Traditional builders, in a sense, have a series of experts that handle each step of the building process. However, these builders and their network of specialists inevitably create problems in the “gaps” between each step – with each phase being handed off to the next contractor, there is always a loss of knowledge and momentum as the project gets handed off again and again, through the chain of well-intentioned but disjointed experts.
At GIS, we employ experts, but our systems are uniquely efficient. Our process works to ensure that there is a constant stream of communication from start to finish, with our network working in conjunction with one another to ensure that the project benefits fully from the knowledge and expertise of each specialist, and the process goes smoothly.
What you will notice includes:
Preparation
Our testing, surveying, and due diligence is far more thorough than what typically occurs on a jobsite. This is because we know that if we spend a dollar in preparation, it saves us $10 dollars in planning, and $1,000 in construction.
Process:
Instead of disconnected experts handing the baton off to the next expert and moving on to their next project, we bring them together to create a comprehensive plan that works in harmony with your overall goals.
Efficiency
We are known for our efficiency – taking it upon ourselves to ensure that every dollar spent is maximized to the hilt. This belief and approach extends from the first day to the ongoing operation of the building – with ultra-efficient living as our goal.
Result
GIS buildings are stronger, built better, with maximum outcomes for your investment. They require less upkeep and are more efficient to operate. They are sleek in their appearance and use of resources, bud ruggedly built, able to ensure and withstand the elements.
Want To Discuss Your Ideas For A New Multi-Family Residence?
Call GIS and tell us about your ideas for a new multi-family building. Then, we can schedule a time for a complimentary visit, when we can pinpoint ways that we can improve your building concept and plans.
Choose GIS For Both Green And Sustainable Building Options
Many of our clients are interested in building homes that are eco-friendly. There are two different yet similar schools of thought in approaching a construction project: Green building and Sustainable building.
Green building refers to the making building choices in design, materials, appliances, and lifestyle that focus on a more efficient use of resources, while minimizing any harmful impact on the environment when compared to other options.
Sustainable building refers to those choices we make that solve specific challenges without having adverse implications in the future. This includes the long-term effect of choosing specific building materials, recycling, and more.
We can make Green buildings choices and selections to create structures that effectively reduce the overall impact on the natural environment. The choices we make in materials and energy use can impact your health, and the health of animals, plants, and the local ecosystem. As we plan your home, multi-family, or commercial building, we can focus on efficiently using energy, water, and other resources while protecting everyone’s health and reducing waste, pollution and any negative impact on the local environment.
We can employ Green Building Strategies for your home or commercial building by focusing on ways to create efficient, energy-saving homes that are eco-friendly.
Green building practices are primarily focused on developing sustainable sites, increasing water and energy efficiency, reducing waste and emissions, using eco-friendly building materials, and improving indoor environmental quality more efficiently than conventional designs.
GIS Can Provide Energy Sources That Are Eco-Friendly Such As:
- Geothermal Energy
- Wind Energy
- Solar Energy (Though we must plan carefully when we use solar in Washington, since it rains so often here)
- Renewable Energy
- Others
GIS Can Provide Water Systems That Are Eco-Friendly Such As:
- Net-Zero Water
- Efficient Water Use Appliances and Household Items
- Rainwater Harvesting and Storage
- Stormwater Management
- Wastewater Treatment
Green Interiors Can Provide Expert Planning For Green Living, Like:
- Flooring and Finishes
- Daylighting/Lighting
- Space Use Efficiency
- Eco-Friendly Material Selection
- Indoor Landscaping
Call GIS at 206.203.3514 and let’s schedule a time to talk about how Green and Sustainable building choices can help you improve your building project, your life, and can have a positive impact on your immediate and future budget.
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New Construction Strategies For Sustainable Building
At GIS we focus on sustainable building practices for multiple reasons. There are methods to reduce the building site waste, the demand for energy, and ways to improve efficiency at our building sites.
Sustainable Practices Help Your Budget
What most people don’t realize is that our specialization in these areas can cut costs and help stretch your budget.
Here are some ways the GIS team works with you to make sustainable building strategies work for you:
- Sustainable Material Selection
Sustainable buildings are made of materials that are composed of recycled products and from local sources. The materials can be range from floors, to wood materials, paint choices, and water-saving appliances like dual-flush toilets and low-flow faucets and other features.
The material selection can dramatically improve the sustainability of the building’s construction by decreasing onsite fabrication and decreasing the amount of materials dumped in a landfill.
- Prefabricated Materials in Controlled Environments
At GIS we can plan carefully and cut materials precisely in order to decrease waste. We can cut sheet metal for ductwork in a controlled environment instead of outside to avoid the shape-changing problems caused by weather, and ensure that the materials meet the exact specifications of the planned structure. When we work on heating or cooling systems, we focus on making the ductwork in an area where it is not exposed to the elements to avoid damage. Our ability to plan and orchestrate the building process saves time and improves quality because the planning and assembly of formwork can be done in a place where the elements don’t have a chance to harm the materials or the process.
- GIS Specializes In Construction Waste Management
Anytime we haul excess materials and waste to a recycling facility or a landfill, our costs for the build increase. We have to pay for the vehicle, gas, driver, and the cost of the delivery of the material. When we reduce waste at the build site, we reduce the cost of your building project.
In the past, builders would just plunge ahead and haul off tons of excess materials to dumpsites. The waste and the excess cost is simply intolerable by today’s standards.
We have found that through haulers, we can decrease the use of landfills by approximately 75%. That means that we can reduce the costs that are typically spent on getting rid of materials that you don’t need – and that allows you to keep that money in your pocket, or use it elsewhere in your building project.
Want To See How This Can Help You?
If you would like to know how GIS would manage your build in order to stretch your budget and improve your outcome, then call us at 206.203.3514. We can talk about waste management, material selection, and prefabricated materials and how these methods can improve the outcome of your next building project.
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The Dangers Lurking In Building Materials
In years past buildings were made of materials like lead based paint, materials with mercury, and asbestos that could be extremely harmful to the occupants’ health. Once the deadly effects of these materials were discovered, people wondered why they were ever used in the first place. Today, billions of dollars are still being paid out in settlements over the use of some of these dangerous materials.
Other projects had such a negative impact on the local environment that they caused great harm to the wildlife and fauna. The areas that once made people stop and take in the beauty around them so changed their surroundings that they are unrecognizable.
The Methods We Use Are Intended To Help Your Budget, Your Lifestyle, and Your Long-Term Health
There are still materials commonly used on worksites today that will likely be frowned upon in the future.
Some of these materials include:
- Lead: We are still learning about the negative effects of lead on our health. However, what we already know is that even low rates of lead exposure can be a factor in forming deadly cancers, in brain function, can have a profound impact on childhood development and even reproduction.
- PVC: This stands for polyvinyl chloride, and the material is thought to release phthalates when it is used, and it releases dioxin when burned. Dioxin is one of the most toxic substances known to exist. PVC contains carcinogens, and can also be damaging during childhood development and reproductive systems.
- Mercury: An ancient Chinese Emperor once took mercury because he believed it would help him become immortal. Once believed to be almost an elixir, mercury is highly toxic and even fatal in higher doses. Mercury is found in some electronics and thermostats, but it is most common in lighting. The list of adverse effects of mercury poisoning include inability to think clearly (sometimes called “foggy brain”), muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, difficulty sleeping, and more.
These materials are toxic, and could have negative long-term impact on the health of each resident, and the local environment.
If you would like to discuss how you can choose materials that do not contain known toxins, call GIS. We focus on Green, sustainable building practices that have long-term benefits for your health.
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You CAN Build On Slopes And Inclines, With GIS’ Expert Technology
In Years Past, Builders Have Kept To Low, Flat Spaces For Building Projects
In the past, builders lacked the knowledge and technological tools that would make it possible to construct homes and buildings on slopes. They were afraid that over time, the building would shift, slide, and move downhill.
GIS International Makes It Possible To Build On Those Slopes – And Have Some Of The Best Views Of The Seattle Area
Many of Seattle’s best views and idyllic locations are still available. Our expertise in building on slopes makes it possible for our clients to take in breathtaking views every morning with a cup of coffee. The GIS methods make it possible for us to lock your home into the bedrock far below your home – making your building pinned tightly to the mountain or hillside.
Our Pre-Construction Preparation Makes Our Building Process Truly Unique
Few builders take the steps we do in preparing a build site. We test the soil – and we test it to a degree that others simply do not. We have site engineers examine the location and the plans. Then and only then do we determine exactly what kind of foundation to employ – whether to use pilings, piers, or shoring materials – or a combination of them – in order to make your building safe, secure, and strong.
Nobody On The Washington Coast Builds Like GIS
Look anywhere across the Seattle and Bellevue area and you won’t find a builder with the combination of expertise, experience, and methodology that can compare with GIS. Our buildings are safer, stronger, more efficient, and are built with greater efficiency than anything else you will find in the state.
If you would like to learn more about how GIS can help you build where you want – with some of the best views on earth, then call us at 206.203.3514.