Is your commercial or industrial space not functioning the way you hope or need? And are your energy bills sending shivers up your spine?
The solutions for such challenges may lay in a simple reconfiguration of your building or upgrading your mechanical and lighting systems, says John Campbell, owner of Finishing Touch Builders in Red Deer.
Reimagining existing spaces
A good example of the former, he says, is how Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools have enhanced safety and security at schools in Red Deer, plus St. Matthew’s and St. Dominic’s schools in Rocky Mountain House.
“They’ve been proactive in creating secure entrances at their schools to have a higher element of control over comings and goings,” Campbell says.
FT Builders created a second set of entrance doors inside St. Matthew’s and St. Dominic’s. A panic alarm was installed that allows the doors’ use as an emergency exit, and the doors can be easily locked to the outside – key factors in schools’ “lockdown” and “hold and secure” scenarios. An extra door to the reception area was added and desks and counters were reconfigured to better facilitate signing in visitors and students arriving late to school.
And when Red Deer College moved its Train Station exercise and weight room to the nearby Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, FT Builders transformed the empty space into two meeting rooms and a lounge area for the students’ association.
New flooring, reconfigured ceilings, air conditioning and sprinkler systems will make a more usable space for students and staff, Campbell says. “And they’ll be able to comfortably watch the courts below from the lounge.”
An ongoing project at First Red Deer Place involves the renovation of the second floor, including the creation of barrier-free washroom facilities, to accommodate future tenants, Campbell says.
Creating efficiencies in Slave Lake
The Sawridge First Nation in Slave Lake liked the renovation and energy efficiency work FT Builders did with the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation, and have undertaken a series of upgrades of their own.
Several buildings are involved, including an administration centre, an apartment complex, a five-bay garage getting an interior retrofit, and a steel Quonset building where high-efficiency heating/cooling and LED lighting systems are being installed, along with an insulation upgrade. “They were quite pleased to see what we had accomplished at Aseniwuche and wanted similar improvements to their properties,” Campbell says.
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For a free consultation on your commercial or residential renovation or retrofit project, contact Finishing Touch Builders at 403-347-1900 or email info@ftbuilders.ca. You can also keep track of what’s new with FT Builders on Facebook.
