TYPES OF BUILDINGS

Types of Buildings

Industrial buildings may be grouped under three types:

1. Single-storey buildings,

2. Multi-storey buildings

The decision on choosing a suitable type for a particular firm depends on the manufacturing

process and the area of land and the cost of construction.

1. SINGLE-STOREY BUILDINGS

Most of the industrial buildings manufacturing which are now designed and constructed are single

storeyed, particularly where lands are available at reasonable rates. Single-storey buildings offer

several operating advantages. A single-storey construction is preferable when materials handling

is difficult because the product is big or heavy, natural lighting is desired, heavy floor loads are

required and frequent changes in layout are anticipated.

Advantages

Advantages of single-storey building are:

1. There is a greater flexibility in layout and production routing.

2. The maintenance cost resulting from the vibration of machinery is reduced considerably

because of the housing of the machinery on the ground.

3. Expansion is easily ensured by the removal of walls.

4. The cost of transportation of materials is reduced because of the absence of materials

handling equipment between floors.

5. All the equipment is on the same level, making for an easier and more effective layout

supervision and control.

6. Greater floor load-bearing capacity for heavy equipment is ensured.

7. The danger of fire hazards is reduced because of the lateral spread of the building.

Limitations

Single-storey buildings suffer from some limitations. These are:

1. High cost of land, particularly in the city.

2. High cost of heating, ventilating and cleaning of windows.

3. High cost of transportation for moving men and materials to the factory which is generally

located far from the city.

2. MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS

Schools, colleges, shopping complexes, and residences, and for service industries like Software,

BPO etc. multi-storey structures are generally popular, particularly in cities. Multi-storey buildings

are useful in manufacture of light products, when the acquisition of land becomes difficult and

expensive and when the floor load is less.

Advantages

When constructed for industrial use, multi-storey buildings offer the following advantages:

1. Maximum operating floor space (per sq. ft. of land). This is best suited in areas where

land is very costly.

2. Lower cost of heating and ventilation.

3. Reduced cost of materials handling because the advantage of the use of gravity for the

flow of materials.

Limitations

Following are the disadvantages of multi-storey building:

1. Materials handling becomes very complicated. A lot of time is wasted in moving them

between floors.

2. A lot of floor space is wasted on elevators, stairways and fire escapes.

3. Floor load-bearing capacity is limited, unless special construction is used, which is very

expensive.

4. Natural lighting is poor in the centres of the shop, particularly when the width of the

building is somewhat great.

5. Layout changes cannot be effected easily and quickly.

Generally speaking, textile mills, food industries, detergent plants, chemical industries and

software industry use these types of buildings.

II. LIGHTING

It is estimated that 80 per cent of the information required in doing job is perceived visually. Good

visibility of the equipment, the product and the data involved in the work process is an essential

factor in accelerating production, reducing the number of defective products, cutting down waste

and preventing visual fatigue and headaches among the workers. It may also be added that both

inadequate visibility and glare are frequently causes accidents.

In principle, lighting should be adapted to the type of work. However, the level of illumination,

measured in should be increased not only in relation to the degree of precision or miniaturization

of the work but also in relation to the worker’s age. The accumulation of dust and the wear of

the light sources cut down the level of illumination by 10–50 per cent of the original level. This

gradual drop in the level should therefore be compensated for when designing the lighting system.

Regular cleaning of lighting fixture is obviously essential.

Excessive contrasts in lighting levels between the worker’s task and the general surroundings

should also be avoided. The use of natural light should be encouraged. This can be achieved by

installing windows that open, which are recommended to have an area equal to the time of day,

the distance of workstations from the windows and the presence or absence of blinds. For this

reason it is essential to have artificial lighting, will enable people to maintain proper vision and

will ensure that the lighting intensity ratios between the task, the surrounding objects and the

general environment are maintained.

CONTROL OF LIGHTING

In order to make the best use of lighting in the work place, the following points should be taken

into account:

1. For uniform light distribution, install an independent switch for the row of lighting fixtures

closest to the windows. This allows the lights to be switched on and off depending on

whether or not natural light is sufficient.

2. To prevent glare, avoid using highly shiny, glossy work surfaces.

3. Use localized lighting in order to achieve the desired level for a particular fine job.

4. Clean light fixtures regularly and follow a maintenance schedule so as to prevent flickering

of old bulbs and electrical hazards due to worn out cables.

5. Avoid direct eye contact with the light sources. This is usually achieved by positioning

them property. The use of diffusers is also quite effective