Trends to Keep an Eye out for in Commercial Building
Changes in design and trends are inevitable and it’s an ongoing process that requires your attention and dedication. They affect every industry without exception, including the commercial construction industry. There are obvious benefits to sticking by the reliable and trustworthy building practices and designs, but keeping up with the newest trends is equally important.
Incorporating new advances and modern developments into your building design is what will give you an advantage over your competition. First impressions of your clients and customers seal half of your deals so this aspect is particularly important in commercial industries. Here are several most prominent trends in commercial building design.
Energy efficiency
Incorporating energy-efficient elements into building design has become one of the top priorities in construction. Technological advances and new developments have made the whole process faster, easier and less expensive. One great example of this practice is using insulating concrete blocks for exterior walls that can be fully incorporated into entire wall systems. The benefits are numerous: better insulation, fire resistance, soundproofing and stronger structure. Moreover, they function extremely well in extreme climates, such as the one in Australia, where you can experience harsh climatic extremes.
Green design
With the rise of eco-awareness, commercial building designs have shifted significantly towards building eco-friendly and sustainable objects that not only improve energy efficiency, but also contribute to higher motivation and productivity of all employees. Excellent examples can be seen in the use of green or living roofs, bamboo veneer, air and humidity control and recycled or repurposed materials.
Smart glass
Much like the green building designs, using smart glass has grown in popularity. Windows with smart glass have the ability to improve energy efficiency by diminishing glare, brightness and heat from the sun. They serve as a barrier that also helps regulate the temperature indoors. This also helps reduce costs and makes the environment much more enjoyable for work. Some types of windows even offer the button control option that allows you to control how much tint there is in the window pane, which regulates the amount of light and heat that is absorbed.
Construction process
With regards to the construction process itself, clients are nowadays looking for ways to customize and streamline construction as much as possible so they opt for strong, durable and flexible materials, such as versatile precast concrete panels. They have become extremely popular in the construction industry since they require very little maintenance and can be moulded into almost any design. The pairing of these precast concrete panels with structural steel allows massive time saving, reduces wastage and clutter and so increases the safety of the working environment.
Social hot spots
Due to the fact that employees spend most of their day at the office, modern design trends are going towards creating a workspace that feels more comfortable, inviting and homey. Part of that tendency is giving the workers a casual, gathering space that can have multiple functions, but primarily it serves as a place where everyone can take a break and relax before getting down to business again. It’s not by accident that exactly in those moments lots of new ideas are born and spontaneous meetings are held.
The novelty here is taking this social hot spot outside. Building a comfortable and roomy rooftop deck area with various plants, tables and seats allows people to meet outside and does wonders for their creativity and morale.
Staying at the top of your game and being up to date with the latest trends in commercial design is mandatory both for design and construction companies in order to keep up with the harsh competition. Blindly following the popular trends is not the way to go and it certainly won’t give you the upper hand. What will achieve that goal are these trends listed here, that are current and sound and will definitely improve your building design and the working experience of all employees.
