online].
Available through
<https://www.google.com/search?q=impact+on+covid-
19+on+construction+industry+in+UK&source>