Eco-Friendly Principles to Include When Designing Your Commercial Facility

Commercial construction and eco-friendly principles may not always go together easily, but that doesn't mean you can't build a more eco-friendly facility with a little extra planning.

Here are some eco-friendly characteristics and principles to keep in mind as you design your commercial facility.

Natural lighting in commercial facilities can not only boost the green credibility of the facility but can also save a lot on artificial light costs. In fact, 40% of the energy in a commercial facility may be used on lighting, so reducing artificial lighting needs can save a lot of energy costs, not to mention replacement light bulb and light fixture costs.

Some design features that can help maximize daylighting potential include:

• Place both offices and halls near exterior windows

• Use glass interior partitions to allow daylight to infiltrate further into the building

• Design the building with high ceilings and tall windows

• Add lots of windows especially on north-facing and south-facing building surfaces

While daylighting won't always eliminate artificial lighting use entirely, it can cut down on the artificial lighting significantly.

You can select more environmentally friendly materials both for the construction phase and for interior finishing components. For example, one great material for interiors is bamboo. It's highly eco-friendly because it grows quickly and prolifically and even regrows after harvesting. It's a great interior material because it goes well with a variety of styles such as minimalism.

Repurposed, reclaimed, or recycled materials are another great way to improve the eco-friendliness of your construction process. Reclaimed or salvaged lumber can be a great interior finishing material, while

For structural elements, you can look for suppliers that offer recycled steel or ferrock, which is a more eco-friendly alternative to cement. Both of these building materials can be used in some situations and applications for

Improving your facility's building envelope reduces operating costs by reducing the energy lost to climate control such as heating and cooling. For a tight building envelope, you'll need to not only ensure the facility has no drafts, but also improve insulation, reduce radiant heat gain and loss, and similar strategies.

Some concrete ways to improve your commercial facility's building envelope include:

• Designing the building with low-emissivity glass

• Using triple-glazed windows for better insulation

• Adding highly efficient wall, roof, and floor insulation

• Using reflective roof coatings

• Ensuring door frames, window frames, and doors are well-insulated

As you can see, when designing the best building envelope for your facility, you'll need to think about not only preventing convective heat transfer (air leaks) but also preventing radiant heat transfer and conductive heat transfer.

Solar panels are an iconic way to show that your commercial facility is designed with eco-conscious principles in mind. However, solar panels aren't just about giving lip service to green principles. They're also a concrete investment that can both green your facility and help you save money later.

Some of the top monetary benefits of solar panels include reducing energy costs in the future, increasing the value of your facility and property, and perhaps even making your facility eligible for tax credits or other incentives.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when you're brainstorming and designing your facility. Some items, such as solar panels, will add to the initial cost of the structure, so you'll have to decide what your budget can handle and how much of an investment you're willing to make in eco-friendly building design. 

But no matter what you decide, Cochran Construction Company can help you design and construct the ideal commercial facility for whatever purpose you have in mind. Give us a call today to learn more about our expertise, our past projects, and our availability.