Transforming older commercial buildings for residential use can be a fairly straightforward endeavor.
Office buildings built after 1960, however, present more challenges, and if a trend to convert these spaces to condos and apartments gathers steam, a rethinking of regulations will be required, say John Cetra, cofounder at New York-based architecture firm CetraRuddy, in a GlobeSt report. Developers and architects will have to be particularly creative in redesigning larger buildings for residential use.
Because the plates are much deeper in large post-1960s office building, there are long spaces where an apartment would be 50 feet in depth from the window. So, the distance between the windows and walls might have to be changed to make up for the ventilation that would have come through a window.
HVAC zoning would likely have to be readjusted, particularly in a post-COVID world with more concern over maintaining healthy indoor air quality. Interior spaces would have to be re-zoned to maintain a higher level of fresh air.
The large floor layouts mean that small studio apartments would have to be very narrow and deep. This will reduce the potential for daylighting.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 16, 2018
Engage code officials early for better building performance, predictable enforcement expectations
White paper says code officials should be collaborators and facilitators.
Codes and Standards | Jan 12, 2018
Arlington County, Va., earns first LEED for Communities Platinum Certification
Honor recognizes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage stormwater.
Codes and Standards | Jan 11, 2018
TRUE Zero Waste provides roadmap to divert waste away from landfills
USGBC program signs on more than 130 companies or facilities for certification.
Codes and Standards | Jan 10, 2018
Sliding-scale proposal for civil damages resulting from construction fatalities, injuries draws ire of trades
New York City Council proposal puts limits on penalties for safety violations leading to death, serious injury.
Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2018
Federal appeals court orders EPA to revise lead standard within a year
Current exposure levels for lead in paint and dust have been in place for 17 years.
Codes and Standards | Jan 5, 2018
Building code officials should vet building product evaluation methods
Evaluation service providers should be properly accredited.
Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2018
U.S. military needs to do more to address climate change risk for facility design
GAO report cites hundreds of overseas facilities in peril.
Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2018
China Construction America faces billions of dollars in liability in lawsuit
Court filing alleges massive fraud and breaches of contract in Baha Mar Resort Project.
Codes and Standards | Jan 2, 2018
Smart building tech can reap utility savings of 8% to 18% in commercial buildings
Potential for increased deployment of smart building technology is great beyond early adopters.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Dec 21, 2017
Interactive map includes detailed information on historic New York City buildings
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission launched a new, enhanced version of its interactive map, Discover NYC Landmarks.