Predicted Building Trends for 2012

In almost every industry, the turn of the new year has brought with it a discussion about the trends that will dominate 2012. The construction industry is no exception. There have already been a number of reports from Sydney developers as well as companies like McGraw-Hill predicting where, what, and how to build this year. Here are some of the findings.

Multi-purpose commercial buildings

While the residential sector of the construction industry has been quite unstable in the past few years, commercial buildings are on the rise. In particular, multi-purpose buildings will be key. These buildings need to house various companies and functions at the same time. For instance, industrial units, high-rise office blocks, and loft-style offices are all buildings that can cater to large number of working people comfortably. As well as the style of the building, location will also be a major consideration. The value of a commercial building increases when it is centrally and conveniently located near public transport and shops. Though the land may be expensive to purchase at first, the return on investment will be worth it.

Functionality

In 2012, functionality and practicality will reign over extravagance. After years of unique, superfluous designs that were sometimes a little too artistic, minimalism is back. The building industry will see a return to simplicity, to clean lines and classic design. Admittedly, this trend has been driven by the instability of the economy and funding, but it is a positive change. Building in a functional and practical way reduces unnecessary expenditure and use of space. This trend also links closely to the increase of multi-purpose buildings, as the aim is to create buildings that allow more people to live and work in them effectively and comfortably.

Green Building

Many eco organisations are optimistic that 2012 will be the year where green building becomes a standard for Sydney commercial builders. The ultimate aim is for green buildings to become the norm rather than an afterthought, but this is a gradual process. ‘Green’ buildings are more affordable now than ever, and will only become more popular as people discover how space, time, money, and energy saving they are. As well as these benefits, building ‘green’ is also about using space in the most smart, practical way. Some ‘green’ features that are predicted to really take off in 2012 are green roofs, water saving fixtures, efficient lighting, and solar power. Also, excess free space (such as large foyers) will be replaced with more practical uses.

Of course, the year has barely begun, so these are just predictions. They are based on extensive research, so it will be interesting to see if they turn out to be accurate. Regardless of how they play out, Patterson Building Group will continue to focus on commercial buildings and keep up our green initiatives.