Environmental Benefits of Tilt Up Construction

The environmental benefits of tilt up construction

The Many Environmental Benefits of Tilt-Up Construction

The environmental benefits of tilt up constructionFrom energy-saving light bulbs to hybrid automobiles and LEED-certified buildings, it is obvious that “green” will be a way of life in American culture. Additionally, it will impact the building industry for the foreseeable future. Today on the blog, our tilt-up construction company shares why it is an environmentally friendly building from the ground up. So, what exactly are the environmental benefits of tilt-up construction?

The Benefits of Tilt-Up Construction

To start, our commercial builders explain that before sustainable design became a motivator, high-quality concrete tilt-up projects were built. They had the goal of producing buildings that minimized the dynamic variations in temperature around the building. Tilt-up structures were previously known for their improved thermal efficiency. This is even before sustainability became a term in the industry.

Interestingly, our general contractor Sacramento explains there is no way to obtain LEED certification using solely the credits provided by tilt-up concrete.

LEED Certification

Although tilt-up construction cannot achieve LEED certification on its own, it is a building shell technology that gets simple credits. It works at delivering valuable points toward certification or propelling your project to the next level of sustainability. Why not go with the approach that produces the most “green”?

Site-casting concrete pieces provide several benefits for overall sustainability. To begin, all of the major components for a tilt-up construction may be obtained locally. This aspect, along with on-site tilt-up panels, decreases the amount of gasoline required to transport goods to the project site.

Building envelope efficiency is extremely essential in lowering energy consumption and costs in sustainable projects. When compared to several competing technologies, tilt-up structures feature a tighter structure and less air intrusion. The thermal mass effect—inherent concrete’s capacity to absorb and store energy—can also be coupled with optimal insulation solutions to provide maximum thermal performance.

In the Long Run, Tilt-Up

A building must be maintained throughout time in order to be genuinely sustainable. Tilt-up structures have achieved life spans exceeding 100 years. These buildings not only withstand the test of time, but they also have a very low maintenance profile, lowering expenses and product usage. The environmental consequences of decreasing maintenance expenses are sometimes underestimated. However, they have a major influence on a building’s overall sustainability.

Tilt-up wall panels’ innate resilience allows normal wear and tear. Additionally, it also provides the option of recycling panels in the case of a building expansion or restoration. Repurposing wall panels as site fill or pavement sub-foundation material minimizes total construction waste.

Collaboration for a Better Tomorrow

Manufacturers of construction products are also trying to develop products that improve the tilt-up structure while also contributing to sustainability.  Tilt-up construction uses 80% less raw material and natural gas to manufacture and distribute than traditional full-size brick. Because of the production method and decreased weight, less clay and shale are required. Thus, less energy is utilized to create and distribute the product.

As the “green” movement pervades more parts of life, we examine the influence of our work and the legacy we will leave. The structures we design have a long-term impact on both the environment and the people who inhabit them.

Contact Headwaters for Tilt-Up Construction

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Types of Commercial Building Projects

types of commercial building projects

Types of Commercial Building Projects in Sacramento

types of commercial building projectsThe types of commercial building projects have similarities and differences, depending on the exact type of building. Certain elements of those tasks will be identical, but understanding the many subtleties that are necessary will make the final decision of which commercial construction firm to hire a simpler process. Today on the blog, our General Contractor Sacramento shares the types of commercial building projects that are built in today’s market.

Restaurants

When it comes to restaurant chains, adhering to the corporation’s rules is critical. Our Commercial Building Renovation Contractors explain that a unique strategy for particular organizations makes an impact. Specifically, in terms of client comfort and employee flexibility. Additionally, understanding local rules pertaining to safety and other kitchen-related issues is important.

Grocery and Retail Stores

Since grocery stores and retail stores are visited by many, the general layout of the building is critical. This implies that the appearance of both the interior and outside must take into account more fluid mobility. This makes it vital to hire an experienced Sacramento construction company.

Hotels, Motels, and Other Lodging

This mostly focuses on the hotel and motel industries. This is a concerned such as ease of access as well as the level of comfort and privacy provided to visitors. Some motel building projects are quite simple, but large motels necessitate the use of an expert hand for that particular business development. Our commercial contractors explain that knowing that the ability to enjoy peace and quiet is important for this type of business. Additionally, this sort of construction must occasionally balance problems. For example, sound-proofing and technological advances. This can be done by a local company like Specialized AV, Commercial Audio Video Installation Sacramento company.

Athletic Buildings

When this is discussed, massive stadiums are frequently the first thing that springs to mind. Smaller facilities for high schools, fitness centers, and other recreational spaces, on the other hand, can be included in the same sentence. These buildings frequently need the inclusion of elements such as bleachers or other essential objects in the overall project, while also taking visitor safety carefully.

Corporations and Offices

The scale of these structures ranges. They can range from practical facilities for a small business to skyscrapers.  The sort of business that will use this facility may necessitate a different strategy than a cookie-cutter one. Simultaneously, building needs such as restrooms and fire escapes must handle critical access problems.

Hospitals and Medicine

Hospitals will always be needed, but smaller clinics and facilities, like vet offices, should be considered. All of these locations require a structure that allows for simple movement for workers and patients while also allowing for potentially life-saving equipment. In this case, accessibility must be mindful of the fact that the facility will most likely be used by people from various walks of life.

Commercial Building Projects in Sacramento, CA

Contact Headwaters today to discuss your commercial building project types in Sacramento. We are skilled in ground-up construction, tilt-up construction, commercial renovations, and more! Our professionals are here to support you!

Benefits of Steel in Construction

benefits of steel in construction

The Benefits of Steel in Construction

benefits of steel in constructionThe use of structural steel for a building’s frame system provides several advantages to a commercial construction project. Today on the blog, our commercial builders are discussing the many benefits of steel in construction. These advantages include:

Construction Time

Because of its ease of production in the shop, structural steel increases construction efficiency. Additionally, it maintains strict construction tolerances. Material deployed in the field will always lag behind. With structural steel, you may achieve a rapid erection in all seasons. Also, it offers precise tolerances for connection with other building systems. Our General Contractor Sacramento explains it also offers little construction site waste.

Reduced Project Costs

When rival framing technologies for projects are examined using similar, current cost data, structural steel remains the cost leader for the majority of building projects. According to comparative research, a structural steel framing system with decking and fire protection will generally cost 5% to 7% less than a concrete framing system on a national scale.

Aesthetic Value

Additionally, our construction company in Sacramento admires steel’s inherent beauty and is eager to use it in the design of their projects to highlight the elegance, slenderness, strength, and transparency of the frame. Unlike most other construction materials, structural steel offers the project architect greater freedom of expression and originality in their design. Structural steel sections can be twisted and rolled to form non-linear components that add to the structure’s visual appeal.

High Fortitude

All other materials claim to have tremendous strength, however even when reinforced with steel, their strength is still less than that of structural steel. In fact, the increase in standard strength of the steel used in structures today over the last ten years is larger than the entire strength of rival “high strength” materials.

At the end of their lives, structural steel and cars are recycled at rates more than 100%. Rather than using land for quarrying operations to supply aggregates or landfills for building material waste, structural steel is emptying salvage yards, freeing up space for other uses.

Modifiable

In the future, structural steel structures may be changed for new uses, loading conditions, vertical extensions, and changes in owner preferences in ways that conventional frame systems cannot.

Existing steel columns and beams can be reinforced by attaching steel plates to the flanges or web of sections, allowing for higher loads. Existing steel-framed structures can be retrofitted with new stairways by removing a piece of the floor decking, bracing a single bay, and installing the necessary stair structure. While the building is still occupied, these sorts of improvements may be made with minimal interruption.

It is not uncommon for additional floors to be added to a structural steel structure years after it was built.

Efficient

Structural steel structures maximize building space efficiency by using thin columns. As follows, these columns maximize usable floor space, and longer spans for open, column-free areas.  Additionally, our neighbors over at Gilmore Heating, Air, and Plumbing, the best HVAC Company in Sacramento, explain it allows for the integration of HVAC systems. This allows these factors to be added into structural spaces that allow for lower floor-to-floor heights.

Reliability and Predictability

Modern quality assurance techniques are used to produce and construct structural steel under-regulated settings. The final strength of the material is tested at the point of manufacture. However, this after it has been installed in the building’s frame. Additionally, structural steel is manufactured in a shop to precise tolerances. These are hard to achieve with site-cast materials.

Interested in a steel construction project? Contact Headwaters today to get the conversation started. We’d love to discuss your commercial construction project needs.

Different Types of Foundations

different types of foundation

The Many Different Types of Foundations

different types of foundationThis article will go through the many different types of foundations used in structures. All foundations are broadly classified into two types: shallow foundations and deep foundations. The terms shallow and deep refer to the depth of dirt used to build the foundation. Shallow foundations are utilized for small, light buildings, and deep foundations are used for massive, heavy structures. Below, our commercial builder shares the different types of foundations.

Shallow Foundations

First, our commercial construction company explains that shallow foundations are sometimes known as spread or open footings. The term “open” refers to the fact that the foundations are built by digging all of the earth to the bottom of the footing and then erecting the footing. Because the whole footing is visible to the naked eye during the early phases of construction, it is referred to as an open foundation. Thus, the concept is that each footing distributes the concentrated load of the column across a broad area. Therefore, this ensures that the actual weight on the soil does not exceed the earth’s safe bearing capability.

Additionally, shallow footings are classified into three types: individual footings, strip footings, and raft Individual Footings.

Strip Footings

Strip footings are a type of load-bearing masonry structure that acts as a long strip that supports the weight of an entire wall. Our Sacramento construction experts explain that these are employed in situations when the building loads are borne by whole walls rather than separate columns, such as in ancient masonry buildings.

Raft Foundations

Raft foundations, also known as Mat foundations, are commonly utilized for building basements. The entire basement floor slab functions as the foundation in a raft; the weight of the structure is distributed uniformly throughout the full footprint of the building. The building is nicknamed a raft because it resembles a vessel that ‘floats’ on a sea of dirt.

Mat foundations are utilized when the soil is soft and building loads must be distributed over a broad area, or when columns are closely spaced, which means that individual footings would touch each other if individual footings were employed.

Pile Foundations

A pile is essentially a long cylinder of strong material, such as concrete, that is driven into the ground to support structures on top of it.

End Bearing Piles: How Do They Work?

The bottom end of an end-bearing pile sits on a layer of, particularly strong soil or rock. The load of the building is transferred to the strong layer through the pile. In some ways, this pile resembles a column. The bottom end sits on the surface, which is the junction between a weak and strong layer. As a result, the weight avoids the weak layer and is securely transmitted to the strong layer.

Friction Piles

Friction piles operate on a separate set of principles. By friction, the pile transmits the load of the building to the earth across the whole height of the pile. In other words, the pile’s whole surface, which is cylindrical in shape, works to transmit forces to the earth.

Contact Headwaters Today

Now that you have an understanding of the different types of foundations, you may have questions about which one is best for your construction plan. Contact Headwaters Construction today! Our commercial builders would love to help you with your commercial construction project. Follow us on Facebook today.