Industrial construction deals with factories, power plants, warehouses, and other highly specialized facilities.
It also includes the design, installation, and maintenance of mechanical and structural components of these facilities. The term "industrial" refers to any business that manufactures goods. Many industrial buildings have special conveyance requirements such as 24/7 shipping and receiving, accessible nearby air or railroad transportation, or access to major highways. The building design for an industrial facility will revolve around floor plans that promote smooth foot traffic and focus on coordinating manufacturing and distribution. Industrial buildings are built for functionality, not style because they need to support heavy equipment that must be made to meet industry-specific regulations. Most industrial projects go through permitting and occupancy requirements to satisfy local entities. Commercial projects do the same, but larger industrial projects must meet permitting requirements that comply with local, state, and federal building codes.
Warehouse or Distribution
The first type of building that is considered an industrial construction building is that of a warehouse or a distribution center. These types of buildings are used for the storage and distribution of goods– they are related to the manufacture of goods in that they are part of the supply chain and get the products out there, but they are not directly involved in the manufacture of said products. The goods are not actually being assembled there, nor are the raw materials being processed there.
Manufacturing
The second kind of building that is commonly seen in industrial construction is a manufacturing building. Unlike warehouses or distribution centers, the goods that the company is selling are actually being assembled here. These buildings house the equipment to create the goods– the equipment is usually very heavy and very expensive! Some of the industries that use these sorts of buildings are the mining, oil, and shipbuilding businesses.
