Architectural Record 2015-04

142 WHAT’S NEW IN RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY DESIGN EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Hawa Americas Inc.
Multiple panels of sliding doors can be used to separate spaces when needed or open up to
connect them and disappear into wall pockets or niches.
interior designers to work through and resolve.
The approach, details, and implementation of
any design, however, will be a direct contributor
to the way any customer views not only the built
space, but the company itself.
Some influences can be just as real, but
sometimes a little less visible such as green
building techniques. According to a 2013 report
by McGraw Hill Construction in partnership
with Waste Management, entitled Green Retail
and Hospitality SmartMarket Report: Capitalizing
on the Growth in Green Building Investments 1 ,
owners of retail and hotel establishments are
reporting growing levels of green building
activity. The report is based on a study of 79
retail, 30 hotel and 22 restaurant owners. This
study defined a green building project as one
built to LEED or another recognized green
building standard, or one that is energy-efficient,
water-efficient, improves indoor air quality, and/
or engages in material resource conservation. By
this definition, the percentage of retail owners
that have taken a green approach in over half
of their building projects rose from 18 percent
in 2011 to 38 percent in 2013 and is expected
to rise to 52 percent by the end of 2015. Hotel
owners show an even greater investment in green
building—the percentage of those owners that
have taken a green approach in over half of their
building projects rose from 28 percent in 2011 to
48 percent in 2013, and is projected to rise to 64
percent in 2015.
Owners note strong business benefits from
green building investments and green O&M
practices, helping to drive this growth. Most
notably, they report the following advantages
when comparing the performance of their green
buildings to traditional buildings:
▶ Annual operating cost reductions were
reported by 66 percent of retail owners (at
an average reduction of 8 percent) and by
51 percent of hotel owners (at an average
reduction of 1 percent)
▶ Energy use reductions were reported by 58
percent of retail owners and 67 percent of
hotel owners at an average reduction of 15
percent for both
▶ Asset value increases were reported by
61 percent of retail owners (at an average
increase of 7 percent) and by 71 percent of
hotel owners (at an average increase of 11
percent)
▶ Return on investment (ROI) increases were
reported by 67 percent of retail owners (at
an average increase of 8 percent) and by
85 percent of hotel owners (at an average
increase of 14 percent)
While operating cost reductions and value
increases are the most reported reasons for going
green, there are several other factors considered
highly important in their decision-making
process. Among them is brand protection or
enhancement—they find that green is a good
image to embrace. Additionally, human impact
benefits for employees were a less tangible but
important factor among 44 percent of retail
owners and 50 percent of hotel owners. Over half
of those participants in both sectors report that
improved environmental health and well-being
has a strong impact on their decision to make
future green investments. Further, 70 percent of
retail owners see meeting government regulations
and standards as a key factor in their decision to
do green projects in the future, while 70 percent
of hotel owners consider water use reduction an
important factor in that decision.
With all of the aforementioned in mind,
we will look at three general design techniques
that can help with both the general design
and branding of a retail or hospitality facility
while also contributing to their green building
potential. First we will examine the issues of each
and then look at specific applications.
1. CONNECTING SPACES FOR
FLEXIBLE USES
Flexibility of space in retail and hospitality
settings can often go a long way to enhance
operations, image, sustainability, and budgets.
Recognizing that different spaces may not always
be used at the same time for the same purpose,
or that the size of a space may need to vary to
accommodate different events or needs, designers
often look for ways to incorporate doors or entire
walls that can move to alternately enclose or
connect spaces. This can reduce the overall size
of a building and in the process reduce its need
for materials and energy. There are primarily two
types of design opportunities here—sliding or
folding doors and operable exterior walls.
Sliding and Folding Doors
The use of interior sliding or folding doors in
single or multiple panels can not only allow access
between spaces, they can create appropriately
sized, transformative spaces for events, displays,
or operations. When closed, sliding or folding
multiple door panels produce privacy on demand.
When opened by users or facility staff, larger
spaces can be easily created. The door panels
can be made out of a variety of materials with
some manufacturers focusing on minimizing
the hardware used in order to allow the door
panel material to remain as unobstructed as
possible. The hardware used can be either steel
or aluminum with some recycled content. Glass
in various forms for the door panels is popular
since it can introduce natural or borrowed light.
This means that the space being enclosed does not
need to be dark simply because the doors are shut.
If privacy is needed, then it is entirely possible to
use glass that is translucent, tinted, or otherwise
treated to achieve the desired effect.
There are several common operational
options for this type of large-format door system.
Top-hung, straight sliding doors are a great
option for renovation and new construction
as top-hung sliding systems can more easily
accommodate floors that may not be completely
level or uniform. Significantly for design, sliding
doors save space by not protruding into the room
which also creates the sense of more open space.