Architectural Facades Disguise Building Mechanical Systems

The architectural facades we see in buildings do more than just add aesthetic value. When mechanical systems, typically placed on the roof or rear of buildings, often architectural screens and prefabricated enclosures are required to help them blend seamlessly with the overall look of the structure. 

The Various Roles That Facades Play

Typically, the facade is the first thing people notice about the exterior of a building. If you get to talk to a construction and building materials suppliers, you’ll learn that owners, contractors, and designers dedicate substantial resources to make sure that the facade is well-designed, properly constructed, functional, durable, and even reflective of the business’ brand values (e.g. Sustainability). 

When facade ideas are designed properly, it can significantly boost the public’s impression of the the businesses and residents within. But apart from that, facades can also keep the environment safe, comfortable, and energy efficient. It can prevent moisture or unwanted weather elements from getting inside the building. 

Over the years, facades have also evolved to help conceal mechanical systems whose optimal location is determined to be on the roof. 

Mechanical systems help buildings to be functional and efficient. It can include the premises’ heating and cooling, ventilation units, plumbing, fire suppression, and even electrical systems. In other situations, mechanical systems can also include escalators and elevators. 

Typically, the equipment that runs these systems are hidden from the public eye and located on the back or on the roof to reduce their negative impact on your structure’s general aesthetic appeal. In cases where they have to be installed in areas where the public can immediately see them, facades and architectural screens play a critical role in helping hide them in plain sight. 

These architectural facades for buildings can be constructed before or after installing the mechanical system. Either way, the benefit that they bring remains the same — they address the need to conceal your mechanical systems from the general public. 

Your Choice Of Material Matters

From wood, concrete, and glass to metal, bricks, and phenolic wall panels, there are different options to choose from in terms of wall protection panels. The choice comes down to: 

Your purpose and the kind of mechanical system you’re concealing

Your budget is not just for upfront expenses but for long-term costs such as maintenance and repair 

The material’s durability, aesthetic style, flexibility, and energy efficiency

Glass, a popular material for exterior building products for Commercial buildings, is flexible design-wise. It can also lower electricity bills as it can transmit a huge chunk of available natural daylight. But glass can be vulnerable to strong weather elements. On the other hand, metal claddings boost your structure’s mechanical stability. It’s also a durable shield against harsh elements. If you choose phenolic panels, you can enjoy several benefits that range from ease of installation and maintenance to design flexibility and proven durability. 

If you want a long-lasting, high-performance building facade, you must choose your construction and building materials supplier in NYC carefully. Apart from ensuring they provide quality facade and screen materials, look into their experience. Check if they have the resources to meet your requirements and if they’re capable of transforming what you envision into reality within your budget.

Rainscreens & Architectural Cladding for Moisture Management

Moisture is a huge element that engineers, and architects combat to keep a building structurally sound. Without placing protection systems such as rainscreen siding and moisture barriers, the quality and aesthetics of your building can be compromised. In addition, excessive moisture may pose environmental threats and cause legal concerns for your project. 

What Are Rainscreens and Cladding Materials?

In a nutshell, rainscreens and cladding systems are designed to keep moisture from entering the building envelope. A key component in moisture management is to prevent water from penetrating into your walls. The right rainscreen siding keeps your building dry and minimizes instances of mold and moisture damage. 

Apart from repelling rainwater, an exterior cladding system incorporates ventilation and a drainage cavity (air gap), a water-resistive barrier, insulation, and adds to your envelope structure. Keep in mind that good rainscreen performance also includes having the ability to handle water when it does penetrate this layer. 

Additionally, property owners shouldn’t ignore expansion joint covers & systems. These joints are placed in areas of a building where movement from high winds are highly probable. Their placement is especially critical in building seams or where building materials are linked in several intersecting points. A good expansion joint system has a minimal gap size and is flexible enough to allow parts of the building to expand, contract, and move while keeping the connections intact. From the appearance standpoint, expansion joint covers need to blend well and not detract from the intended design.

Choosing The Best Cladding For Moisture Management

A rainscreen system is a great way to protect your building from moisture damage. And for your external cladding materials, you have various choices. By consulting with the right construction and building materials supplier in NYC, you can have options that would work best with your intended exterior building products.  

Your choice is dependent on different factors, which include:

Ease of installment. If your rainscreen siding material requires extensive labor resources for it to be correctly installed, the timeline of your project will be increased and therefore higher expenses. Among your cladding choices, composite cladding is the easiest to install. Different architectural louvers and facades all have varying degrees of difficulty when it comes to installation. 

Visual appeal. Because rainscreen cladding takes up a huge amount surface area in your exterior, it greatly impacts the overall visual appeal of your building. But apart from their visual impact, you also have to consider the longevity of your recommended products. For instance, some sun shading louvers can be big collectors of debris. This unclean look overtime can detract from the long term visual appeal. 

Durability. Apart from aesthetics, the quality and functionality of your exterior building products should be long-lasting and resistant to wear. Special metal coatings can help with wear resistance and product lubricity. 

If you ask any architectural building supply company in NJ, having a durable rainscreen system and cladding is important in protecting your building from moisture-inducing elements. Most qualified architectural product specifiers stay up to date with innovations can add value to your intended design. With the right building envelope consultant in place, you can specify moisture control systems that will last for years to come.

Building A Hospital Requires Serious Design Skills

Designing and building a hospital is a complex task. Many factors have to be considered even before construction begins. The proper choice of materials, including wall protection panels, corner guards, metal handrails and other architectural products for building interiors should also be considered to ensure the building’s durability, functionality, safety, and hygiene in the long run.

What Makes A Good Hospital Design

To make the most of any healthcare building, you must have a good hospital design.

Defined spaces. Several people come and go to hospitals for several reasons. Apart from patients and their support team, you also must cater to the healthcare professionals and other staff working in your building. Therefore, when designing a hospital, you need to be intentional in defining different spaces. From the concierge and parking drop-offs, emergency entrances, specialty wards, to the waiting areas and patient rooms, each requires attention to the details.

Accessibility. When building a hospital, overall client experience for all types of patrons must be top of mind. Apart from having well-defined and aptly designed spaces, keep in mind the accessibility of these areas. Can people with disabilities easily navigate all areas? How large are your elevators and how wide are your halls and staircases? Being well-lit is important and will help minimize accidents and injuries.

Health and safety. From investing in good expansion joint covers & systems and wall protection panels for healthcare facilities to strategically placing fire extinguishers and other safety features, you have to take several actions to guarantee that your hospital remains a safe place for its users.

Welcoming and calming elements. Hospitals use durable construction materials to ensure their longevity. But you also have to incorporate warm, natural materials to usher in the sense of calm to patients, guardians, and your workforce. You may even install artwork and other visual elements that can commemorate cultural ethos while offering an air of reassurance to people.

Strengthening The Very Walls Of Your Hospital

When you’re constructing a hospital, you should never compromise structural integrity. Your team should focus on the property assembly and installation of expansion joint covers & systems.

Expansion joints, in a nutshell, comprise a separation in a wall and a flexible material. This material is typically a bond breaker or a sealant. Also called movement joints, they are designed to allow movement due to earthquakes, absorb vibration and temperature-induced material expansion and contraction.

If this component of your hospital is poorly designed and constructed, your walls will be more susceptible to cracks and other forms of damage. In turn, this weakens the very integrity of your building, which is hazardous to all people inside and immediately around the building.

Besides these joints, architectural facades, wall protection, even phenolic wall panels are integral parts of the building design. With the help of wall protection, you can minimize wall damage. If not addressed, these damages can be costly for a building as busy as a hospital. More importantly, cracks, scrapes, and dents can be a breeding ground for pathogens.

With the diligent work from architectural product specifiers, you can ensure a hygienic environment, control wall maintenance expenses, and reduce downtime and closure of certain designated spaces due to maintenance.