Residential Construction Trends vs Commercial Construction Trends
Smart technology, offsite building, design-to-completion construction firms, everything in the residential and commercial construction market is geared toward cutting inefficiencies, reducing waste, and promoting a new way of thinking. Most trends in these two industries come from the same focus: to provide a more connected building, integrate cutting-edge technology, and use higher quality materials while building in the most efficient way possible. Here are six major trends to watch for in residential and commercial construction.
Residential Construction Trends
1. Green Building
This actually isn’t unique to residential construction, but it’s worth pointing out.
Homebuilders and homebuyers specifically want more sustainable design coupled with energy-efficient solutions. Whether that means installing more efficient lighting and appliances or adding a renewable energy component like solar to the roof, increasing a home’s performance and reducing energy consumption are now prominent in the residential market.
Green building design also extends to sustainable building practices. Allowing more natural light in the home to reduce electricity usage, sealing windows and adding high-quality insulation, adding reflective coatings to windows, and even including native plants in the landscaping to reduce water consumption can contribute to a home’s carbon footprint. In new homes, this green building philosophy is quickly becoming the standard as builders strive to hit the latest green requirements.
As far as retrofitting a building versus building new, green design can pay for itself in as little as six to seven years.
2. Outdoor Lighting
Electricity can be expensive, but outdoor lighting doesn’t have to be. There is more emphasis on outdoor spaces than ever before, and one of the best ways to transform it is through good outdoor lighting. Whether it’s to create a welcoming entrance or an entertainment zone, Kichler’s outdoor lighting solutions save energy, cut costs, and increase safety. Today, residential builders are considering how to enhance the outdoor spaces of new homes to add even more value. Improved landscaping and outdoor lighting are two of the most common ways to do just that. Not to mention, it almost goes without saying that the use of LEDs in outdoor lighting is the new standard, and it’s here to stay.
Stop by any City Electric Supply branch to see how we can help you illuminate your outdoor space, whether it’s for a single-family home or a commercial facility.
3. Smart Technology
It sounds strange to say that a building can be smart, but technology is increasing home performance and even providing learning opportunities for builders. By gathering data with light and temperature sensors, home builders are now able to see the most efficient ways to design a home and what materials are best to cut costs while increasing performance. Smart technology can be considered a part of the green movement, but this automation is becoming an even more important part of both the residential and commercial markets.
However, the technology doesn’t have to be nearly as technical as it sounds. Nest created their thermostat to help consumers take control over their energy usage and become more conscious of the way they heat and cool their homes. Now, even more manufacturers are discovering ways to add technology to everyday appliances, especially when it comes to products that can benefit from automated schedules.
For example, light switches can now wirelessly connect to home devices like Amazon Alexa to give homeowners complete control over their lighting and set the most optimal schedule for their home. CES carries Caséta by Lutron, which has many features available for interconnected lighting systems, and it works with the biggest home hub devices on the market.
And it doesn’t stop there. Now, most appliances are considered “smart” and can connect to the internet of things to give consumers a more connected home with devices that work seamlessly together. With voice-controlled home hubs, expect voice-compatible appliances to be one of the next big things in the residential market. Designing an interconnected network for homes is at the forefront of new home construction.
Commercial Construction Trends
1. Modular Construction Reaching New Highs
Imagine an office building coming pre-built. That’s not far from the truth when it comes to modular construction. Many commercial construction firms are realizing that prefabricating building components before ever reaching the jobsite is improving work-zone safety and lowering environmental impacts. Not only is it a more sustainable construction method, but it’s also a much faster and safer way to hit deadlines on the construction site. In fact, the modular construction market is expected to grow from $112.4 billion today to $157 billion by 2023.
Combined with a skilled labor shortage across the U.S., building as much as possible offsite is another way to streamline construction projects and service a wider range of jobs. It also helps reduce waste and align deliveries to job sites much more efficiently. And as more companies invest in modular construction, the market is continuously improving. In 2015, modular-constructed buildings maxed out around five stories. Now, companies can reach as high as 18 stories.
According to a McGraw Hill Construction survey of companies that used modular construction, 84% reported higher quality projects than their traditional counterpart, 80% experienced higher customer satisfaction, 77% experienced increased productivity, and 77% saw improved jobsite safety.
2. Design-Build Is the New Norm
Twenty years ago, one company handling the entire construction process from the design stage through completion was considered a disruptive trend. Now, the results speak for themselves. Design-build accounts for nearly half of all U.S. nonresidential spending. It costs less than traditional construction methods, and it reduces timelines and removes all the back of forth of bid opportunities. And it’s not just for large projects. As design-build becomes more popular, smaller and smaller projects are seeing the benefits, too. These projects are expected to grow by nearly 20% over the next several years.
3. Green Design in Construction
We did mention before that green design wasn’t just a residential construction trend. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a huge trend in commercial construction, and electrical designers are responsible for major areas of this process. From lighting to energy efficiency and energy consumption, City Electric Supply is equipped with the expertise and the knowledge to help electrical designers achieve LEED certification.
Thanks to LEED, companies now have a transparent framework to support the construction process from beginning to end. It covers everything from managing resources and materials used during construction to the demolition and cleanup stage.
With this certification in place, construction companies can now do their part to reduce their environmental impact, which accounts for up to 20% of all global emissions.
Conclusion
Whether your project is for an energy-efficient residential home or the next multimillion-dollar facility, City Electric Supply’s reps are ready to help you cut costs and save on energy. Visit your local branch today. If we don’t carry what you need locally, our nationwide distribution network is ready to deliver what you need directly to you or your jobsite.