Table of Contents

• Climate Responsive Design
• Energy Efficient Upgrades
• Create Airtight Envelopes
• Plan For Natural Disasters
• Make Your Building Inviting For All Employees
• Future-Proofing Buildings With EK Bailey

Creating a future-proof office, warehouse, or retail space is one of the best ways to ensure you have success for years to come. Making changes from your past builds can make your building safer, more energy efficient, and remain standing no matter what you throw at it. Future-proofing a commercial space will help businesses adapt as the world continues to change. 

Our team can use the most modern materials and efficient building techniques to create the most modern builds on the market. In this blog, we will look at areas to prioritize and how commercial builders can conduct future-proofing builds with ease.

Climate Responsive Design

Every climate is different, meaning that your building design needs to be constructed with your region in mind. Coastal communities or desert states will require different materials in order to look pristine and resist deterioration. For example, salty air and high tropical storms are common in coastal states. Using long-lasting materials will ensure that your commercial space remains standing for years to come, even with typical storms, high winds, and moisture exposure.

For buildings in a desert state, concerns over high UV exposure, flash floods, and dirt erosion are common. Planning for hot summer weather on the exterior and interior of your building is important if you want to keep customers and employees comfortable. For buildings in Utah, builders need to plan for UV exposure, winter storms, and temperature fluctuations. Professional builders should utilize modern engineered wood products, stone, or steel to keep up the appearance of the building through all weather. 

Energy Efficient Upgrades

Renewable and clean energy are the future, meaning that any remodel or new building should have energy-efficient upgrades. Future-proofing your building starts by upgrading to solar-powered elements to ensure your building can operate off the grid. Solar energy can help power your lighting, HVAC system, security systems, and critical machines. 

Another way to improve energy efficiency is to improve ventilation. Moving air through the space will reduce the need for excessive HVAC use, reducing your overall energy usage. Designing walls, windows, and doors to be airtight and choosing efficient materials to keep air inside the building will also help your business succeed long into the future. 

Other upgrades that help improve energy efficiency and sustainability include:

• LED lighting
• Automated shade and thermal control
• Battery energy storage systems
• Smart thermostats
• Electric heat pumps
• Replacing insulation

Create Airtight Envelopes

Airtight construction and air-sealing are modern building techniques used to prevent energy waste and limit energy use that will continue to rise in price. Normal temperatures and extreme weather conditions need to be kept out of your building, especially as commercial operations and running a business continue to get more expensive. 

Creating airtight envelopes through high-quality weather-stripping, using liquid flashing membranes, or upgrading to stainless steel fabric-flashing will help reduce the risk of air loss and energy waste. Creating these envelopes lowers the risk of damage from weather to your commercial building. Future-proofing your building through airtight envelopes will reduce heat islands and lower the demand for HVAC use inside the building. 

Plan For Natural Disasters

Buildings are constructed with storms in mind, but preparing for natural disasters is a whole other ballgame. Securing the roof, walls, and foundation together through anchors, using aerodynamic shapes, and elevating foundations on flood plains are the best ways to future-proof a building to withstand different harsh weather conditions. 

Depending on the location and climate of your building, commercial builders may need to plan for multiple types of disasters, including tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires. Non-combustible materials and proper foundation preparation are methods that can serve you well through different types of weather conditions. 

Make Your Building Inviting For All Employees

While the construction of a building is the best way to ensure it remains safe and functional, having an inviting workspace is the best way to keep your business afloat in the future. With curveballs like global pandemics, political upset, and economic crisis, the world will continue to change and adapt to these new challenges. Your workers will need to feel safe, secure, understood, and valued at the company in order to continue working there. 

While a safe and comfortable building starts with the exterior elements, the interior layout, accessibility, signage, interior materials, collaborative spaces, and the historical nature of the building can also make a difference. Listening to employee concerns and recommendations will help you restore obscure details and make the space more inviting for all future employees. 

Future-Proofing Buildings With EK Bailey

Our commercial builders are committed to creating modern buildings and future-proofing existing ones to help improve your bottom line. Having a successful business is harder than it looks, but your physical location plays a large role in the long-term success of any industry. EK Bailey continues to build commercial buildings in retail, auto, fuel-c, hospitality industries, and more. With over 70 years of experience, you can trust that you are getting the best construction possible when working with EK Bailey. Learn more about us or schedule your build today!