A trend that has been on the rise for the past few years is the open ceiling concept in commercial buildings. The most obvious benefit of this trend is the aesthetically pleasing look it offers, giving the workspace a free, airy feel. It typically opens up the entire office and encourages collaboration, all while giving off an engaging and modern ambience.
But this trend offers more benefits than just those noticeable to the eye. When executed correctly, these conceptual designs could also result in lower electricity and lighting costs – a very practical benefit to those paying for the space. And to top it all off, employees may even be happier in this type of workspace than in alternative designs.
Benefits
Lowers Cost
The Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association conducted a recent study, where office and retail spaces were modeled to reflect the differences in energy costs. This study showed that return air plenums more efficiently remove heat from lighting systems and reduce the AC load. Suspended ceilings also offer about 20% higher light reflectance, which reduces lighting costs.
Increases Productivity
There’s also research behind the increase of employee productivity in an open ceiling concept. According to Forbes, a commercial open lay out encourages collaboration that may not be possible in a more closed-off work space. This collaboration between employees can often lead to more engaging meetings, interdepartmental cohesion, and more creative ideas.
Planning
So, did we sell you on an open concept work space? Great! But before you get on the phone with RETS Builders, be prepared to put some thought into it. While this look is typically more attractive and inviting than a regular drop ceiling, there are a few things you’ll need to plan ahead of time.
Overhead Space
You’ll work with your contractor to determine exactly what you’d like to be exposed in the ceiling. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when creating your design, and poor planning could result in electrical and plumbing issues.
Start off by checking out some pictures of buildings with open ceiling concepts. Be prepared with an idea of how you’d like your end-product to look. Convey this vision to your contractor and they’ll be able to identify what needs to be done to execute the plan.
Acoustics
Noise travels in an open concept design, so you’ll also need to take that into consideration when factoring cost. Adding panels to the ceiling will help absorb the acoustics and ensure the room isn’t too noisy.
Painting
You and your contractor will determine whether or not you’ll be painting your ceiling based on your personal preferences. Sometimes paint can also help absorb sound.
Take a look at the most recent open concept we executed for an office building below.
Interested in a design like this? Call RETS Builders at 610-513-8240 or email us at info@retsbuilders.com.
Recent Comments