COVID

COVID-19 Resources

Hill Management continues to monitor the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and follow industry-specific task force guidance to ensure continuity at our properties.

We stay on top of federal, state and local mandates and recommendations as well as guidelines from the CDC and other regulatory and public health agencies and are making modifications as needed and as additional information becomes available.

 

The CDC published a community mitigation strategy document with guidance on mitigating the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in different settings (home, workplace, school, etc.).

Please visit the following websites for official information:

 

How do I contact Hill Management Services?

Hill Management Services offices are open during normal business hours and our property managers and leasing representatives are available to assist in answering any of your concerns or questions. As always, you can make service requests online via Workspeed as well as submitting rent payments via Tenant Connect.

Does Hill Management have a pandemic plan in place?

Hill Management has activated new procedures as part of our emergency preparedness plan to implement strategies to protect our tenants and workforce while ensuring continuity of operations.  Our decisions are informed by the information provided by federal, state, or local government agencies, including the CDC.

What is Hill Management Services doing to limit the spread of COVID-19 in my building?

All full-service buildings have implemented increased disinfecting measures, using CDC recommended disinfectants, with additional attention to all high touch areas. In addition, we have provided hand sanitizer stations in each of our building lobbies for building employees and guests. All on-site food service providers have added barriers between registers and customers in addition to lines on the floor to encourage social distancing.  All property managers, maintenance personnel, janitorial, and porter staff are required to wear PPE (masks and/or cloth coverings) at all times while on the property and have been trained on the proper use, handling, and disposal of face masks.

Will Hill Management notify tenants if any building occupants have tested positive for COVID-19?

Building management is staying in close contact with local public health officials and monitoring the latest guidance from the CDC.  If it is suspected you have contracted the virus or if you have a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, please notify us immediately and quarantine yourself per CDC guidelines.  While maintaining confidentiality requirements, we will take steps to facilitate any recommended enhanced cleaning procedures any time an occupant reports a positive case.

How will the building management ensure that its contractors and vendors who deliver supplies and work in the building are implementing appropriate disease control measures?

While the building is open, building management will continue to provide critical services, such as security, janitorial, engineering and access control.  We have asked vendor companies about their disease management protocols and ability to provide services in the event of a personnel shortage.  We have ensured that adequate supplies are on-hand to support building operations, and back-up suppliers have been identified and contacted for the availability of supplemental services as needed.

What is Hill Management doing to ensure air quality in the building?  Would higher-rated filters, such as MERV 13 be effective in capturing COVID-19?

HVAC systems are designed to meet a building’s use and occupancy. Most HVAC systems in commercial office buildings are designed to use MERV 8 or 11 rated filters because the anticipated particle size to be captured are in the larger range of 3.0 to 10.0 microns. A typical office environment would not be expected to generate large quantities of smaller particles that you would find in manufacturing or other occupancy types.

There is no credible evidence to support claims that viable virus transmission can occur via distribution through building HVAC systems. Therefore, air filtration could not be expected to play any significant part in preventing the spread of COVID-19.  MERV 13 filters are designed to be approximately 75% efficient in capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter. COVID-19 has a diameter of 0.125 microns, or over 2 times smaller than the lowest filterable particle size. Filters rated higher than MERV 13 can be counterproductive to system operation and performance.  Since better HVAC systems are designed to use MERV 8 or 11 filters, most equipment cannot handle a higher filtration rating as doing so would overtax the operation and further decrease the air handling efficiency. Therefore, it would be counterproductive to the intent.  In addition, high-efficiency air particulate (HEPA) systems are atypical in commercial office buildings.  HEPA filtration is reserved for use in certain hospital environments, clean rooms and pharmaceutical operations. HEPA filters cannot be used inside standard commercial office HVAC equipment. Our buildings are in compliance with current ASHRAE standards.

 

What about increasing outdoor air ventilation to 100%?

HVAC systems in commercial office buildings are balanced to optimize the temperature, humidity, and air quality conditions for its occupants. Increasing outdoor air would only be necessary to help move large volumes of air in the event of an emergency, such as smoke or release of chemical vapors.

Outdoor air also introduces outdoor air particles, such as pollen, into the office environment which would significantly affect the indoor air quality for sensitized individuals. Occupants would sense a decrease in the system’s ability to keep temperature within the building in comfortable ranges because of low or high outdoor temperature or humidity.

Would anti-viral surface coatings prevent the spread of COVID-19?

Anti-viral surface coatings are not totally effective and are impractical. The flaw with anti-viral surface coatings is that every surface that any individual may potentially contact will not be treated. The exposure pathways for COVID-19 is not limited to a person’s working environment. The disease can be caught and transmitted anywhere – inside grocery stores, restaurants, pumping gas or interacting with family members and friends.  Coating every potential touch point a person may encounter is not feasible. As, always clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

Will Hill Management be screening individuals prior to entering its buildings or restricting access in any way?

Temperature screens are only effective in identifying individuals that are already symptomatic. Approximately 80% of those infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic and are highly contagious.  Every individual is responsible for abiding by best practices in maintaining social distance.

The best plan to mitigate or prevent COVID-19 transmission is through frequent surface cleaning and frequent hand washing.   It is the responsibility of every individual to incorporate frequent hand washing, sneezing/coughing into your elbow, keeping 6 ft of distance from others, wearing face coverings or masks in public and staying home when not feeling well.

I know Hill Management is cleaning the common areas of my building and office but what should I do if I’d like to schedule a separate and more extensive disinfection of my office?

Please contact your Property Manager, who will be happy to put you in contact with a vendor who will be able to provide a proposal and scope of work for your specific request.

What if we are interested in exploring solutions to reconfigure our space for our team to return back to work in the office?

Our experienced in-house design and project management team is currently offering free consulting assistance to our customers. This means we will listen to your concerns and help you visualize ways to reconfigure your workplace. Depending on your needs through this process, you will be provided with recommendations for layout and other possible modifications.

How will Hill Management Services stay in touch with me?

All pertinent information involving our properties will be communicated via Workspeed, our maintenance request and tenant communication portal.