Open for Business Sooner

Whether you’re opening an outdoor shopping center or a flagship store, time is money. Projects must stay on schedule to prevent lost revenue from delays. Brands also face the challenge of maintaining and adhering to a uniform aesthetic and incorporating special design features that are used location after location.

However, as land costs continue to rise, developers are looking for more ways to incorporate multiple uses into their projects to maximize revenue. From retail and hospitality to multi-family housing and office space, projects that are walkable, provide a sense of convenience, and cater to residents, tenants, visitors, and patrons alike are on the rise.

Gardner Batt, a developer in the state of Utah, planned to build such a development near the Wasatch Mountains in Lehi, Utah. The one-million square foot mixed-use project called Traverse Mountain includes office space, retail, and hotels. CRH was involved during the early planning process and addressed how the developer could save time and money on their project. CRH provided a variety of products and services, including:

• Construction sitework, underground utilities, and earthwork
• Precast drainage structures
• Ready-Mixed Concrete
• Envelope and energy analysis
• Aggregates
• Masonry, architectural block, and retaining walls
• Finishes such as acoustical ceilings and fabric wrapped acoustical panels

For retail and mixed-use projects like Traverse Mountain, schedule is often a large concern, and having a manufacturer involved early who has a wide-range of products available can help achieve everyone’s goals. 

Across North America, mixed-use developers and national retail chains such as REI, Walmart, Les Schwab Tires, Costco, Ford, Lowe’s, and more benefit by working with CRH because of the wide breadth of products available across North America as well as experts who can get involved from early in the design stage through construction.

Branding, aesthetics, and speed are important whether you are opening a restaurant franchise or a local eatery. For example, at some chains, it’s important to have a product supplier that can match the color of masonry, repeatable budget, and fast schedule time-and-time again. Durable masonry wall systems that can include insulation and that come in made-to-order color and design choices can meet your requirements for fire resistance and moisture prevention.

From Starbucks and McDonald’s to Chick-fil-A and Qdoba, CRH businesses have provided precast concrete structures, structural masonry, windows and skylights, veneered wall systems, asphalt, and more. Because of our national footprint and product breadth, we have the ability to meet local architectural standards and the flexibility to meet your deadlines. 

Whether the goal is enhancing comfort for learning spaces, lowering operational costs, or improving health, institutional facilities such as schools and hospitals have a lot to balance with the number of people that come in and out of their doors every day. It’s important to maintain healthy environments and that these types of “soft infrastructure” are operational during bad weather and community emergencies.

“The hard infrastructure is the obvious things like roads and highways and sewers…but then there's the soft infrastructure and that is schools and hospitals. A big part of wanting schools and hospitals is productivity because it's your workforce. You want healthy workers and you want smart workers.”

— Alex Carrick, ConstructConnect Chief Economist

Schools and healthcare facilities utilize building materials that are durable, can stand the test of time, and require low maintenance. Insulated wall systems and architectural masonry blocks are easy to clean and offer fire protection, moisture resistance, and a high wind rating which are key in these types of settings.

In addition to using durable building materials, hospitals and healthcare facilities need to be able to operate when power outages occur as lives often depend on it. CRH provides emergency backup power systems such as the above-ground ConVault fuel storage tank and underground precast fuel containment options. Reinforced concrete offers the durability and thermal protection needed.

Along with increased amenities and the use of technology, a growing number of travelers select their lodging based on sustainable options – from the frequency of their sheets being changed to indoor air quality and water efficiency. Architects in the hospitality segment are having to balance these trends with designing a repeatable product that can be constructed cost-effectively and quickly.

Prefabricated and modular building components such as custom, ready-to-install bathroom pods can help with this process. The Oldcastle SurePods™ team works with customers from design through installation. Ultimately, using such a product that is constructed offsite allows for better quality control and increased safety as there are fewer trades in the vicinity of the project. They are installed and connected to mechanical, engineering, and plumbing services within hours.

SurePods are used in hotels, hospitals, military barracks, and multi-family residential projects. Benefits of using SurePods include an accelerated schedule since all steps of the build are automated, a controlled assembly environment, and reduced waste.

Whether it’s a new police station, fire station, an improvement to city offices, or a new correctional facility, government projects are often under close scrutiny from tax payers. Efficient materials that work together as a system and can be combined for multiple uses (e.g. administrative offices, investigative rooms, and detention areas) can help a project come in under budget and open for use without delay. Choosing materials that are non-combustible, durable, and economical is key.

High-profile commercial projects come with a variety of challenges that can lead to schedule and product delays. For large sports and entertainment endeavors, these challenges might include political interests, competing projects, a non-negotiable groundbreaking date, and custom-engineered products.

Many of these problems can be solved from a building materials standpoint by discussing product options with the manufacturer earlier in the planning process. When Atlanta’s SunTrust Park began construction in 2014, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, located about 13 miles away, was already four months into construction and grabbing the interest of national contractors. Representatives from CRH businesses worked on both projects to provide technical advice, offer custom solutions, and solve specification challenges.

Whether your sports venue needs custom architectural glass, hardware for panic doors, a stormwater management system under your parking lot, or even design help and logistical support, CRH offers it all.

Considering that the average person spends 90,000 hours at work over their lifetime, it’s no wonder that companies are making a renewed effort to focus on employee happiness and health in the office.

Corporate offices should be appealing to workers yet maintain the functionality of the business whether it be for open collaboration, private calls, or team meetings. As companies retrofit buildings in established communities and take up office in mixed-use developments, it’s important to blend seamlessly into the surrounding neighborhoods. For instance, artisan masonry veneers can give you the feel of an aged stone façade but the durability of manufactured masonry.

For the companies that have employees who spend long hours in the office or for new modern builds, glass envelopes can help mitigate dark interiors. Low-e windows and high-performance pressure equalized curtain wall systems can increase energy efficiency and keep tenants more comfortable. Structural glazing systems can offer the same benefits plus resistance of wind load and seismic forces.

Office tenants might be looking to improve a space or do an interior renovation or fit-out. For these types of projects, interior wall systems that can unmounted, relocated, and reinstalled are a great option. For designers that prefer a clean and contemporary aesthetic— while meeting the flexibility needs of the tenant — Holoform™ demountable wall system by Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope^® meets both functional and aesthetic needs at a value price.

Another keystone of a good working environment is communication. Whether it be over the phone or computer, making sure your business has the capacity and energy available is imperative. Oldcastle Infrastructure manufacturers electrical and communication vaults that are custom-outfitted for electrical, fiber-optic, and communications applications