What is involved in commercial engineering projects?

Just as each project is unique and has its own set of challenges and opportunities, the skills required to complete commercial engineering projects are very broad. As a commercial engineering firm, GROUPE is prepared to perform the following services as well as any others that are needed as part of these projects:

Planning, including land planning

Zoning assessment, rezoning, seeking special use permits and special exemptions

Conducting feasibility studies as well as environmental constraint studies

Land Surveying

Planning for water resources

Infrastructure engineering

Construction management

Document preparation including construction documents

In the Washington Metropolitan Area, residents can see the products of retail engineering every day as they go to and from work or run errands around the neighborhood. Retail engineering is a very specific part of the broader commercial engineering discipline, but like all practical applications of this science, retail engineers draw on the knowledge and skills of other engineering disciplines in the course of their work.

What is involved in retail engineering projects?

Projects that fall under this discipline can be as small as a single store or as large as a shopping center. Retail engineers may also design entire chains of stores to ensure architectural consistency across the brand. Companies try to create and maintain this consistency so that customers recognize the stores wherever they are located and have the same positive shopping experience at each of them.
Retail engineering involves many services from the beginning of a project through its completion, as maintenance is an ongoing concern for commercial properties. Some of the services that comprise this discipline include:

Land Surveying

Before a project can begin, it is necessary to get the lay of the land as accurately as possible.

Land Planning

Once surveying is complete, engineers develop a plan for the retail project that addresses the physical constraints of the land, the client’s concerns and goals for the property, and the customer’s comfort and satisfaction in the future. This step includes designing parking that is sufficient to address the future customer flow and convenient for them to reach the retail outlets easily.

Road Design

If the project is larger, this can involve roads that connect the various parts and allow for maintenance. It also addresses traffic flow from major roadways into the retail center.

Construction Engineering

Once plans and designs have been completed, an engineer may be required on-site to ensure that they are executed properly.

Zoning, Permitting, and other Document Preparation

In some cases, especially throughout the congested Washington DC and Virginia areas, it can be difficult to get a property zoned for retail use. Engineers with local experience can help with this process for their clients.

GROUPE has the experience necessary to complete your commercial engineering project in and around the greater Washington, DC and Virginia areas. Whether it is a mixed-use development, office, or strictly retail, we can help.