Building Standards may not be a high priority of an existing building but establishing them now and keeping them up to date is key in facilitating smooth and timely construction projects down the line. Building Standards include more than just paint and carpet selections. A property can include lighting specifications, HVAC components and plumbing fixtures. Even minor details like the type of door stops or cabinet hinges can be on the list. Making detailed decisions helps to avoid confusion during a construction project. So how can we avoid the problem of scrambling to find products that will make it in time and on budget in the eleventh hour? The best way to do this is to establish standards up front before any projects may even be in the works.
Begin by envisioning an overall look and feel of the future building across tenant spaces as well as common/amenity spaces. In today’s market, many larger businesses are rethinking office spaces in the wake of the pandemic and new modes of working with hybrid in-office and remote workers. Frequently, a building that was once completely occupied by such tenant suddenly has rentable square footage that can be offered to the market. The initial reaction may be to focus solely on the vacancy and making the space as attractive to new personalities without regard to the tenant that downsized. Times have changed and, like your building, everyone is adapting in real time.
Identifying your ideal tenant mix will specify how flexible the esthetic needs to be. If possible, consider what line of business these organization might be in. Are the tenants likely to frequently update their overall branding alongside trends or are the tenants well-established organizations expecting the building to adhere to a certain corporate look established by management. An edgy advertising agency or trendy med spa is likely to chase trends, whereas a Fortune 500 company’s design will stay consistent. Selecting neutral yet modern finishes that work well with a variety of accent colors allows for each tenant to see their presence in their suite and into shared common areas.
Unless the tenant has been though a remodel in the past, having three to four preselected options will help guide them to quicker decisions and minimize decision fatigue. Consider having renderings or, if possible, constructing a spec suite or two enables a tenant to visualize how their company personality aligns with this aesthetic. When creating follow up communications to potential tenants, pull in their branding to illustratively show how the scheme will align.
While common space investments may not be imminent, knowing complementary design decisions that align across the tenant standards will facilitate quick decisions during any build outs. Quite often, code driven requirements come down to requiring an additional exit corridor or restroom improvements. Without a common space standard, you are at risk of a “one-off” investments occurring and could set an undesirable precedent. Once ownership is ready to take on a larger common space upgrade, working with the tenant standards will make the building feel more upgraded and can serve to create a cohesive brand for the building. How does walking through an updated corridor, restroom, elevator define their daily experience or even their customer experience? While lobbies, conference centers, and even restrooms may need to stay relatively neutral when selecting finishes so that it will appeal to a broad audience, bold design statements can be made in fun areas such as a shared gym or cafeteria. Consider bringing life to the space in unexpected and playful ways such as wayfinding or graphics that differentiate each floor elevator lobby or corridors.
Having both tenant and common space standards selected makes your building agile and ready for the next project or issues as they arise, thereby reducing lead times. Selecting quick ship products that work well in the tenant finish spaces saves times on suite remodels. Vetting lighting, controls, plumbing and HVAC components can help planning for new work. Lastly, having alternates at the ready helps if you run into supply chain issues.
These selections will also help your budget, freeing up your investment dollars. Creating standards by working with preferred vendors not only provides you with knowledge on how to budget for upcoming work but builds a relationship with manufacturers and dealers that can pass on better rates for an ongoing client. Using the same products in multiple places makes for easier storage of components that may be used again and again. That makes for bulk ordering more accessible and in turn bulk pricing.
Lastly, maintenance is simplified across your portfolio. Knowing the products and having the chance to review them before they’re selected by a tenant gives the management team time to understand the way the systems work and how to maintain them. Selecting finishes that are lower maintenance can help avoid issues later from materials that don’t stand the test of time. Determining the specifications for things like hardware, lighting and controls give the building engineering staff time to get to know the equipment and how to maintain it.
Standards provide a beautiful environment for the building, help projects stay on track and help projects stay on budget, and provide spaces that help landlords keep and attract new tenants. The building becomes easier to maintain and that keeps things running and looking great over the long term! Its worth the time now to create standards for your projects tomorrow.
Katie Winter is a Principal at Kieding, a design firm specializing in commercial interior in Denver, Colorado.