With the dynamic nature of business in the 21st century, renovations and change to the office environment are a given. You need more space to accommodate more employees or need to redesign to adapt to new requirements. If done conventionally, the process of remodeling and adapting the work environment to these new needs can create huge amounts of waste through the cycle of construction, renovation and demolition.
The inevitability of change in the office environment allows us to give some forethought to this process during the initial build out of an office. New systems and techniques can be utilized to minimize the impact the next change will make. Moveable walls and raised flooring are two of the systems with which an office can be constructed to minimize the time, cost and environmental impact of a future remodel.
Movable Walls
Movable wall systems allow a builder to change the existing layout of a structure with less waste and energy. Instead of creating the mess and expense of demolition, movable wall systems allow a builder to reconfigure a work space without the waste and disposal costs of a traditional wall material such as drywall. In addition to the environmental benefits, moveable wall systems offer an advantage in the time and cost associated with a remodel. A reconfiguration done with moveable walls is less disruptive to a work environment and can be done in a matter of hours rather than the weeks of a traditional drywall reconfiguration.
Raised flooring systems
Raised flooring systems allow electrical, data and HVAC components to be run under a floor. This has the advantage of making a reconfiguration of these components easier. Additionally, heat and air conditioning that comes up from a floor rather than being pushed down from the ceiling improves air quality for workers in an office. Remodeling an office equipped with a raised floor system has the advantage of easily reconfigurable power, voice and data components. With greater demand in the modern office for electrical outlets and phone and data jacks, adding or moving these components no longer involves cutting holes in drywall and attempting to run wires through a wall or ceiling. A builder only needs to add or move a PVD box to the floor panels.
These solutions save space, adapt easily, help the environment and save money. The time and cost associated with any remodel is reduced as is the disruption and impact to the daily business routine. While new construction may get the greater share of publicity in green building, forethought to future remodels is equally important in the green building equation.
Posted By:Samuel Green
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