Integrated design is a holistic approach to the design and construction of buildings. It involves enhanced communication and coordination between design leaders and offers substantial benefits over the course of a building’s service life. Buildings designed with a holistic approach offer greater sustainability to their communities by blending architectural, structural, and mechanical considerations early in the schematic design phase.
Implementing integration strategies within design can contribute to significant sustainability benefits. For example, a well-insulated building with a few windows that face east and west will require less heating and cooling than a building with south-facing windows, impacting the mechanical design by requiring fewer ducts and registers.
Eight Integrated Design Considerations:
- Emphasize the integrated process.
- Consider the building as a whole.
- Focus on the life cycle of the structure.
- Encourage design disciplines to work together as a team from the start.
- Conduct relevant assessments to help you determine requirements and set goals.
- Develop tailored solutions that yield multiple benefits.
- Evaluate solutions.
- Ensure that requirements and goals are met.
Integrated design is essential to building sustainable communities that last longer and better serve the people living in them. County Prestress & Precast’s concrete construction products, such as our insulated wall panels, are popular for project leaders who value integrated design. Insulated wall panels offer thermal benefits, energy efficiency, disaster resistance, and other advantages that impact the project from multiple design perspectives.
Use our insulated wall panels to practice integrated design for your next project by contacting our Customer Service Team at (708) 562-7700.
