Interior Construction Guidance For Healthy Space Designs

When it comes to the interior construction work that you do for your clients, the top concerns that you are likely to get are related to cost, aesthetics, and speed. This makes a lot of sense on paper. After all, some of your customers may need their spaces made on a tight timeline. Of course, they want to make sure the job is done to their specifications and at a price tag they can afford. However, things are starting to shift, and there’s a growing interest in another trend: healthy design.

This may come as a bit of a surprise at first, but even the CDC has taken notice of the fact that healthy design can correlate with better physical health in a variety of different ways. So, what can you do in your interior construction jobs to be more forward with healthy design?

Few Key Examples of Interior Construction to Consider: 

Choosing Materials Wisely

While there are a lot of different steps you can take to contribute to a healthy design, one of the major starting points is choosing materials, especially finishes that don’t contain toxic chemicals. Some of the common culprits here are VOCs, formaldehyde, and certain plastics. While these may affect each person differently based on their sensitivities, they are common contributors to sick building syndrome. Left unchecked, this can lead to issues like headaches, nausea, and general irritation. There are federal standards in place designed to restrict usage of some of these materials. However, in order to avoid the concern altogether, consider using as many natural-based materials as you can in interior construction. These include ceramic, stone, and porcelain. 

Creating Biophilic Designs

Biophilic may not be a term that a lot of interior construction workers are familiar with, but it essentially means any design or construction choices designed to create a more profound link between the occupants and nature. There are quite a few ways that a property owner can go about this. This can include various options, from basic elements like light shelves and sunrooms to using furniture and accessories that are evocative of nature. Many interior construction jobs implement elements like wood, stone, and plants to bring nature inside wherever possible.

Acoustics/Sound

Are you familiar with the concept of noise pollution? If you live in a crowded area or are trying to build up a commercial/workspace, it’s something well worth adding to your construction considerations. High background noise can naturally be linked to loss of focus as well as added stress levels in the workplace. As a result, part of the healthy design is trying to hit specific levels for both decibel amounts and the time of reverberations. There are a few methods you can take in order to try and cut down on excess noise. In general, you want to minimize the number of hard surfaces that you have, and move to carpet over hard floors when possible. Particular modern carpets can absorb almost five times as much sound as hard floors.

Smart Floor Planning

Compared to the other items we’ve been covering on this list, this is a bit more subjective and esoteric. However, a significant part of healthy design, especially in a residential setting, is ensuring that every space you create has some privacy level. As a result, interior construction teams should make sure that their floor plans include plenty of areas for people to have their personal space. In a home, this may mean appropriate barriers between different rooms. In an office setting, this may mean wider conference rooms and better spacing between desks. 

Antimicrobial Surfaces/Technology

Current events mean everyone is a little more concerned about germ spread than ever before. Indeed, even prior to the current pandemic, interior construction and design professionals are mindful of the placement of frequently touched-surfaces. However, one way that you can help in this area is by choosing your materials wisely. Some surfaces, by nature, are porous. They may save money or match a specific design sensibility, but these properties also mean that it’s more likely that these surfaces can trap bacteria/allergens. This makes disinfection harder. 

As a result, you may want to implement ceramics and porcelain on these frequently-touched surfaces. These are naturally difficult for items like bacteria, mites, and mold to live on. In addition, you can use basic household cleaners on them without damaging the finish. Clients who want convenience will appreciate this option.

Air Filtration is Crucial for Interior Construction

Again, COVID-19 concerns are causing construction professionals to reevaluate air filtration in a new life. Expect to see a higher premium placed on having space for proper HVAC systems in every part of a space. Also, good air sealing is essential for an appropriate filtration system. This means that you want to take a close look at the doors and windows you use to make sure they are the right fit for the building and the local climate. 

Healthy space design is a concept that’s been growing in popularity over the last few years, as more and more research comes out. It originally got its start in the residential sphere, but we’re starting to see commercial interior construction with this sensibility as well. As a result, any companies offering interiors contracting need to think about new materials and practices that will help create a space that’s healthy, visually appealing, and possibly eco-friendly.

Final Thoughts on Interior Construction

Costs (financial and time costs for onboarding) mean that choosing every single piece of healthy interior wall construction on the market isn’t feasible for most businesses. It would be best if you found a way to determine what will be the most profitable for your business. This means making use of project management software like eSub before you fully commit. Take a look and see what exactly is the most profitable use of your resources, and use our employee management tools to make sure you’re doing these new practices in the most efficient way possible.