Building to last
The scale of investment involved in hotel construction encourages those
involved to do the right thing and build to last. This should always be a
priority for architects, but just what is involved in building to last depends on
where the build is to be sited.
In an earthquake zone, for instance, the focus will be on finding materials with an
appropriate degree of flexibility. In a tornado zone, strength and weight will be more
important. Factors such as temperature and humidity will also factor in assessing the
required durability of the material and the structure itself.
Setting priorities
It’s rarely possible to achieve an ideal, so in the initial stages it’s important to
set priorities. Cost, quality, durability, environmental friendliness and style are
all factors that need to be taken into consideration, and this will influence the
choice of materials.
Construction inevitably involves making compromises, between strength and
durability, for example, so working out priorities ensures these can be
approached in a practical way that is satisfactory to all parties involved.
Roofing
When it comes to roofing, there’s a wide variety of choices available, but for most
projects, excluding very tall buildings, little beats timber in terms of resilience,
durability and price. What’s important is to ensure that the timber itself is of adequate
quality. It’s always advisable to check this directly, especially on large-scale projects,
rather than trusting suppliers to comply with regulations and supply exactly what has
been requested.
It’s also important to listen to carpenters and joiners and ensure they feel able to voice
any concerns they may have about the quality of the timber during the construction
process.
Green construction
Increasingly, hotels are selling themselves on their green credentials, and an
environmentally-friendly build really helps with this. It can also boost the reputation
of the construction company and architects involved.
There are two main aspects of green construction to consider – the use of sustainable
materials in the building, and the use of materials that will reduce the fuel consumed
by the building when construction is complete. Using materials that decrease the
frequency with which maintenance work is required will also play a part in reducing
the environmental impact of the building.
Prefabrication
Although it usually means more upfront expense, using prefabricated parts –
manufactured sections of buildings – can reduce overall costs by reducing the time it
takes to complete the project. Prefabricated parts are particularly popular in hotel
construction, where multiple identical units are needed.
Prefabricated parts can also make supervising conduction simpler, because it’s easier
to check that prefabricated parts meet the required standard. They’re especially
practical for internal units, such as bathrooms, where no major consideration needs to
be made of their interaction with supporting walls or sources of natural light.
It’s important not to think of a hotel in the same way as an apartment or office block;
different patterns of use and different client priorities are likely to mean the
appropriate choice of materials for the former is quite different from the latter.
Choosing the right construction materials at the outset minimizes the risk of
disruption later in the project, and ensures an attractive, top-quality result – and a
happy client.