A lot of professional architects, builders and construction workers are still on the fence and undecided on what they can and cannot do. Looking specifically at the 56,000 architects employed in the UK, according to Statista, they can be rest assured that they can still practice during the national lockdown that is in place. 

According to the Architects Code, which is used by the entire nation, Standard 1 expects architects to act with integrity and this has never been more important than it is today when dealing with the pressures caused by the pandemic. Despite the financial and contractual pressures occurring, architects still have a responsibility to practice ethically. 

What Architects Can Do During Lockdown

• CAN: Work from home
• CAN: Go to your workplace if you cannot work from home

Although architects can still practice during lockdown, architects will need to adapt the way they work. When working from home, architects must follow the requirements of the Standard 4.3 of the ARB Code of Conduct (and Standard 4 of the RIBA Code of Conduct) to ensure all client information is kept confidential. For example, when conducting meetings, architects must ensure work conducted over video-conferencing is protected using suitably encrypted software. 

If an architect cannot work from home, they can travel to their workplace and are also able to work in other people’s homes, for example if they have a site visit. According to Standard 6 of the ARB Code of Conduct (and 4.1 of RIBA Code of Conduct), architects are required to make site visits and must not abandon their contractual obligations. If you do need to visit project sites, social distancing measures should be taken at all times to prevent the spread of the virus. If an issue does arise, architects must notify their clients of any circumstances that may delay a project.