Creating a Comfortable Commercial Environment for Tenants

9 Key Factors to Consider

Making tenants comfortable is the top priority of commercial landlords who seek long-term leases and justify higher rents. Accomplishing this means anticipating and addressing the lessees’ needs instead of waiting for requests and complaints.

Although it’s impossible to please everybody, considering these nine key factors can almost always satisfy discerning tenants.

1.     Parking Space

Parking is non negotiable in any car-dependent town. Although shared mobility is gaining steam, it’s better to have more parking spaces than fewer to make it convenient for commuters to come to work.

However, expanding existing parking lots isn’t always feasible due to limited capital, real estate or both. Converting vegetated parcels into oceans of asphalt can make the building exterior hotter and less appealing.

Renting nearby unused spaces is an excellent workaround to provide tenants with more parking areas without building more. Alternatively, consider offering corporate shuttle services to extend last-mile transportation to workers using various paid parking locations across the town.

Turning an existing parking lot into an electric vehicle (EV) charging station offers more value to environmentally conscious tenants. Hosting Tesla’s Destination Chargers costs money but is an effective strategy to attract entrepreneurs willing to pay more expensive rent for green amenities.

2.     Daylighting

Nothing aids visual performance better than natural light. Many bulb manufacturers aspire to produce artificial lighting that can replicate sunlight to show objects in their natural hues.

In hazardous occupations, stellar vision is a matter of life and death. Although the sun disappears after dusk, collecting as much of it as possible during the daytime is the key to discerning letters and numbers and distinguishing the foreground from the background.

In addition, increased daylighting in the workplace helps increase productivity, keeps stress levels low and promotes healthy sleep patterns. A 15-minute exposure to sunlight can lift mood and boost vitamin D production.

Office buildings use glass extensively to let in as much sunlight as possible. Warehouses and manufacturing plants have opaque walls but can still harness sufficient daylight through skylights. Reflective surfaces and slender furniture pieces allow light to bounce around and penetrate deeper into areas.

3.     Biophilia

Humans gravitate toward nature — a common unmet need when going to work. Fortunately, vegetation and built environments aren’t mutually exclusive. Incorporating biophilic design elements in the workplace can be therapeutic for employees, fostering robust mental fitness.

Aside from capturing sufficient daylight indoors, decorating spaces with live potted plants or green walls can create a calming workplace ambience. Heavy use of natural materials such as wood, cork, bamboo and masonry also works wonders.

4.     Interior Building Color Palette

Color theory says blue and green balance productivity and relaxation, which is helpful in activities requiring focus. Although red and yellow have a place in professional environments since they instantly communicate caution, these warmer hues can be distracting and overstimulating in significant doses.

5.     Indoor Air Quality

Many employees blame pollution for the sick building syndrome — a notorious cause of decreased productivity and absenteeism. Keeping indoor air quality levels high is a promising strategy to prevent multiple workers from getting ill simultaneously.

Maintaining healthy levels of indoor air quality starts with preventing pollution at source. Using eco-friendly paint and stain products to minimize volatile organic compounds indoors and planting trees to intercept outdoor particulates can keep various contaminants at bay.

Right-sizing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is another viable strategy. Something too small for the building inhibits the unit from removing enough heating or cooling load to achieve comfort. Something too large heats or cools rooms too quickly, causing the thermostat to switch it off before the cycle ends. Short cycling prevents the AC from managing indoor humidity levels sufficiently, allowing mold to grow and prosper.

Either way, the HVAC system underperforms and becomes more prone to damage. Credentialed commercial HVAC technicians know the math and adjust calculations accordingly to size heating and air conditioning units properly.

6.     Weather Resistance

Preventing leaks and floods should go without saying because water damage can be incredibly destructive. Office buildings, storage facilities and warehouses tend to have flat roofs, which are more susceptible to water ponding. Choosing a high-quality, low-slope roofing system, hiring a competent roofer, taking its upkeep seriously and planning for emergency repairs prevent the upper floors from getting flooded from above.

Glass units can be a source of water leakage, too. Scheduling regular maintenance is vital to ensure all fixed and operating windows are watertight year-round.

Regarding flash floods, thoughtful landscape design can help prevent commercial properties from being inundated. Capitalize on natural water absorbers, such as trees, shrubs and soil, to neutralize deluges and minimize erosion. Flood-resistant hardscaping materials, including driftwood, rocks, gravel and pebbles, can mitigate flooding. Proper drainage and grading divert floodwater away from the building, allowing its occupants to ride out inclement weather while remaining safe and dry.

7.     Sanitation

Most people know that germs are everywhere and observe varying degrees of avoidance to protect against illnesses. Sanitary workplaces inspire peace of mind in health-conscious individuals.

Employers are particular about hygienic workplaces to help staff stay physically fit and finish their tasks. More entrepreneurs have prioritized wellness because health-related work absences have skyrocketed recently.

In January 2022, 3.6 million employees missed work entirely due to illnesses, injuries or medical problems. Another 4.2 million full-time individuals could only perform their duties part-time due to health reasons.

The best commercial space sanitation practices include implementing a rigid cleaning schedule, using electrostatic disinfection, paying extra attention to high-traffic areas, minimizing contact between people and surfaces, and stocking up on cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment. Consider designating pet- and food-free zones to control the spread of contaminants, too.

8.     People With Disabilities Friendliness

The building standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) apply to new construction and alteration projects. Still, corporate landlords should consider proactively retrofitting their properties with accessibility features ahead of necessary renovation or remodeling jobs.

Marketing a building as ADA-compliant makes good press. It can magnetize tenants even if they don’t have any staff with mobility issues.

9.     Security

The incidence of workplace violence is trending upward. Landlords who invest in surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and access controls and hire security personnel can more effectively sell the idea of safety to prospective tenants than their counterparts who offer no around-the-clock security.

In rural establishments, installing perimeter fences can help keep wildlife out. Fencing also discourages thieves and vandals from committing crimes.

Put a Premium on Corporate Tenant Comfort

Creating and maintaining a comfortable workplace environment requires prudent building management practices. While it’s challenging to achieve, keeping these factors in mind helps commercial landlords succeed and stand out from the competition.