The regional climate is always a deciding factor when developing commercial real estate projects. Unfortunately, shortages of fresh water are becoming more common as drought-prone regions expand and impact further areas in recent years.
How can commercial real estate adapt to the ongoing challenges of a drought? And what can commercial property owners do to prepare? We’ll be exploring the answers in greater detail ahead.
How a Drought Impacts Commercial Properties
With higher frequencies of droughts, including temperature intensity and dry spells of longer duration, comes an increase in threats affecting the structural integrity of properties.
Lack of water moisture found in the ground causes soil to shrink and shift around building structures. Over time, the foundation of a commercial property may eventually crack with chronic low moisture. Shrinking soil reduces the friction foundations often rely upon for added stability. And some properties may be located in areas prone to wildfires.
Droughts may also affect the following commercial property components:
- Piping
- Floors (cause sloping)
- Windows warping
- Doorway openings
- Retaining walls
- Adjoining sidewalks
Thankfully, there are ways commercial property owners can protect their investments.
Protecting Commercial Properties from Severe Drought
While the impact of severe drought conditions is detrimental in many ways, there are methods to buffer the impact of dry spells experienced in Arizona each year.
Irrigation – Proper irrigation around the perimeter of a commercial building helps retain the necessary moisture for the foundational integrity. It is also important to have the foundation regularly inspected to identify early or worsening signs of damage.
Saving water usage in other areas to provide your foundation with enough moisture to support its integrity is worth the effort.
A fire-resistant exterior – Ensure all exterior areas of your building are as fire-resistant as possible. Remove dead leaves and plants regularly as well as keep vegetation at a distance from the walls of the building. There are non-flammable materials available that you can use to protect exterior windows, furnishings, and other items.
Wildfire precautions – Adding smoke detectors, automatic fire sprinklers, and fire alarms are important additions to commercial properties. Placing other risk-reducing additions – Consider upgrading building systems to reinforce its strength and durability. This may decrease the cost of repair significantly.
Update training and emergency procedures – Keeping everyone informed on updated efforts to safeguard the property helps improve the chances of preventative maintenance. All tenants can work together to ensure the best response possible when anticipating severe drought conditions.
When dealing with extreme weather conditions of any kind, preparation is always key. Severe drought may pose specific challenges, but there are ways to overcome them. Taking proper preventative initiatives may greatly reduce the financial devastation of fire-prone droughts. Surviving the season of dry, brittle heat is a matter of intentional preparation and maintenance throughout the drought period.
Plaza Companies is the Premier Choice of Commercial Real Estate
Plaza Companies is a full-service real estate firm specializing in leasing, management, construction, and development of some of the most innovative commercial real estate projects in Arizona.
Plaza Companies is successfully competitive in the commercial real estate space while remaining compliant with all accessibility needs as a top priority along with all other legal obligations. Our firm specializes in staying connected and conscientious of all emerging trends and laws.
Contact us today to learn more about leasing the right space or anything else we offer!