Cladding Materials in Non-Residential Construction: Consideration Criteria for Stakeholder in the Province of Quebec
Abstract
Designing the facade of a building is a complex task due to the multiple criteria to consider and the number of stakeholders involved. This paper highlights the influence criteria, the requirement and the issues relative to the selection of cladding material for non-residential buildings. Architects, contractors, subcontractors and clients provide a systemic view of the situation, based on an analysis of the findings from a mixed-research method combining online survey and semi-structured interviews. The results show that the decision for the cladding material is mainly influenced by building type, client type, project context, personal experience, product reputation and project delivery methods. The most important requirement for architects, in terms of cladding materials are, in order, performance, appearance, and good warranties. Contractors and subcontractors look especially for compliance with the delivery schedule, with an optimal deadline of less than three weeks. Regarding installation, subcontractors seek speed of installation, system simplicity, easy coordination with envelope workers and on-site product modulation. Finally, the main issues with cladding are maintenance, newness of cladding systems, lack of construction detail, and tendering process. A better understanding of the cladding selection process provides valuable insight to the manufacturer in order to provide the right information to satisfy stakeholder’s need.
