Wolgast Blog - Construction Trends, Tips and Information

What Is Constructability Review?

The construction process starts with an Architect designing plans based on the requested scope from the building owner, mixed with regulations mandated by the government and the creative expertise of the designer. The Architect is responsible for knowing the performance, quality, longevity and size of limitless amounts of construction materials/product options and their real world application even though they aren’t responsible for the physical installation or erection of these materials. While they do know a lot about a lot of materials and have vast experiences from which to draw, a second set of eyes on the drawings by those who do the erection and installation have been known to save considerable time and more importantly money for building owners. This collaboration is known as constructability review.

There are so many decisions to make as schools get back to in-person learning and doing everything they can to make school safer, catch students up from remote learning, and expand mental health accommodations, among other needs. School leaders, administrators, and teachers have so much on their plates, oh, and are also dealing with volatile views from parents about how to handle it all.

When searching for commercial property you can and should rely on your realtor for many key details and features of the site that will benefit your business. That being said, there are details that only a Design-Build partner can help you make a more complete, educated decision. With the Architect and Contractor on the same team, they will review the site together and determine obstacles and costs quickly. Specifically, Design-Build contractors are looking for infrastructure, constructability, and challenges of a site that could potentially add cost to a construction budget or schedule.

The Best Method to Build Light Commercial & Light Industrial Buildings

Light Commercial Construction includes, but isn't limited to, medical practices, dental practices, office buildings, restaurants, banks, auto dealerships, and generally any building that is 25,000 s.f. or less and used for commercial business.

Light Industrial Construction includes, but isn't limited to, (as defined by National Institute of Building Sciences -11/5/19), “space types used for assembly, disassembly, fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, and repairing or processing of various types of materials…spaces for printing, commercial laundry, film processing, vehicle repair, building maintenance shops, metal work , millwork, cabinetry work” and warehousing. Also the light industrial buildings are typically not over 2 stories tall.

Whether a business is a restaurant, office, manufacturing plant, or school, having a building exterior remodel strategy can make a project very efficient and beneficial for a building owner. A plan should include incorporating low maintenance materials, safety elements, easy accessibility, and curb appeal to serve a business well into the future, as well as cut costs, and attract new customers.

Michigan’s solar energy industry is experiencing some confusion right now. For example, under the new federal administration, the outlook for clean energy is a spotlight industry for growth and sustainability, but there are no current solar incentives for commercial buildings or residential structures from the State of Michigan. Additionally, on their Federal Income Tax, businesses can currently claim 26% of the cost of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system if installed during 2020 – 2022. This incentive will reduce to 22% in 2023, and 10% in 2024 and thereafter¹. On a positive note, the cost of solar products is down 45%² and expected to continue going down, and so is the price for lithium batteries for personal storage to be used on cloudy days or during a power outage.