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@chispa
I could see a former pot growing house have higher resale value with the potential of using the grow lights for the vegetable garden seedlings.

Except the former pot growing house is most likely not in a neighborhood you want to raise your family in!

In my area people are willing to pay $20-30k rent per month to move out of the city right now! For building, I think there will be at least a sink if not half bath by the family entrance for immediate hand washing.

A secure place, inaccessible to porch pirates, for home deliveries if you are not home at the time of delivery.

I think a built in ”garage“ for a roomba makes so much sense!

Powder rooms for sanitizing at the front door

Of course in the 60's/70's most houses were built that way. Now people turn their noses up at the idea.

I think a built in ”garage“ for a roomba makes so much sense!

We just got one after we realized we had no desire to lug the vacuum around weekly. Love my Roomba. Love my housekeeper more, but she's not coming over until this is over.

Definitely larger pantries that can store bulk paper goods, canned goods, water, extra freezers/fridges, etc.

Unlike shead, I live in a downtown area of a small FL city and can walk to everything. Meaning that I usually cooked at home at most 3x a week so figured I'd never need a large pantry so when we designed the house, I only put in a small closet for the pantry. HAH!

Luckily we can store lots in the tall cabinets in our large garage and the extra food in the freezer we installed in the garage in January. Without that, we'd be up the proverbial creek. Glad I have a great functioning kitchen. It's getting a lot more use than I ever expected.

Agreed, roomba will not take the place of a housekeeper or a good cleaning - but it buys you some time in between. I just hate that it sits out all the time and think an under counter opening built for it to park and recharge and even hook into the house vac would be great!

Definitely larger pantries that can store bulk paper goods, canned goods, water, extra freezers/fridges, etc. Basically, it's what we are incorporating into our new build being built right now because we live 20 miles from the nearest grocery and 1.25 hours from the nearest warehouse grocery. It's 6'9" x 14'.

Eh, that might be true for some people, but it seems to me that most people are moving towards the city /towards restaurants, shopping, entertainment.

And one more thing....the “discovery” of small town America! Places where there is a sense of community. Where housing costs aren’t astronomical. Where people can find older homes with rooms (see above) or build homes that meet their needs more cheaply than in big cities. Just saying! And a shout out to small towns in fly over zones between the Big Cities on the Coasts!

Working from home makes this more possible.

It's a long list because not everyone would want or be able to have the same options in their home.

Yes, but fairly few people build their own homes -- the real question is, Which ones would start to show up in tract homes, which make up the majority of new builds?

Love my Roomba.

Me too!

I just hate that it sits out all the time and think an under counter opening built for it to park and recharge and even hook into the house vac would be great!

Yes, in a perfect world you'd have a Cleaning Closet ... with a bottom shelf space /plug-in for the Roomba.

Another thing that's becoming popular is the Stick Vac -- you know, lightweight vacuum with a rechargeable battery. Cordless vacuuming. If you have one (or want one), you need a spot to attach the wall-mounted hanger, and you need an outlet.

@Mrs Pete, I am not as sure there is going to continue to be a rush towards places where social distancing is harder to do post-Covid-19. People are going to be wary for a long time.

And even if they still do, I think people are still going to want to limit their amount of time spent in grocery stores and shopping and will more likely stock up on non-perishables and freezer items even if they live within walking distance to a grocery (like cpartist mentioned above) so they will need extra storage space for those things.

I think some of those items are really a must in a home and not because of Covid but just commom sense. I have a huge storage space in my walk out basement that houses all the extra stuff I buy to save money. I have always shopped like a European so everyday I would pick up fresh meat for instance. Now I shop once a week it seems to be working okay. We live in a home that is not airtight and I never want one that is. IMO that is where the trouble begins with viruses and bacteria not to mention all the anti bacterial stuff we have been using for years so that now we have super bugs too. We have some solar now it heats our swimming pool and we are talking about a lot more . We already have 2 offices and IMO a root cellar would be awesome for all those veggies we could grow with good soil and not a bunch of chemicals.

I was hearing today that some large corporations, especially tech/communication companies, will keep large numbers of employees working at home even after it seems safe to go to work. So, I think people will not be satisfied with a bedroom converted to an office. Especially if there are young children in the home. I think people will want a space sufficiently separated from the house. At last, a use for the bonus room over the garage! With an office-suitable “background” area, especially if you keep open virtual office hours.

As a home designer/ planner I would like to correct one point in a previous connent:

"We live in a home that is not airtight and I never want one that is. IMO that is where the trouble begins with viruses and bacteria not to mention all the anti bacterial stuff we have been using for years so that now we have super bugs too."

The air leaks in most homes actually cause molds and bugs to grow, especially when air leaking through deposits dust and pollen inside those hidden openings. When the temperature changes, condensation forms, gets the dust and pollen whet, you have mold. Most ventilation in homes that are not air tight comes through the ceiling, from the attic. Yes, ventilation is important, but there are better ways to do this that can be controlled and kept clean.

I live in a tiny, super insulated, air tight home that I ventilate by opening the windows very often. There are automatic ways to ventilate clean air, but they cost more money.

One clean air ventilation option that doesn't cost much is a filtered fresh air intake on your air return duct. Whenever your system turns on it pulls a little fresh air in through the filter and conditions this air before blowing it through your ductwork. Much cleaner, and automatic.

I agree that this has the potential to fundamentally change how we engage and interact with strangers and public spaces. If you add prolonged economic pain, I can easily see more home cooking, more cleaning your own home, more growing your own vegetables (space available). Also - more storage, freezing, bulk purchases, etc.

I can also see more "home as an oasis or haven", remote working spaces for more than one person, spaces and finishes that are easier to maintain and sanitize, more "shoes off" households, etc.

Dedicated soundproof office space and a small green house.

Homes don’t need to be altered. Once there’s a vaccine and therapeutics for covid- life goes on. If anything, spending more time outside and exercising more is what people need to do to stay healthy and to avoid getting sick from any illness. Many people already work out of their homes either full time or part of the time.

It might not be fear of illness, but a realization from the adjustments that have been made to the way people work. I spoke with someone yesterday who said their firm is considering reducing their office space because people can do much work from home. They will still have to come in to the office, but they can share space without being there at the same time.

You might be right @Steph P. But people have changed how they live for the last few months. And if we have any further waves, these changes will become more and more of an ingrained habit. More people will want their homes equipped to provide what they believe is important during a quarantine. Even if the virus goes away tomorrow, I think it's a good thing that more want to raise their own food, become more energy independent, and work at home. As a designer, I believe it's important to ask my clients what is important to them, and provide design solutions that make them happy. The purpose of my post is to gather more ideas that I can share with my clients, more options to see what they like. The choice is theirs. While many people want to disobey the social distancing rules, many others are afraid that they are being ignored and terminated way too soon. Its nice to be able to offer both options for my clients.

@Mrs Pete, I am not as sure there is going to continue to be a rush towards places where social distancing is harder to do post-Covid-19. People are going to be wary for a long time.

I don't think so. I was in an online meeting today, and the general feeling seemed to be, I am sick of this and am going to start "breaking the rules", even though I know it's not smart. Two people discussed having met up /gone to Marshall's last week just to shop. They said the line to get in was out the door, and they waited half an hour to reach the register.

I think they're nuts, but this is what I'm hearing.

As for people being wary for a long time, I think -- like so many other things -- it'll be a Bell Curve. A few people will remain "on alert" for a long time, a few people were never really alert in the first place -- and the majority are somewhere in the middle.

I was hearing today that some large corporations, especially tech/communication companies, will keep large numbers of employees working at home even after it seems safe to go to work.

It's practical. Fewer offices needed /less overhead. No commute (or less frequent commute).

I can easily see more home cooking, more cleaning your own home, more growing your own vegetables (space available).

I don't know -- fewer and fewer people know how to cook these days, and I hear lots of people saying, "I can't wait to go out and eat again." Restaurant pick-up seems to be doing a pretty good business these days.

People may begin to grow a few vegetables, but growing food isn't quite as easy as people imagine (take it from a farm girl), and growing enough food to feed your family requires a lot of space -- and then there's the matter of processing it for storage. Grocery stores don't need to worry about going out of business any time soon!

Homes don’t need to be altered. Once there’s a vaccine and therapeutics for covid- life goes on.

This is the most realistic statement on this thread.

More ideas I have gleaned from your posts:

23. Homes designed for more people to share

24. Professional home office space with sound proofing

25. Professional backdrop for digital meetings

26. Larger food storage

27. Less large, open spaces, more separated, private spaces

28. Rooms designed for multiple uses

29. Housing developments that share these ideas among neighbors (One large greenhouse for the neighborhood would cost less than a small one for each house).

30. As people shop more online, a dedicated, accessible place for delivery trucks, a small raised delivery platform with a camera to alert you so you can open the door with your phone, and close it when done.

31. Materials that are easier to sanitize

32. A bidet

33. A greenhouse

34. Homes that keep costs low, more efficient to build, operate, and maintain

35. A location for cleaning and storing shoes at the service entry

36. Rainwater collection and storage

These are options that clients might choose from if they wish to be able to quarantine more safely and easily. This is not intended to say what homes should have. I am welcoming more ideas.

I suspect more people may be learning to cook during this pandemic or bake. Try to find yeast....

I want to go out to eat, but I really want the OPTION to not have to cook - not that I want to go out ALL. THE. TIME....

Add in some significant economic contractions and some of these things become more than "dabbling"...

Grocery stores are still essential and fundamental - the breadth of ingredients there cannot be duplicated at a home garden. However, I do see a market for small, focused gardens for some of the more easy to grow items like lettuce, or some easier herb gardens, or - even a service that can come and MANAGE your small home garden - like pool maintenance. Or - conversely - more folks joining cooperatives / direct farm to consumer share based produce box deliveries! Not to replace groceries, but to supplement, and to stay more local.

I don't think that much will change. People may buy larger homes in the next few years and have 1 or 2 of these items on their dream list. We are building our dream home on our 80 acre Hobby Farm. I will be raising our own grass-fed, free range, organic cattle, pig, chicken (meat and eggs) as well as have a large orchard and garden/greenhouse space. But those things are all either hobbies or something that was high on my priority list from a farm to table perspective. I have found that many people have no interest in raising chickens for eggs, spending time in a garden, or canning.

From your list, we will have number 2, sort of 3, 4, 6 will be the basement family game/tv room, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18 powder room is off front entry, 19 sorta...I grow my own plants from seeds as I do heirlooms, 20, 22. So that is quite a bit of your list. My plans were designed well before Covid. I do have a Prepper mentality, so that plays some into the design.

In addition to your list, I also have a large outdoor kitchen space planned. We will also have alternative heat sources, and our living room fireplace will be a gas insert that can be removed to burn wood (with proper venting for wood). We also will be doing a gas stove, which can be operated during power outages.

Covid has not impacted my home build plans at all, except to make me wish that our home was already done.

Edited to add from your additional list:

24 but this will be like a she shed not in the house, 26 plan is for 2-3 years of pantry food plus self sustaining living anyway, 27 larger kids bedrooms with desk space, bed space, and "living space" for more privacy especially when they are in college, 30 we have a 1/4 mile long driveway so will have a delivery building at country road which will also have a cooler/fridge for any food deliveries, 33, 35. Will sometime likely add rainwater storage, but more likely will add a well for those needs...but also will have a considerable drinking water storage.

@ just_janni Interesting question about where to find yeast:

Buy a beer from a microbrewery that leaves the yeast active in the beer. Or, ask a microbrewery or winery for a little bit of their lees from the bottom of a fermentation vat. Take it home in a sanitary container and add it to a small quantity of flour dough. This will become your starter. When you make dough for bread, add part of the starter. Before you bake the bread, save some of the dough for your next starter. Keep this starter very clean, at the right temperature, and well fed. You can find instructions on Youtube. The yeast won't be exactly the same as bread yeast, but it will work, and if you take good care if it, it will get better and better, and so will your bread.

Like others, haven't been able to buy yeast locally either. :( My waistline is secretly thankful.

We put our build on hold, but in the hiatus, we're redesigning to allow for a larger pantry too. In our current home, we have laundry and a work sink in the garage, and that's where all the groceries go for a bleach bath before coming indoors.

We're quarantining all non-perishables in the foyer, so would like a dedicated place that's suitable for food storage near this level. (Our ground level is just garage and foyer - the "coat" closet is what we're using, since it's an under-stair halfdoor and we live in Florida with no need for coats! The kitchen is 4 levels up from there.)

@Leslie NE. Florida coast, zone 9A

Nice idea of a place to sanitize and store purchases. But I'm concerned about your use of bleach. Very bad to breathe in. Some safer options: Spray bottles of hydrogen peroxide, or food grade sanitizer. I just bought Star San from a beer brewing supply. Its very economical when you dilute it according to directions. Spray on clean surfaces. No need to rinse. These products break down into materials that have no safety risks. Bleach is a known carcinogen. Breathing in the vapor is the most dangerous.

Thanks - I have yeast - but was worried about running out since I do bake bread normally. I jus scored 2 pounds at King Arthur Flour 2 days ago!

I've never done the starter / sourdough thing -I think I find the whole feeding / storing / starting thins a bit intimidating (and I don't necessarily understand the jargon)

But - I DO go to breweries to get beer (now more important than ever!) so that's good to know...

Now's a good time to try it. I've never done this, but I have an idea active yeast from a batch of fermenting beer would add some nice flavors to bread.

1. Touchless opening doors - No thank you. Too much tech that can be hacked or fail.
2. Increased fresh air ventilation - Windows stay closed here as it is.
3. A laundry with a place to shower and put on clean clothes at the service entrance - Well, I guess one could come in through the basement if seriously grungy ... then wrap in a towel to get to the bathroom for a shower. We already throw the gardening clothes that might have ticks or poison ivy or whatever directly down the stairs instead of putting them in the hamper, so not hugely different.
4. Better computer stations at home - What? I thought that was the point of dining room tables ... If work from home were to be long term, we might figure something out that doesn't involve a tripping hazard of a cord, though we haven't done anything for the sewing machine cord, which sets up in the same location, so maybe not. Haha.
5. Better internet - Can't stand bad internet ... virus or no virus ... and I think last time we actually upgraded our internet to get a better price on our cable bill, but this might be something others need to consider upgrading.
6. Living rooms designed for family fun instead of impressing guests - Do people really design to impress instead of for function? Well, I think that might be a whole other issue. Entertaining is fine, but it should impair the function of the home.
7. Peaceful private spaces
8. Outdoor family spaces - I do think yards will be more important when picking a house for many, rather than simply relying on the park down the road.
9. Raised bed gardens designed for easy food production - People either like to garden or they don't (or they only like very specific "gardening"). They might try out growing their own veggies, but I don't think it'll last for those who weren't already doing it or thinking about it.
10. Raising animals for food - Not unless it was already a hobby and planned for. Zoning would also be prohibitive for most on this.
11. More functional kitchens for baking, processing fresh garden produce, canning, fermenting, and cooking together - I think more will be learning (or have learned) to cook and bake. Processing produce, canning, and fermenting I doubt will pick up much. But really, why would anyone want a dysfunctional kitchen?
12. Better food storage options, like an earth cooled root cellar - Maybe, but I think more likely just well sized pantries and maybe an extra fridge/freezer.
13. Cost effective energy efficiency - This is already something people try to increase, so I guess maybe new improvements, but not really a future thing.
14. Off grid energy - I think most will still be on the grid, though I think many do have generators.
15. Electric car charger powered by solar panels
16. Music instruments - Not sure why this is on a future list ... those who want instruments generally already have them now ... and some have them that don't want them, too., haha.
17. Home exercise
18. Powder rooms for sanitizing at the front door - I still head for the kitchen or upstairs bathroom. I might use our powder room if someone else is already at the kitchen sink, but I guess I don't see this being a big deal since I bypass the closest sink right now. If it we're new place with new habits, maybe I'd use the powder room more.
19. Grow lights in the basement for sprouting vegetable seedlings - I only bought a grow light because the windows we used to use for seedlings are no longer options due to change in lighting or the potential for dogs knocking them over. (She doesn't mean to throw her toys into things ... or maybe she does, but either way a seedling wouldn't fare well.)
20. Outdoor pizza ovens - I don't see this becoming a trend. It takes up a bunch of space for a single purpose that can be served to some extent (though maybe not quite as professionally) by a regular oven.
21. Induction stoves - I think this conversion will be the same as it has been.
22. A suite for grandparents - This I can see being more important when looking for a home. People will want the ability to have more people together or a space to separate.
23. Homes designed for more people to share - This is somewhat redundant with 22.
24. Professional home office space with sound proofing - We have a separated office space ... no one uses it; work from home occurs in the dining room.
25. Professional backdrop for digital meetings - We checked for clutter ... does that count? See 4 and 24, though ... this would be part of those.
26. Larger food storage - Yes to bigger storage and pantry, particularly for those who don't think they want to cook. I could use an extra cabinet ... but I could also use several extra cabinets for my dutch ovens and appliances that wasn't two rooms away. Ooo ... and maybe another two three feet of counter space? Yeah, I need a bigger kitchen, but that's not new.
27. Less large, open spaces, more separated, private spaces - Sounds good to me, but I like old houses with actual rooms over "open concept." Wide doorways are nice, but I like the separation.
28. Rooms designed for multiple uses - See! I knew dining rooms were for office work and sewing!
29. Housing developments that share these ideas among neighbors (One large greenhouse for the neighborhood would cost less than a small one for each house). - I'd rather have my own to maintain as I like; that way those who like sprays can use them, and those who don't like sprays aren't contaminated. On the other hand, if it's a community greenhouse, I probably don't have to clean it ... In reality, I'm fine with no greenhouse, though.
30. As people shop more online, a dedicated, accessible place for delivery trucks, a small raised delivery platform with a camera to alert you so you can open the door with your phone, and close it when done. - I assume you mean a door to a separate space or box ... no way is the house opening and closing for deliveries. If they wont even put things in the screened in porch most of the time, though, I don't see the delivery people dealing with weird doors and drop boxes.
31. Materials that are easier to sanitize
32. A bidet
33. A greenhouse - I'm fine without ... those who want them already have them. I don't think there will be a big uptick in gardening long term, thus no higher demand for greenhouses ... That being said, if we keep having freezes in May, maybe there will be higher demand for greenhouses.
34. Homes that keep costs low, more efficient to build, operate, and maintain - Redundant to 13 and not a future development.
35. A location for cleaning and storing shoes at the service entry - So ... a mudroom or coat closet? Also, "service entry"?
36. Rainwater collection and storage - I like the concept of these because plants prefer rain water to municipal water, but it just seems like a mosquito breeding ground.

Oh, sourdough starter ... I killed one of those. It molded. I thought I was pretty good about keeping everything clean when I fed it, but it was definitely growing something undesirable. I fed it and used it for a bit, but it was getting used more because it needed to be fed and I hated to throw away the other portion. It was more work than it was worth. I'm perfectly happy with sponge-based bread or simple breads. I've made an Auvergne crown, and it was good, but I'm just happy or happier with ciabatta, and then there's brioche ... mmmmm. Though I suppose if one is running very low on yeast it might be worth trying to keep a starter alive. Hopefully you're better at it than I am!

Grey water. Suburban lots with their own systems and city lots and apt. and commercial buildings with shared spaces. Reduces fresh water exterior use and reduces water going into sewage treatment plants. Homes with less unused LAWN space. Too many weed killers, fertilizers, gas engines to cut and trim acres of residential grass.

@Patricia Colwell Consulting We live in a home that is not airtight and I never want one that is. IMO that is where the trouble begins with viruses and bacteria not to mention all the anti bacterial stuff we have been using for years so that now we have super bugs too.

I think maybe you're not familiar... The exact opposite is the case. Plus, these homes are hypoallergenic, and many have very low off-gassing from construction materials.

Aaaand consider: mice can't get into an air tight home...

And then there's the mold thing.

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Hyper-efficient homes have air exchangers and heat pumps to manage air. In nice weather, windows can be opened and breezes enjoyed.

I live in one, incidentally. It's divine. Never a draft...

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@Mountain House Plans IMO the items on your list are very germane ideas. Lessons learned from COVID. However, many should be standard, like, a long time ago. ALL new homes should be hyper-efficient and use alternative energy sources. Seriously, why the heck not? They save so much money, and if COVID has taught us anything it's that our usual resources (from toilet paper to vegetables) are at risk. And more folks at home will mean MORE energy consumption. It stands to reason a build should make home staying as cost effective as possible.

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One addition to your list, @Mountain House Plans:

An inspired background for Zoom meetings. The library look is getting old, as are blank white walls. This could become a new designer niche and could be worked out purposefully in the process of re-decorating or building.

@ tangerinedoor

I agree with your comments about energy efficiency. All new and remodeling projects should include this. But I never force a client. Instead I educate them on the benefits. And I always start with the most cost effective methods. Some of these methods actually reduce construction costs. I design each home for the clients' needs, budget, and property. Because each project is unique, it requires a unique strategy for energy efficiency. But I wrote my generalized plan in the article " Murphy's Local Custom Home Designing and Planning Expert " on this page: https://www.houzz.com/pro/rmaccrea/mountain-house-plans

I'll just add in, too, that SOME "energy efficient" materials are so much more costly at the onset that the energy savings never pay off in the long run, especially if one lives where energy costs are relatively low. Windows are one of those things and ICF and SIP walls can be one of those as well. A while back, there was a poster (D E) was so keen on building a "green" house and insisted that SIP walls were the way to go until I suggested they check the pricing vs energy savings. They came back later to say that I was correct and that SIPs would never pay off. So, one has to consider a lot of factors.

https://www.houzz.com/user/shead 

YES! Return on investment!

That is why it pays to have a professional design each home to fit the clients' needs, budget, and property. Designing for the property includes reducing excavation costs, improving accessibility, orientating the glass for the directions of the sun and wind, insulating the home for the climate, etc.

Example: If the house will be at the top of the mountain blasted with cold winter winds and less winter sunshine, investing in more air tight insulation, windows, and doors would pay off better than a house facing the winter sun and protected from the winds by a mountain on the north side. This second home would do better with a design to use the winter sun to heat the home. In a time of economic difficulty it is even more important to design homes with the most cost effective energy efficiency.

Rather than SIPS or ICF walls, I recommend spray foam insulation with standard frame walls. Much less cost, and almost as efficient. Then take the money saved and put it into something else that saves more energy and is cost effective. Perhaps a sun heated solarium that can heat the house, better doors and windows, etc. This strategy works very well.

Sometimes I can reduce heating and cooling costs by 75% or more without raising the budget. This gets them much closer to a net zero home. Instead of spending $40,000 on a solar panel system, now it might cost $15,000 to reach net zero.

But energy efficiency is just one of the critical design requirements. There is also safety, accessibility, weather resistance, forest fire resistance, earthquake resistance, reduced maintenance, security, and now changing food and health safety needs....

Spray foam is not all sunshine and rainbows. One of its two main components is an isocyanate. If the chemicals in the foam react completely, toxic outgassing will last up to 72 hours, during which time the space must be ventilated and avoided; one cannot live in a house with curing isocyanates. This might not be a huge deal in a new build, but if it's a renovation, that's important. (Oh, and the chemicals better react completely ... if not, curing and outgassing May never be complete.) Furthermore, the dust, etc., can be dangerous, so don't disturb it afterwards either.

Airtight has has its own issues with mold ... Airtight means you're trapping moisture, too, which can lead to mold. And mice? Really? One does not need airtight to prevent mice; air gets through much small than a dime sized hole. Now, stinkbugs ... those are a nuisance.

Oh, and if you're going to argue hypoallergenic, don't tout opening windows ... kind-of counter productive if you're just going to let all the pollen and junk right in the window.

There are solutions for each of those foam insulation issues. And regarding the air barrier issue, I recommend open cell insulation on walls because it is an air and water barrier, but it lets vapor pass through. That is the same with house wraps. Vapor passes, but not air or water. Even old fashioned felt paper behaves this way to a lesser extent.

How does one make isocyanates less of a health hazard? I'm genuinely curious. I can't see how one could possibly get around the outgassing during cure time? Obviously, correct installation will assure full reaction, but it still needs to cure ...

My clients dont move in until the house is done, which is much more than the 72 hours cure time after the insulation is sprayed.

@BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA Airtight means you're trapping moisture, too, ...

Actually, that's not correct. The CERV which manages the air in the house also manages moisture. VOC's too. And temperature. And air quality...

Indeed, the CERV makes the in-home air almost too dry for me. The humidity is kept around 30%.

Oh, and if you're going to argue hypoallergenic, don't tout opening windows..

I'm not sure what you're saying here. Generally, opening and closing windows are personal choices. Same in a hyper-efficient home.

Okay, thank you for the education on that. I would suspect that most mold issues root from some issue either way - total lack of insulation causing temperature differences in walls, bad flashing/leaks, improper grading running moisture into the house/basement, etc.

I just found it amusing that you said the house was hypoallergenic and then recommended opening windows. Maybe it's the green tint on my car that's causing an aversion to open windows. Oh trees ... if only they could be pollenless.

That's also what I have seen.

"Stay safe. Stay away."

Features that follow those dicta will be what comes next. Should there be a choice in the matter.

The bigger conflict will be that between urban planners following the old model--the more density, the better--and those recognizing that it was something shoved down the throat of the hoi poloi by the university-educated suburban-hating elites, now buttressed by the multi-billionaire messiah class.

I am not focusing on the different ideologies of designing and planning. I prefer to focus on the specific needs of each of my clients. That's the reason for this post. Because of the pandemic, people's needs have changed, and I am looking for ideas on how to satisfy those needs, one house at a time.
I appreciate the many great ideas in these posts, and I'm interested in more. Good, positive ideas. Example:
A need for a secure place to receive packages: I pictured a raised platform, and a small door that can be opened by an app on your phone when the security camera sees a delivery truck. The door opens into a secured area just the right size for your deliveries. If you receive food deliveries, there could be a small chiller you could turn on to refrigerate the food. This could stop delivery thefts, quarantine food deliveries, allow for dock height deliveries, and keep your home more secure in a cost effective way.
This might be the perfect sollution for a client.

Turning all the now unused retail and office space into housing is more realistic. You might have some clients but for the vast majority of people that won’t happen. Your list is like what happened to cars today. All these advanced features and now they are Overpriced and sitting in vacant parking lots and offshore on freighters with no place to go.

Hypoallergenic ventilation:
My wife and I suffer from pollen allergies too. Here are some ideas:

1. A window screen filter. It can be attached to the screen. I ordered one on Amazon. Shipped from Japan.
2. A central vacuum system for vacuuming and dusting. The best way to remove allergens in the dust. Improves indoor air quality better than any other type of vacuum.
3. An improved filter on your air return in the HVAC system will reduce allergens in the air.
4. A strategy to reduce dust mites in the beds. The largest cause of allergies for most of us is actually dust mites. Reducing them might bring your body below the threshold of reacting, and pollen might stop bothering you.
5. I have read articles that explain how beneficial fresh air ventilation can be for reducing the transmission of corona indoors. Videos have shown how quickly this can carry away contaminants floating in the air. We need to have ways to provide this without harming those who are allergic to pollen. This is very important for those with allergies.

@wacokid
This discussion is not aimed at solving all of the housing problems. It's about options we can discuss with clients that are concerned with the dangers of this pandemic. Retrofitting vacant buildings to provide needed housing is a great idea. And if those people are concerned with pandemic safety, they might like some of the ideas posted here.

@Mountain House Plans We can actually already do something like a door opening for a specific delivery driver. IIRC some even inexpensive security systems and/or door locks have that feature.

For me, the infrastructure adjustments are more vital to our personal spaces (e.g. in our homes) as well as to national interests in reducing infection spread. It seems as though even with new construction, the overall emphasis is on features and doodads like gas stove size and all that's required to make that happen (e.g. extra money spent on air quality and draft) rather than things like pipes and wires and whole-home air adjusters.

Much as they're handy for sociability, features like peninsulas and islands where several people sit cheek-by-jowl in the kitchen breathing onto the food food prep area should become quite quickly a thing of the past.

This is what I mean by an infrastructure feature that might be helpful:

What might be useful is to have the exterior doors of the home set up so that a CERV kind of thing sanitizes the person right before they come in the door or in a foyer/enclosed porch/ante room. A kind of air wash. This would simply be a feature of a whole-home system.

As you leave the home, you should be able to push a button that gives the home a "cleanser boost" while you're out. I can do this with my CERV right now (if there's an undue stink from the bathroom, I can boost the CERV for 30 seconds and it clears right out), but it would be handy to have it do a more thorough cleansing while I go get the groceries.

The other thing I can see happening is more minimalism in internal architecture and an emphasis on construction materials for impervious surfaces. It would be way easier to keep the house clean....

The closed air in a bathroom will need to get re-thought. Bathrooms are small confined spaces that can get heavy usage. Right now, most people have fairly simple fans that are decades-old technology, and some people are putting in enclosed booths for the toilet. This seems like a recipe for germ-y air. These booths, while cozy, always seem to emanate someone else-s aroma (These were around when I was a child, so I've had a lot of experience!). IMO a toilet booth should not be built in a home where the homeowner's priority is to minimize contagion.

So, I guess, @Mountain House Plans my most important message would be "What do prospective homeowners want to accomplish overall?" and not specifically in one spot or another. The whole house should come from a place of addressing their objectives, from the ground up, architecture, construction materials, overall philosophy. That's an infrastructure thing, and in a world where we need safer and cleaner interior spaces requires a conceptual shift, attitude, a different paradigm altogether.

@Mountain House Plans I have read articles that explain how beneficial fresh air ventilation can be for reducing the transmission of corona indoors. Videos have shown how quickly this can carry away contaminants floating in the air. We need to have ways to provide this without harming those who are allergic to pollen. This is very important for those with allergies.

A CERV does this. See my several posts upthread.

The question is, "Can this technology be enhanced to address particles like germs?" I believe this might already be available.... IIRC when the City of Seattle was buying motels to quarantine COVID patients, they had a way to keep the air clean, unit by unit..

Very interesting thoughts, @psycho design
All favorites of mine too. And even Ikea has cheap Swedish salmon and induction cookware.
But I have confidence that big box developers will turn this into something that is wrong much like the Ranch style was never Wright.

@tangerinedoor

Great points. HVAC systems with whole house ventilators can be designed to handle your ideas by altering the balance of air pressures in different areas to create an air flow to exit the house at areas that are smelly and more likely to have infectious material, and enter with fresh, conditioned air where you are most concerned about keeping clean, like private and sleeping areas. That is what they do to handle contaminants in hospital quarantine and hazardous construction situations. Keep the pressure low in the dirty areas, and make the bad stuff exit the building there instead of spreading to other areas. Increase the rate of ventilation to remove contaminants more quickly. I could see a room at the service entrance (from the garage) that is the main point of exhausting inside air. A shower to decontaminate yourself, a place to decontaminate and store shoes, a washing machine for dirty clothes, and a door into a clean closet (with higher air pressure) to put on clean clothes before going into the rest of the house. If everything is more convenient, it will be used more thoroughly.