Sustainability is an important part of every building project. With buildings accounting for nearly 40% of carbon emissions, designers and owners have a responsibility to the planet.

A standard brick and mortar building was once the only option for new construction. Today, the market has expanded to offer lower-cost alternatives. If you’re operating on a tight budget, you may be considering a pre-engineered metal building.

Renovating your workspace is an exciting opportunity to improve productivity, enhance your culture, and plan your organization’s future. It’s a chance to create an environment where people feel excited to work.

Material selection is a part of every building project. Whether you’re planning a home renovation or a multi-million-dollar corporate campus, your design team will ask for your input on façade treatments, flooring, paint colors, and more.

Whether you represent a public school, university, or municipality, you may need to go through a bidding process to secure a contractor. While public bidding promotes competition, it also adds a layer of complexity to a building project. You and your architect may need to check some extra boxes to ensure the process runs smoothly.

Next time you walk into a building, pay attention to the details. Every material—from the flooring to the door handle—has been carefully selected by a design team. If you start a building project of your own, you will take part in the exciting process of selecting materials.

Architects wear many hats. Their job is to manage costs, lead you through the design and construction process, and coordinate with consultants and vendors. But perhaps most importantly, architects find design solutions that work for your organization and give you the greatest value for your dollar.

The early stages of the architectural process are for research and planning. Before you can start designing, you and your architect should establish overarching project goals. One of the ways your architect can help you establish goals is by facilitating a visioning workshop.

Building projects are full of uncertainty. With many moving parts and technical elements, it’s important to implement a quality assurance process and make sure everything is operating correctly.

Sustainable design practices aim to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and produce healthy environments. While the core objectives of sustainable design are the same across the globe, architects must adapt to local environments.