There’s no doubt that the UK’s commercial property market is on tenterhooks at present, with investors prepared to consolidate their position until the current Brexit impasse is resolved.
This certainly impacted on yields in the first quarter of 2019, which were largely flat in popular areas such as London. At the same time, it has been suggested that commercial property developers are struggling with the challenges posed by sustainability, whilst local authorities are also suffering in this respect.
This is a concern, as there’s no doubt that sustainable and better building design principles can make structures safer, which in turn boosts their long-term profitability. Here are some examples of how superior designs can translate into more secure buildings.
Pre-empt and Minimise the Risk of Fire
Fire protection is one of the most important aspects of building safety, whether you want to comply with building regulations or safeguard the interests of workers.
Increasingly, we’re seeing developers incorporate proactive fire safety features into their structural designs, creating a systems approach that enables all of a building’s components to be combined as part of an overarching strategy.
These can be combined with the use of non-combustible materials and reactive safety accessories such as smoke vents, to create an integrated strategy which protects people regardless of how or when a fire starts.
Mitigate Natural and Man-made Hazards
In geographically diverse nations such as the U.S., taxpayers shell out more than $35 billion each year recovering damaged buildings and infrastructure, following the impacts of hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and similar natural advantages.
By understanding a structure’s geographical risks and tailoring the building design to mitigate these, developers can safeguard the integrity of their work whilst also helping to save taxpayers huge sums of cash per annum.
On a similar note, you also need to invest in proactive structural measures that counteract man-made hazards and acts of terrorism. Both of these measures are important in the modern age, although it’s important to carry out a detailed risk-assessment before completing your designs.
Strike the Balance between Durability and Sustainability
Whether you want to protect the exterior structure of your building from fire, gunfire or bomb blasts, you’ll need to invest in strong and durable materials.
These include reinforced concrete, which remains the go-to material for developing genuinely robust external facades. Modern structures can also include reinforced windows to introduce a sense of practicality, so long as they’re blast-resistant and capable of allowing in natural light.
From a sustainability perspective, you can now use recycled concrete to create a strong façade for your structure. This remains an increasingly viable source of aggregate in the UK, and one that’s capable of reducing a structure’s carbon footprint.