By: Cameron Sperance — Boston.com | If you asked real estate agents and home builders in the late spring how buyers were responding to the pandemic, they would answer with tales of multiple home offices and private gyms becoming must-haves.

But as the virus surged into winter, less sexy — but more important — components like air-filtration systems and new approaches to a condo building’s package drop-off zone were suddenly entering the conversation.

“I think with ‘COVID-proofing,’ we’ve learned so much over the nine months of this pandemic,’’ said Vickie Alani, principal at architectural firm CBT. “It’s not really the house or the space causing COVID. It’s not stuff. It’s people. It’s how we move through space and breathe.’’

While “COVID-proofing’’ is a term said somewhat wistfully, it hasn’t stopped architects and home builders from accelerating healthy-living trends that were already growing in popularity before the pandemic. Enhanced water- and air-filtration systems and … [ FULL ARTICLE ]