How to Achieve Safe, Green Commercial Construction

How to Achieve Safe, Green Commercial Construction

Today, Image Builders in Denver offers ideas for safe, green commercial construction that can transform a multi-family building, restaurant or retail space. As specialists in these types of commercial builds, part of our commitment to upholding high standards is using advances in technology to create sustainable and safe buildings that promote the well-being of their inhabitants.

When designing a new building, thinking about how to make the structure environmentally friendly is just the start. The finished product should also be people-friendly. Over the past few years, a modern philosophy of smart commercial construction has emerged, focusing on efficiency and holistic design. The result is often a reduction in maintenance costs and an improved physical and mental experience for the people using or occupying the building.

The following ideas for safe, green commercial construction are simple ways to make sure your building integrates smart construction techniques for the modern world.

Insulated Concrete Block Walls

The outer shell of any building is vital in creating a solid structure and insulating the interior from the fluctuating temperature, noise and air quality of the outside world. Insulated concrete blocks offer highly effective thermal efficiency, meaning they will maintain a steady temperature much better than other construction materials such as poured concrete.

When used in conjunction with a suitable ventilation system, insulated concrete blocks can create excellent air quality within the building. This is hugely important for densely populated office and medical buildings where poorly circulated air can increase the likelihood of illness among the occupants. While the outside air is never guaranteed to be free from pollutants, filters can ensure the air circulated within the building is free from irritating particles.

Smart Lighting

Giving particular attention to the lighting in a commercial building is essential for two reasons. The first being that lighting is one of the highest consumers of energy in office buildings. Investing in LED light fixtures will significantly reduce your energy expenditure, reducing the carbon footprint and saving on costs at the same time.

Lighting also has a huge influence on the mental well-being of people. Too much exposure to artificial light can have a detrimental impact on productivity, energy levels, and mood. The key to fighting this phenomenon is to harness as much natural daylight as possible and redirect it into your building or retail space as ambient light. This can be done by the smart placement of windows, skylights, and mirrors. To enjoy maximum light levels but without excessive heat, install large south-facing windows treated with an energy efficient, Low-E coating to reflect the sun’s heat.

Green Roofs

Incorporating a green roof or living roof into a multi-family residential or retail building and benefit from greater insulation as well as a boost to the quality of life of the inhabitants.

Access to a green space with living plants, flowers and grass is hugely beneficial to people, especially in built-up urban areas. Worker productivity increases and absences reduced when employees have access to comfortable and natural outdoor recreation areas. Getting some fresh air between meetings or eating lunch out in the sunlight can affect the mood positively. While some may take it to the next level by starting an organic vegetable patch, any greenery will increase the biodiversity of the area and encourage bees, butterflies, and birds to visit the rooftop.

Fire-Safe Design

The safety rating of a building depends on how resistant it is to damage from fires, floods and other potential disasters. Constructing a commercial space with easy evacuation routes and safety features such as fire retardant curtains can ensure the building minimizes risk.

Fire curtains, also known as smoke curtains, are designed to be dropped down in response to a fire alarm triggered, either through smoke detectors or manually. These thick, dense curtains can physically block the path of the smoke and fire, separating different areas within the building and allowing a safer evacuation. This is certainly one of the more important ideas for safe, green commercial construction.

Dynamic Thermal Control

Central heating during the winter and air conditioning during the summer combine to form a massive expenditure in energy and building costs. To create a comfortable temperature range for people to live and work in happily, recent advances in technology have made it easier to keep everyone happy without blowing your energy budget completely.

A smart thermostat can adjust the temperature of individual rooms based on different factors including the outside temperature, time of day and room occupancy. For example, it will learn to kick on the AC when the sun is blazing through the windows of your retail store and shut off after peak hours. Plus, this system is automated, so there’s less chance of malfunction due to human error (or employee adjusting).

Another option, individual thermal control, offers fully controllable underfloor air by room or other designated areas. With greater control over temperature, costs can be reduced while workplace satisfaction and productivity increase.

It is safe to say that green building techniques are no longer limited to a niche market. Sustainable building is the best way to improve cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency and create structures that are built to last. Only a few short decades ago, commercial and multi-family residential buildings were lined with asbestos, sealed with formaldehyde, and finished off with lead-based paint. We have come so far in developing ideas for safe, green commercial construction. Now it is time to make sure every aspect of our buildings, from plumbing and lighting to interior design and security are created with user-friendliness, safety, and sustainability in mind.

Truly green commercial construction can harness natural resources, allow people more contact with nature and minimize the negative impact on the environment. If you want to talk about how to incorporate ideas for safe, green commercial construction into your next project, don’t hesitate to call Image Builders. Our team can deliver superior construction services with a focus on sustainability. We are happy to take your commercial building from the site evaluation and planning stage right up to the interior finishing and opening day. For high-quality professional work, on time and on budget, you can trust us as one of Denver’s leading construction contractors.

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