Gridd® Access Floor Allows You to Install Once and Reconfigure Endlessly

A common challenge for property owners and facility managers has been the rise in construction costs (material and labor) over the last four years. According to a recent Construction Dive report, 82.5% of construction materials experienced a significant cost increase since 2020. That upward trend will continue as the cost of labor and materials in the US will increase by another 3-6% in 2024. Putting that into perspective, a project that would have cost $10 million in 2023 will now cost between $10.3 million and $10.6 million in 2024.

One strategy to offset these increasing costs is utilizing materials and building products that can be easily upgraded, modified, or reconfigured to meet a tenant’s changing business needs. The two most common examples include demountable partitions and access flooring systems. Demountable wall systems allow a property owner or tenant to add or remove walls as they require a change in square footage, offices, and conference rooms. Access flooring systems provide future flexibility and adaptability by creating a small air space above the existing concrete slab. This space is ideal for data and power cabling, as they are readily accessible for service and maintenance needs. As a result, tenant and technology changes or upgrades can take days instead of weeks to complete. 

Why is Flexible Cabling Infrastructure Important?

A flexible cabling infrastructure is necessary to leverage the full potential of the in-person workspace. Technology is constantly growing and evolving, but the latest technologies, such as the IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), AR (Augmented Reality), ML (Machine Learning), and BMS (Building Management Systems), require massive amounts of data. As a result, more cabling will be needed to handle the increased bandwidth requirements moving forward.

Unfortunately, most existing data and power cabling in the built environment resides within the walls or above the ceiling. Because of these traditional building practices, most cabling upgrades are messy, time-consuming, and expensive, hence access flooring systems’ growing popularity. Instead of opening the walls and ceiling assemblies for data and power cabling upgrades, with a Gridd® Adaptive Cabling Distribution® system, removing a few carpet tiles provides immediate access for adding or removing connection points and services as needed throughout the tenant space. Unlike plastic-based systems, Gridd utilizes 100% US steel for improved strength, durability, and reuse. 

What Building Systems Can Benefit from Flexible Cabling?

The benefits of flexible cabling infrastructure, like Gridd, can extend well beyond the IT department or conference room setup team. When the entire building data cabling system is connected and flexible, systems all across the facility will see a benefit. Some examples include:

• Enterprise networks that connect all multi-campus users and systems via data centers or the cloud.
• Monitoring systems that require connectivity to keep people and assets secure.
• Building management systems that monitor occupancy levels and adjust power or thermostats to maximize energy savings.
• Access systems such as self-navigation, card keys, and facial recognition systems.

To help your facility achieve this type of global connectivity, FreeAxez also offers the following solutions:

• Gridd® Power creates 50 amp, 3-phase power connectivity throughout the tenant space via fixed wire or modular branch circuits.  
• Gridd® Mobile allows contractors and technicians to view a virtual map of the cabling infrastructure on their smartphones and tablets to locate existing cabling and connection points beneath the floor.

The Gridd access flooring systems create a truly flexible and adaptable data and power cabling distribution network. As the tenant’s needs change, Gridd can be easily and endlessly reconfigured to address those needs while simultaneously lowering future construction costs. As a result, property and business owners who utilize access flooring systems can expect future data and power upgrades to be quicker, cleaner, and cost less than traditional cabling solutions.