Modern Building Services

24 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES OCTOBER 2021 FEATURE VERTICAL FOCUS As the industry begins to recover from reduced bookings throughout the pandemic, hotel construction must nowmeet guest’s changing expectations around comfort and hygiene. Steve Richmond , Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, explores how the concept of ‘designing healthy’ will help building services engineers select suitable solutions to deliver futureproof hotels. A s recovery from the pandemic continues, the population is getting back on holiday, with some reports showing that the national hotel market has enjoyed a 300% boom this summer compared with 2019. To succeed in the market, hotels toned to align with trends and opportunities to improve guests’ experiences, as customer dissatisfaction can mean lost revenue. Added to this, Covid-19 has led to a change in consumer expectation, with hotels now being required to deliver on wellbeing alongside demand for a relaxing and luxury environment. For those building hotels, these requirements must be satisfied within the building design beyond the fixtures and fittings. Consultants and contractors must now consider how building services can contribute to a positive guest experience and so it is practical to consider delivering hotels that are ‘healthy by design’. Delivering on rising expectations A recent survey of 130M&E consultants and architects who specifically work in the hotels sector identified sustainability as a key design priority for hotel construction. However, it also revealed that water quality, acoustic performance and temperature control were key drivers affecting design. High quality drinking water, having silence when sleeping or relaxing in their room, and the ability to choose an exact temperature are all element’s guests will expect as standard, and are all easily compromised over time. For hotels to meet these priorities, pressure is falling on consultants to design systems that deliver on wellbeing. However, the same research revealed over half (52%) of respondents believe wellbeing is ‘value engineered’ out of projects later in the build. In addition, 86%of respondents said they had specified fittings containing lead, while 90% admitted there was a risk to human health when using the material. In contrast, the research also demonstrated positive progress being made in hotel design, with 59%of respondents said the need for improved acoustic performance had increased over the last five years. While contractors and consultants may be finding it challenging to prioritise wellbeing among other pressures, there is a clear understanding of what hotel construction requires. On top of this, high importance was placed by respondents on the need to leave behind high-quality buildings for future generations. Coinciding with requirements for sustainable design inmeeting ‘net-zero’ emissions targets, there is an opportunity for construction professionals tomeet all pressures through careful design. New opportunities for new builds The construction boomacross the nation has driven forward new developments made up of a variety of commercial and residential buildings, including hotels, shops and co-working spaces. As such, there is an opportunity for new build premises to be designed with latest guest trends and expectations in mind from the outset. Futureproofing Hotels by Prioritising Wellbeing VERTICAL FOCUS Hotels & Universities