Design solutions for hotel development

HOTEL LAUNDRY: COMMON ISSUES & MAJOR EXPENSES

Reading Time: 4 minutes Hotel Laundry: Common Issues & Major Expenses In my previous newsletter, I discussed the basics of designing a hotel laundry area. Today, I present some important considerations for creating a well-maintained laundry system. I also discuss approximate hotel laundry expenses according to various hotel laundry needs. LAUNDRY ROOM PLACEMENT: High extraction hard mount washers tend

DESIGNING FOR YOUR HOTEL LAUNDRY FACILITIES!

Reading Time: 4 minutes Designing for Your Hotel Laundry Facilities! Hotel laundry plays a vital role in your hotel’s guest experience. The importance of clean, smooth, and fresh linens cannot be overestimated. The biggest challenge to achieving optimal laundry quality is the sheer volume of laundry. A typical 120-room hotel can process 400,000 pounds of the laundry in a

HOTEL WATER SOFTENER BASICS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel Water Softener Basics In previous newsletters, I shared the basics of tank and tankless hot water systems. Today, I discuss one last and often overlooked component of the hotel water system – Water Softeners. What Does A Water Softener Do? A water softener is a tank system that removes the ions (i.e., usually calcium and magnesium) from
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HOTEL TANKLESS WATER HEATER SYSTEMS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Tankless Water Heater Systems In our last newsletter, I shared the basic considerations for designing hot water systems in order to avoid the colonization of Legionella bacteria. Increasingly popular is the Tankless Water Heater System. In fact, we are now including tankless systems in nearly 50% of our hotel designs. Below I explain the basics of these systems for hotel

HOTEL WATER SYSTEMS – DESIGNING FOR SAFE WATER

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hot Water Systems – Designing for Safe Water There are an estimated 8,000 to 18,000 cases a year of Legionella Disease in the United States. Legionella bacteria, the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, is commonly found in water.  If your hotel’s domestic hot water system is not properly designed and maintained, Legionella can find a way
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HOTEL BOARDROOM DESIGN REIMAGINED!

Reading Time: 4 minutes Boardroom Design Reimagined! Guest preferences continue to evolve! As designers continue to reimagine more functional guestrooms and interactive common spaces, the underutilized boardroom also has begun to change shape. The formerly stale feel of boardroom design has been rapidly progressing into a multifunctional and creative space. Indeed, your hotel could offer dynamic boardroom space useful for
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HOTEL ROOFTOP POOLS: DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Rooftop Pools: Design Considerations Because of rising land costs, rooftop swimming pools are becoming a popular space-saving design option.  Setting up an elevated pool, especially one over habitable rooms, involves many design considerations.  Here are a few: Reliable Building Structure – Water is heavy! To put this in perspective, the amount of water in a standard
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HIGH-RISE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Reading Time: 4 minutes High-Rise Design Requirements High-rise hotels have the potential to increase your guest capacity. In my last newsletter, I explained at what point a hotel becomes classified as a high-rise building. In this newsletter, I present the key design considerations for high-rise structures (i.e., above 75 feet), including egress points, emergency systems, and structural integrity. EGRESS
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IS MY HOTEL A HIGH-RISE?

Reading Time: 2 minutes High-Rise Possibilities As land costs continue to rise, hotel developers are looking for new ways to maximize density on new projects. One way to increase guest capacity is to add stories to the hotel. Zoning restrictions limit the height potential on some projects; however, others have high-rise possibilities. In this article, I discuss the implications
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DOES MY HOTEL NEED A GENERATOR?

Reading Time: 3 minutes Does My Hotel Need a Generator? Hospitality leaders must prioritize the safety and comfort of their guests!  One important consideration is your provision of an uninterrupted power supply. Guests expect hotel power will be functioning, regardless of natural disasters or other unforeseen electrical malfunctions. During unanticipated power outages, maintaining a reliable power source is vital
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3D FLY-THRUS BRING YOUR HOTEL DESIGNS TO LIFE!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes 3D Fly-Thrus Bring Your Hotel Designs to Life! A 3D fly-thru animation is a virtual video tour of your hotel design. These animations bring your project to life by showing the final product while still under design. Our clients use fly-thrus to enhance the design process. Developers also share these animations with their sales and
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WE ARE HIRING HOTEL ARCHITECTS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes We Are Hiring Hotel Architects! As one of the fastest growing and innovative AE firms in the US, Base4 is expanding our team. We are seeking cutting edge Architectural Project Managers experienced in working with clients to turn their architectural needs into reality, overseeing every detail from design to completion. Candidates must have more than five years

HOTEL ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS – HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Hotel Energy Management Systems Part 3: How Much Do They Cost? Energy is the second largest hotel expense! Only staffing costs you more than your energy expenses. As I’ve discussed in my last two newsletters on this topic, reducing energy through an EMS is a great solution to help reduce wasted energy. But here’s the bottom line: What does
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ANNOUNCING BASE4 INTERIOR DESIGN!

Reading Time: 2 minutes Announcing Base4 Interior Design! Base4 proudly introduces our Interior Design Department! Earlier this year, we launched our in-house and US-based Interior Design Department- Base4 Interiors- with a team of skilled, experienced and innovative designers. With the addition of Base4 Interiors, our firm now offers full-service AE design, in-house. The intent of the expansion is improved integration of clients’
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HOTEL EMS – CONSERVE ENERGY WITHOUT SACRIFICING GUEST COMFORT!

Reading Time: 4 minutes Hotel Energy Management Systems Part2: Conserve Energy Without Sacrificing Comfort! In my last newsletter, I discussed Energy Management Systems (EMS) as an option to reduce energy waste in your hotel. One of the most common concerns about an EMS is that they shut off while hotel guests are sleeping due to lack of motion in the guestroom. After
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HOTEL ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS – SAVING HOTELIERS ON OPERATING COSTS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel Energy Management Systems – The Basics A typical hotel room can be unoccupied nearly 70% of the time! In addition, hotel guests are much less concerned about saving energy in your hotel than at their home. Therefore, many hoteliers pay to heat, cool, light, and power TVs for a guestroom with no one in it.
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ELECTRIC MRL VS HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS: WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HOTEL?

Reading Time: 4 minutes Electric MRL vs Hydraulic Elevators: What is Right for your Hotel? In my last newsletter I answered some of the most common questions we receive regarding hotel elevators. Today I’ll discuss the two most popular types of elevators in low-rise hotels, Electric Machine Room Less (MRL) Elevators and Hydraulic Elevators. Electric MRL Elevators THE BASICS: This innovative system revolutionized the

WHY YOU NEED A GUESTROOM MASTER SWITCH!

Reading Time: 4 minutes Why You Need a Guestroom Master Switch Forty-four states require hotel guestroom master switches of some type. The code requirements behind master switches can be confusing as there are varying requirements by state. Additionally, this area of the code constantly changes to meet new energy regulations. All this leads to many questions regarding master switches–
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SELECT THE RIGHT ELEVATOR FOR YOUR NEXT HOTEL!

Reading Time: 5 minutes Select the Right Elevator for your Next Hotel! Passenger elevators play a vital role in hotel guest circulation.  In this article, I discuss some basics of elevator design and selection to ensure you make the right decision for your next hotel. We often receive questions from hotel developers about proper elevator selection. Here I address

SHOULD YOU CONSIDER ICF CONSTRUCTION FOR YOUR NEXT HOTEL?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Should You Consider ICF Construction for Your Next Hotel? Insulating Concrete Form Construction, also called ICF, has proven itself as a high-performance wall system, offering economic and environmental benefits. With rising building costs across the US, many hotel owners are exploring the use of ICF for upcoming projects. As Base4 is currently designing several ICF hotels, I

WHAT IS A HOTEL PHOTOMETRIC STUDY?

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel Photometric Studies:  Smart Lighting to Maximize Your Hotel Environment In out last newsletter, we discussed LED lighting as a popular energy saving component for hoteliers. Today I expand on how lighting design impacts the overall look and feel of a hotel. City officials often require hoteliers to show proposed exterior project lighting in order
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LED LIGHTING: COST-SAVINGS EVERY MONTH

Reading Time: 3 minutes LED Lighting:  Cost-Savings Every Month As we discussed in our last newsletter, we strive to bring energy efficient designs to our clients. We want designs that are not only environmentally friendly, but also beneficial to the bottom line of a project. A popular energy-saving component is LED lighting. Over the last few years, the inefficient
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HOTELIERS BENEFIT FROM NO-COST COOLING!

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hoteliers Benefit from No-Cost Cooling! After receiving some great questions from our last newsletter, I wanted to dive into another energy-efficient hotel design solution, one that is often overlooked. This solution involves utilizing your hotel’s dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) for no-cost cooling. A DOAS is a unit typically mounted on a hotel roof that is
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SEE YOU AT ALIS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes See You At ALIS! Base4 is excited to be attending the annual American Lodging Summit (ALIS) on January 19th, at the JW Marriott Los Angeles next week. ALIS is the largest hotel investment conference in the world and we look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry

COOL ROOFS – SAVING HOTELIERS ENERGY COSTS!

Reading Time: 3 minutes Cool Roofs – Saving Hoteliers Energy Costs! Hoteliers in warm and sunny climate zones often face the challenge of high monthly cooling expenses. After publishing a series on energy efficient hotel solutions, I received some questions about how a cool roof could be used in a hotel application. Cool roofs are a roofing that reflects sunlight

EFFICIENT HOTEL DESIGN TIPS – SAVE MONTHLY UTILITY COSTS

Reading Time: 2 minutes Efficient Hotel Design to Save on Monthly Utility Costs With construction costs on the rise, most developers are looking for ways to cut both upfront and operational costs. One way to drive down operational costs is to design a hotel as energy efficient as possible.  While we see very few developers pursuing “formal” sustainable certifications
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HOTEL BUSINESS – TOP ARCHITECT & DESIGNER

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com  

HOTEL SHADOW STUDIES BRING ADDED VALUE IN DESIGN

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel Shadow Studies Bring Added Value To Hotel Projects Hotel developers do not want to enter their first summer season and realize their hotel pool sits in the shadow 90% of the day! Architectural shadow studies early in the design process will help you avoid this, as well as other costly design mistakes. See below

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com  

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com  

EXTENDED STAY HOTELS ON THE RISE!

Reading Time: 4 minutes Extended Stay Hotels On The Rise! In last week’s post, we discussed the popular U.S. hotel brands according to pipeline quantity. The second most popular brand in the U.S. is an extended stay hotel, Home2 Suites by Hilton. With more people staying in extended stay hotels than ever before, we wanted to explore this sector of the industry. Extended

WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR HOTEL BRANDS?

Reading Time: 2 minutes What are the most popular brands and where are they being built? According to a recent Lodging Econometrics report, the world hotel construction market is growing 8% year over year. The U.S market has played a big role in this growth. Here are the top 5 cities in the U.S. with the highest hotel construction: New

HOTEL MANAGEMENT – TOP DESIGN FIRM

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com  

DEVELOPERS CONSIDER DUAL BRANDED HOTELS

Reading Time: 4 minutes Developers Considering Dual Branding for New Projects In recent years, dual-branding has become a popular trend with increased interest among both business and leisure travelers. Dual-branded hotels, also known as “Two-in-One” hotels or “Two-Pack” hotels, are simply single structure hotels housing two separate hotel flags typically under the same brand umbrella. Our team is excited
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HOTEL BLOCK & PLANK COSTS ON THE RISE

Reading Time: 3 minutes Evaluate Your Construction Options To Reduce Project Costs I received some great feedback from our readers on our recent Rising Lumber Costs newsletter. We had lots of intriguing questions and wanted to continue this dialogue by sharing some similar information about pricing trends for CMU (Block) and Hollow Core Plank construction. I’d like to start by sharing

HOTEL FRAMING PRICES ON THE RISE

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel Developers Facing Rising Lumber Prices One area we find ourselves discussing often is the rising cost of hotel construction. Our last newsletter highlighted hotel construction type trends as well as general increases in material prices across the US. Today we’ll expand on this and look specifically at how the rising cost of lumber has been increasing

WHAT CONSTRUCTION TYPE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HOTEL?

Reading Time: 2 minutes What Construction Type is Right for your Hotel?   Hardly a day goes by where we don’t find ourselves talking to hotel developers about construction types. Whether it be wood, concrete, steel, block & plank, or ICF, construction costs continue to be on the rise and evaluating all your options for construction early on will

BRING YOUR HOTEL TO LIFE!

Reading Time: 3 minutes Bring Your Hotel To Life! Base4 has an Architectural Visualizations team dedicated to bringing you a realistic image of your finished hotel – before ever breaking ground! Now faster and more affordable than ever, an early 3D Rendering of your project can save money, reduce schedules, and avoid unforeseen complications. Below are some renderings our

HOTELIERS NOW CONSIDERING SALT WATER POOLS

Reading Time: 5 minutes Hotel Developers Now Considering Salt Water Pools Love them or loathe them, pools are a brand required amenity for many popular hotel flags. For hotel owner, it’s important to understand your options when it comes to pool technology as it ultimately will affect the overall maintenance, costs, and guest experience at your property. In this
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BLAIR HILDAHL SPEAKS AT NHIF HOTEL FORUM!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Blair Hildahl Speaks At The NHIF Hotel Forum In Seattle! One of our Principals, Blair Hildahl, was honored to be a guest speaker at the National Hotel Investment Forum in Seattle, WA last week. He was joined by a distinguished panel that shared their thoughts on the changing trends in hotel design in construction. Thank

SEE YOU AT THE HILTON OWNERS CONFERENCE!

Reading Time: 2 minutes See you at the Hilton Global Owners Conference 2017! Base4 is excited to be attending next week’s Hilton Global Owners Conference 2017 in Dallas, TX. Base4 is a Hilton Preferred Partner for Architecture, Structural and MEP Engineering and we are honored to be a gold level sponsor at this year’s event. With over 40 Hilton projects currently in various stages of design,
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A NEW IHG BRAND – AVID™ HOTELS

Reading Time: 2 minutes A New IHG Brand – avid™ hotels Last week, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) named its new midscale hotel brand – avid™ hotels. Our team is excited to already be working on several avid™ projects across the country. Below you will see a couple of renderings from one of these projects that our team recently created.   The brand will
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THE RIGHT HVAC FOR REDUCED GUESTROOM NOISE

Reading Time: 4 minutes Room noise is the number one complaint from hotel guests. Guestroom HVAC systems can cause high levels of guestroom noise. So, today I present one very important⁠—yet often overlooked⁠—product difference between PTACs, VTACs, and VRF: guestroom noise. There are two primary causes of noise: 1. Sound from the Unit This is the most obvious noise
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BASE4 – AN INC. 5000 FASTEST GROWING COMPANY!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to have earned a spot on the 2017 Inc. 5000 list! For over 35 years, Inc. 5000 has welcomed the fastest-growing private companies in America into this exclusive club and we are honored to be a part of it for the second year in a row!   Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4

TAKE A PEEK INSIDE OUR FIRST TRU BY HILTON!

Reading Time: 3 minutes Take a Peek Inside our First Tru by Hilton! What a pleasure to tour the completed Tru by Hilton project in Cheyenne, Wyoming! Base4 had the opportunity to design this Tru by Hilton for Kinseth Hospitality. The property opened its doors five weeks ago and is only the 4th Tru by Hilton to open in the entire United States. Base4 has been privileged

HOW HVAC SYSTEMS WORK

Reading Time: 5 minutes Expanding on my previous article and about HVAC systems (PTAC, VTAC, and VRF), here I discuss the basics of each HVAC system including their installation and basic operations. PTAC 1. The Basics PTAC stands for packaged terminal air conditioner. These are single, commercial grade, self-contained, and combination air-conditioner/heat pump units—designed for heating and cooling of
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HOTEL HVAC SYSTEMS FOR MIDSCALE, SELECT-SERVICE HOTELS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Hotel owners estimate that hotel guestroom energy consumption accounts for approximately 40% to 80% of total building energy use. This is a very high percentage of a hotel’s operating budget, so guestroom HVAC systems should not be taken lightly. As hotel architects and engineers, the Base4 team often fields questions about what HVAC system is
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SEE YOU AT THE 2017 IHG AMERICAS CONFERENCE!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes See you at IHG Americas Conference next week! Base4 is excited to attend this year’s IHG Americas Conference at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada next week. The IHG Americas Conference brings together industry representatives such as hotel Owners, General Managers, Hotel Management, and Franchise Representatives. IHG comprises 5,070 hotels worldwide and 1,407 in its growing pipeline as well
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SHOULD YOU GO MODULAR WITH YOUR NEXT HOTEL?-PART 3

Reading Time: 5 minutes Modular Construction Part III: How Can Modular Guestrooms Speed and Simplify Your Building Process? As I discussed in previous newsletters Modular Construction & Hotel Bathroom Pods, modular is gaining new attention in the United States especially in the hotel sector. Fabricated bathroom pods are just a part of modular construction that minimizes a project punch list – fabricating entire hotel

BASE4 – TOP HOTEL DESIGN FIRM RECOGNITION 2017

Reading Time: 2 minutes Base4 – Top Hotel Design Firm Recognition 2017 Base4 is proud to be included in Hotel Management Magazine’s recently released list, Top Hotel Design Firms in the United States. We thank the publishers for this recognition! The award honors the hard work and innovation of our team expressed through the many achievements of 2017. Our team is growing

SHOULD YOU GO MODULAR WITH YOUR NEXT HOTEL?-PART 2

Reading Time: 4 minutes Modular Construction Part II: How Can Bathroom Pods Speed and Simplify Your Building Process? In the previous newsletter, I introduced the modular construction method. Last month, I attended the first East Coast Modular Stacking Event, which was dedicated to upcoming developments of Modular Construction in the US market. Please follow the link Should you go

SHOULD YOU GO MODULAR WITH YOUR NEXT HOTEL?-PART 4

Reading Time: 11 minutes SHOULD YOU GO MODULAR WITH YOUR NEXT HOTEL? PART 4 – FAQ I received some great feedback from our readers on our recent Hotel Bathroom Pods and Full Modular Guestrooms newsletters, which sparked a lot of new dialogue and questions. I thought it would be helpful to our readers to collect these questions and formulate a hotel modular construction

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OFFICE OPENING

Reading Time: 3 minutes Office Opening:  Base4 Latin America Base4 researchers look ahead to the upcoming needs of our clients. Due to the current and projected boom in hotel development throughout the Caribbean islands and Latin America, Base4 proudly announces the opening of our Santiago, Dominican Republic office. From this location, we intend to provide expert AE design and

SHOULD YOU GO MODULAR WITH YOUR NEXT HOTEL?

Reading Time: 3 minutes Should you go modular with your next hotel? As Base4 partner and representative, I was honored to join Marriott International, OTO Development, Champion Commercial Structures and Le Chase Construction for the first East Coast Modular Stacking Event at the Marriott AC in Chapel Hill, North Carolina last week. I would like to thank Marriott International

CONSTRUCT YOUR HOTEL VIRTUALLY WITH REVIT – PART 2

Reading Time: 3 minutes Save time, money, and headaches on your next hotel project – Consider Revit for your next design. In case you missed it… last week, we explored the basics of BIM and how powerful Revit can be as a design tool for your next hotel. (Link to Part 1). In today’s module, we focus on one of
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SEE YOU AT MARRIOTT CONNECT NEXT WEEK!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the Marriott Connect 2017 Conference at JW Marriott L.A. LIVE Los Angeles, CA next week. We look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us know as we’d love to schedule some time to say

CONSTRUCT YOUR HOTEL VIRTUALLY WITH REVIT

Reading Time: 3 minutes Do you want to save time and money on your next hotel project? Base4 strives to be leaders in the A/E Technology domain. We commit to being the forefront of our industry for technology to provide these benefits to our clients. In this series, we highlight one of most powerful software platforms- BIM. This newsletter is
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SEE YOU AT AAHOA!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 2017 AAHOA Annual Conference at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX next week. We look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us know as we’d love to schedule

MARRIOTT DESIGN FIRM EXCELLENCE NOMINEE

Reading Time: 2 minutes Greetings to our Base4 Partners! This past week, Marriott announced their plans to open 300,000 new hotel rooms by 2019. This translates to opening one new hotel every 14 hours for the next 3 years! We are honored to partner with them in many of their current design projects and wanted to highlight their significant

HOW TO BUILD A FIVE STORY WOOD FRAMED HOTEL-PART 3

Reading Time: 4 minutes Greetings to our Base4 Partners! Part III:  Getting five stories (and more rooms) out of your wood building hotel projects: In case you missed it… last week, we explored potential ways to increase wood buildings to five stories using Type IIIA construction. (Link to Part 2). Another option for building a 5-story wood hotel is the use of
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SEE YOU AT THE HUNTER HOTEL CONFERENCE!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 29th Annual Hunter Hotel Conference at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis next week. We look forward to spending some time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event.  If you are attending this year’s event, please let us know as we’d love to schedule some time to say
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HOW TO BUILD A FIVE STORY WOOD FRAMED HOTEL – PART 2

Reading Time: 3 minutes Greetings to our Base4 Partners! Last week, we explored code restrictions pertaining to wood structures and potential ways to increase building height and number of stories.  As discussed in Part 1 (Link to part 1), the International Building Code (IBC) classifies traditional wood framed construction as Type V and allows a maximum of four stories when
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HOW TO BUILD A FIVE STORY WOOD FRAMED HOTEL-PART 1

Reading Time: 3 minutes Greetings to our Base4 Partners! Today marks the beginning of a new three-part series about 5-story wood framed hotel construction.  We often get asked about 5-story wood framed hotel construction due to confusion regarding what is allowed by the code.  In this series, we attempt to address your concerns and questions. Before we can dive
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BRING YOUR PROJECT TO LIFE WITH ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS!

Reading Time: 3 minutes Because a picture is worth a thousand words… Base4 has an Architectural Visualizations team dedicated to bringing you a realistic image of your finished project- before ever breaking ground! Architectural Visualizations are high quality and digitally-created images and videos that convincingly depict the finished appearance of any project. The innovative technology utilized to create these

SEE YOU AT ALIS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 2017 American Lodging Summit (ALIS) at the JW Marriott Los Angeles next week. ALIS is the largest hotel investment conference in the world and we look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us

BASE4 OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA

Reading Time: < 1 minutes This past Fall- at the insistence of our clients, we made a large investment to establish operations in California, so we could offer full hotel design services in that state.  After relocating to California a few months ago, I am excited to announce that Base4 now offers architectural and engineering services in California! Furthermore, we

HOTEL BUSINESS – TOP ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS

Reading Time: 2 minutes Experts at Hotel Business Magazine ranked Base4 as one of 2016′s Top Hotel Architecture & Design Firms. We are honored to be placed in such an elite list of companies, including many of the largest firms in the industry. We want to thank the Hotel Business team for this humbling recognition. We also thank you, our fellow leaders in

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com

STRUCTURAL VALUE ENGINEERING FOR YOUR HOTEL

Reading Time: 3 minutes A NEW COMMITMENT TO VALUE ENGINEERING – WE WANT YOUR INPUT! As architects and engineers, it is very easy to believe that there is only one correct solution to a design problem. It is also easy to err on the side of a conservative design because ultimately the primary priority of licensed professionals is to produce a safe and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Thank you, Blair Hildahl Base4 Principal 608.304.5228 BlairH@base-4.com

BASE4 OPENS TBILISI OFFICE

Reading Time: 2 minutes Base4 proudly announces the opening of our newest office in Tbilisi, Georgia. This past week, Dr. Garry Vermaas (CEO) and Dr. Jodi Vermaas (Director of Leadership Development) visited Tbilisi to coordinate architectural and engineering development in this dynamic business hub of Eurasia.  Highlights of the trip include the establishment of the new office and installment

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 5B

Reading Time: 4 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 5b – Flanking Noise Sources In last week’s module, we discussed two of the most common sources of flanking noise. (Link to Part 5a) This week we focus on two additional sources and how to reduce and eliminate them in your hotel. As a brief reminder, flanking noise is simply noise that
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HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 5A

Reading Time: 4 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 5a – Flanking Noise Sources In previous modules, we discussed the following: The importance of STC ratings to the success of your hotel design (Link To Part I) The minimum STC standards required by your franchises (Link to Part II) Typical wall/ceiling assemblies and their associated STC rating (Link to Part
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2016 LODGING CONFERENCE

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 2016 Lodging Conference at The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, AZ next week. We look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us know as we’d love to schedule some time to say hello.
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HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 4

Reading Time: 3 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 4 – What Is Flanking Noise?  In the previous three modules, we discussed the following insights: The importance of STC ratings to the success of your hotel design (Link To Part I) The minimum STC standards required by your franchises (Link to Part II) Typical wall/ceiling assemblies and their associated STC
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TRU BY HILTON

Reading Time: 3 minutes Greetings to our Base4 Partners! Tru by Hilton is believed to be the fastest growing new-build hotel brand in United States history. Last week we had the opportunity to visit the Hilton Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Several partners and staff met with the Hilton A&C team who currently pioneer the Tru brand. As such, we were able to learn

INC 5000 FASTEST GROWING COMPANY!

Reading Time: 2 minutes Greetings Base4 Partners! Because of the quality of the Base4 staff and their collaborative partnerships in the community, we have been privileged to design some of the most efficient and innovative hotels and structures in the world. As a result of these efforts, Base4 is excited to have earned a spot on the 2016 Inc. 5000 list.

B4U ANNOUNCEMENT

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Class Is In Session! B4U (Base4 University) is several weeks into our first academic semester. Our 37 talented program attendees are graduates selected from some of the premier local colleges in the fields of Architecture & Engineering. The Base4 Executive Team designed this 3-month academic period to be intensive and filled with expert lectures and
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HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 3

Reading Time: 2 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 3 – Recommended Assemblies In the previous two modules, we discussed The importance of STC ratings to the success of your hotel design (Link To Part I) The minimum STC standards required by your franchises (Link to Part II) In today’s module, we will focus on the most common hotel
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TOP HOTEL DESIGN FIRM RECOGNITION

Reading Time: 2 minutes Experts at Hotel Management Magazine ranked Base4 as one of 2016’s Top Design Firms. We want to thank the Hotel Management team for this honor. We also thank you, our fellow leaders in the hotel industry, who have partnered with us to set the pace for the future of hotel design in the United States. Our trusted partners include

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 2

Reading Time: 2 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 2 – STC Ratings By Brand Greetings from your Base4 partners and welcome to our second installment of how to maintain quality sound-proofing in your hotels. In Part 1, we provided an overview of STC ratings and how you can leverage these ratings to optimize the design of your
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BASE4 FEATURED IN HOTEL BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Fresh air supply in guestrooms and corridors remains a frequently addressed subject among hotel leaders.  Owners and franchise executives feel the weight of responsibility to provide leadership in this area.  This month’s Hotel Business Magazine includes the highlights of a one-on-one interview with one of Base4’s founding partners to discuss the topic.  Below you find the article

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOTEL GUESTROOMS QUIET! – PART 1

Reading Time: 2 minutes How to keep your hotel guestrooms quiet!  Part 1 – What is an STC Rating Your hotel guests appreciate quiet accommodations.  Unfortunately for hotel owners, dealing with the myriad of potential disturbances from noisy PTACS, snoring guest neighbors, and late-night corridor parties can hinder guest experience.  In this new series on controlling noise pollution in
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CHOICE OWNER’S CONFERENCE

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 62nd Annual Choice Owner’s Conference at Mandalay Bay next week in Las Vegas. This year’s theme is “Momentum” and two of our founding partners, Dr. Garry Vermaas and Blair Hildahl, will be on site to discuss all the momentum they are seeing in the hotel industry. Base4 received
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HOW SHOULD I FRAME MY HOTEL?

Reading Time: 4 minutes As hotel designers, we often get asked about the trends we are seeing in hotel construction that can reduce project costs, save GCs time, and/or bring added value to a project. One question that is discussed at the outset of every project is how a wood framed hotel will be framed. With traditional wood framing
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SEE YOU AT AAHOA!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 2016 AAHOA Annual Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville next week. We look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us know as we’d love to schedule some time

BASE4 – 2016 HUNTER HOTEL CONFERENCE

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 28th Annual Hunter Hotel Conference at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis next week.  We look forward to spending time with many of our clients and partners in the hospitality industry at this event. If you are attending, please let us know as we’d love to schedule some time to say hello.   Looking forward to
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ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATIONS

Reading Time: 3 minutes Architectural visualizations are high quality, digitally created images and videos that realistically depict the finished appearance of a project. The technology utilized to create these products has advanced significantly in the last few years. It’s now faster and more affordable than ever to bring a new project to life prior to construction. These services offer building owners, developers, and architects the

HILTON LAUNCHES TRU BRAND

Reading Time: 3 minutes This Monday Hilton Worldwide officially launched the new Tru brand to the midscale hotel market. Hilton already has 102 Tru franchises signed with 30 more in the pipeline. Base4 is excited to be working on designs for several of these throughout the US. With the Tru flag, Hilton is targeting a cross generation of travelers who respond to a mass appeal product. The standard Tru prototype will feature a large 2,800
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SEE YOU AT MARRIOTT CONNECT THIS WEEK!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to be attending the 2015 Marriott CONNECT Conference in Orlando, FL this week. This year, the Marriott CFRST & AC Hotel Owner’s Conference and the Marriott LINK Conference are coming together as one in the new CONNECT format and we are excited to be invited to this inaugural event. We look forward to spending some time with many of our clients and partners in the

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Reading Time: < 1 minutes This time of year we find ourselves reflecting on the relationships and experiences in our personal and professional lives for which we are most thankful. Here at Base4, we have 4 core values that are at the foundation of how we do business; respect, honesty, humility, and fun. We would like to thank all of

WHY DOES MY HOTEL ROOM SMELL SO STALE (PART II)

Reading Time: 4 minutes Why does my hotel room smell so stale?  (Part 2) Previously in Part 1 of this series, I briefly described the three most common methods for introducing fresh air into a hotel guestroom; Standard PTAC with open damper (Method #1); PTAC with two-stage system (Method #2); and a Dedicated Outside Air System (Method #3). In Part 2,

BLAIR HILDAHL FEATURED IN HOTEL BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Reading Time: < 1 minutes One of our Founding Partners, Blair Hildahl, was featured in the October edition of Hotel Business discussing his thoughts on hotel guestroom outside air. Check out the full article below!

BASE4 GOES TO HONG KONG

Reading Time: 2 minutes Base4 was privileged to attend the 2015 Marriott International – Asia Pacific Design Workshop in Hong Kong last week. Two of the Base4 founding partners, Dr. Garry Vermaas and Blair Hildahl were a few of the select outside consultants that were invited to this event. Garry and Blair spent two days discussing the present Asia-Pacific hotel design environment as well as current challenges with Marriott

FOUNDERS DAY 2015

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Our Nagpur office sure knows how to throw a party! Here are some shots from last week’s Founders day party!              

WHY DOES MY HOTEL ROOM SMELL SO STALE? (PART 1)

Reading Time: 4 minutes Why does my hotel room smell so stale?  (Part 1) We’ve all experienced the comforting sensation of stepping into a hotel guestroom and being met by a rush of fresh clean air as we open the door. First impressions to hotel guests are important and fresh air gives the immediate feelings of clean, cool, and calm which

TOP HOTEL DESIGN FIRM RECOGNITION

Reading Time: 2 minutes Base4 is honored to have been ranked as one of the 2015 Top Design Firms by Hotel Management Magazine.  We would like to thank the entire Hotel Management team for this recognition. Base4 continues to complete quality designs for all franchise flags including Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, Starwood, Wyndham, La Quinta, and Choice. We provide our hospitality

IHG APPROVED PARTNER

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Base4 is excited to announce that we are now listed on the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) list of Approved Architects and Designers. IHG flags include Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Even Hotels, and InterContinental.  In order to obtain this designation, Base4 attended the IHG Design Immersion program and

SUSTAINABLE HOTEL DESIGN

Reading Time: 4 minutes The bottom line question hotel developers are asking right now regarding sustainability; “Is there an ROI on this sustainable design decision that I can recognize without sacrificing the guest experience?” With the celebration of Earth day two weeks ago, sustainability is at the forefront of design dialogue.  Recently,  I was asked by HotelNewsNow to give my thoughts

DUAL BRANDED HOTELS

Reading Time: 3 minutes One Hotel Structure – Two Brands As of January 2015, there are 79 operational dual branded hotels in the US with another 54 currently under construction. Additionally, there are another 100 approved projects scheduled to open by the end of 2018. Dual branded hotels, sometimes called “Two-Packs”, are single structure hotels housing two separate hotel