OnDesign
28M+
SF OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
SERVICES
40+
DEDICATED INDUSTRIAL A+E TEAM MEMBERS
SPECIALIZED
TOP INDUSTRIAL AE FIRM
BD+C GIANTS, 2024
Comprehensive Strategic Planning
Facility and Operational Assessments
Distribution Network Planning
Building Design and Engineering
Material Handling
Solutions Design
Site Search, Analysis and Selection
Sustainability Strategy and Assessment
Cold Storage and Refrigeration
E-Commerce
Automated & Mechanized Fulfillment Centers
Biotech and R&D
Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Distribution
Food & Beverage Processing & Manufacturing
Dry Distribution
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
DISTRIBUTION & MANUFACTURING
PRODUCT TYPES
FOCUS AREAS
• Refrigeration/Cold Storage
FOCUS AREAS
• Manufacturing
• Dry Distribution
• Mechanization/Automation
• E-commerce
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Site Layout
Operational Flow Safety
Automation System Coordination
Material Usage
FOOD & BEVERAGE
PRODUCT TYPES
FOCUS AREAS
• Refrigeration/Cold Storage & Distribution
FOCUS AREAS
• Food Processing & Manufacturing
• Beverage Bottling
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
PRODUCT TYPES
FOCUS AREAS
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Life Sciences
• BioSciences
• Cleanrooms & Labs
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Food Safety
Process Production Efficiency
HACCP Design
Critical Controlled Environment
Sanitation Requirements
Employee Experience
Material Ingredients/Handling
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Lab Equipment
Sterilization
ISO Classification
Material Compatibility
SAFE TO PLATE
RYAN'S RECIPE FOR FOOD SAFETY DESIGN
Among the highly complex nature of food and beverage facilities, food safety requires meticulous coordination to protect its end consumers and overall brands. Not only does sanitary design need to comply with applicable regulations, but it also must work in coordination with the client’s standard operating procedures and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs. It is also critical for our design and construction teams to understand the nuances of how the client's operations will influence key food safety risk areas.
From navigating a comprehensive sanitary design approach to constructing a safe facility that improves and streamlines the overall production process, Ryan's expert design-build team guides our clients through the many risks, processes, and opportunities specific to food and beverage manufacturing and processing facilities. Food safety is prioritized upfront and throughout all aspects of design to assist the client in avoiding causing unintentional illness to consumers or harm the brand name. Our approach focuses on three key elements: transparency, technical expertise and a clear understanding of our owner's operations.
PART 1 ESTABLISH ZONES OF CONTROL
Validate process flow and general arrangement
Define flow patterns of product, allergens, people, waste , and identify and address conflicts
Identify baseline levels of client and product specific hygienic zones and sanitation requirement
Establish GMP entries and critical control points
Analyze effects of future expansion on hygiene including the impact on zones and flow patterns
PART 2 CREATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS
PART 3 DESIGN TO FACILITATE SANITATION
FOOD & BEVERAGE NATIONAL RESOURCES:
Bob West Vice President, Food & Beverage Industrial
Lori Chandler, AIA Associate Director of Architecture, Food & Beverage
Nghia Tran Director of Project Development, Industrial Food & Beverage
PART 4 SELECT APPROPRIATE MATERIALS
• Control temperature & humidity
• Control moisture
• Control air flow & air quality
• Control pressurization between hygienic zones
• Analyze all barrier locations
• No places for harborage
• Confirm all exposed surfaces must be cleanable
• Design must be constructable to the required sanitary levels
• No ponding water
• Avoid horizontal surfaces
• Avoid materials that could potentially get into product
• Address incompatible materials
• Consider maintenance and repair
• Sanitation operation standards
• Materials should match their environment
BUILD-OUT VS BUILD-TO-SUIT
COLD STORAGE KEY CONSIDERATIONS
When considering renovating an existing building for a new cold storage facility–compared to building new– the following considerations are crucial to drive holistic project success.
1 2
Site Context
When looking for a quicker delivery than a build-to-suit facility, existing buildings may be convenient in the short term, but need to be thoughtfully reviewed for how the site can support operations and address specific needs related to jurisdiction, truck routes, rail yards, and traffic flow. Working with a design-build partner that understands the importance of getting the right site from the start is not only important for operational efficiency, but also for overall business success.
Landlord & Lease Conditions
Before making modifications, it is important to review the lease considerations and the possibility of objections within the lease language. It is important to identify the lease red flags, such as restoration clauses. Our team is experienced in negotiating terms avoiding the costs of restoring cold storage improvement to their original state.
3 4
Existing Building Conditions Early Partnership Engagement
Since base speculative industrial buildings offer customizable, yet generic features, a clear understanding of the existing building's utility infrastructure through existing drawing sets and site walk through is critical in determining if the building will have adequate infrastructure to support the higher needs for a cold storage building. Roof structure frequently needs reinforcement for additional roof top equipment, and large portions of the floor slab are removed for insulation and drains. These modifications can take significant time.
The right industry partners within the cold storage market can have a significant impact on creating a streamlined delivery. Finding the right procurement partners can drive down the cost of materials and can help identify what is available and aligned with quality and schedule needs. Having accurate knowledge of the existing building conditions can help determine the additional power needs in order to jump-start early engagement with the local utility partner. Working with the city to identify phased permitting options for turnover can support getting zones open for occupancy before final turnover.
MASTERING THE DETAILS
COLD STORAGE
Our team approaches every project with a commitment to mastering the details, earning our client's trust by guiding them through complex processes with proven expertise. Many of our clients have faced challenges around previous cold storage issues – from leaks to frost or ice to condensation – we aim to be a reliable partner to help them prevent these costly, impactful issues with design and proper installation. We understand that no two projects are the same, so we tailor our “starter” set of industry-proven cold storage details to the project’s specific needs and then put those details into the hands of our highly capable teams.
Strong details within the drawing set do not guarantee success. The magic is being able to correctly execute the details in the correct order of operations and get the feedback from the installation team back into the hands of the designers for a continuous improvement process. Through this approach, we know our details are buildable and reliable. We have partnered wtih premier trade partners in the Cold Storage industry to identify the most practical and effective solutions. By balancing proven methods with adaptability, we deliver thoughtful solutions that align with budgets, schedules and client expectations.
HOLISTIC APPROACH
For all cold storage projects, the goal is to ensure that a quality drawing document set with accurate details is translated into the field and a precise order of operations occurs during installation. In order for this to take place on our projects, all design and construction team members are thoroughly trained on the physics and thermal dynamics that inform the details. These cold storage specific details are mocked up both virtually within the digital model and live on-site to confirm accuracy, catch errors and deliver the highest quality product. This process takes the pressure off the client to navigate this complicated process, and allows our team to take on the responsibility of confirming it is executed correctly the first time.
CRITICAL CONNECTION KNOWLEDGE
Understanding the critical connection points in cold storage facilities is only half the battle in properly addressing them. Challenging areas, such as spaces where variable temperatures and differing materials meet or where adjacent temperatures/humidity needs differ, require clear details and a team that understands the complexity of installing them. This prevents costly fixes and disruptions to operating facilities. In our pursuit of accuracy in detailing, we have also invested in thermal modeling software in order to more fully understand how the details will perform.
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS
Through close collaborations with trade partners such as highperforming cold storage installation subcontractors, our continuous loop of design-build feedback is strengthened by the knowledge of our subcontractor market to deliver our clients the best-in-class solutions. These partnerships allow us to identify materials that are easy to install, high in quality, and readily available. As the cold storage expectations for quality have changed over the past few years, these strong partnerships mean we get to encourage the use of best in market materials and start to challenge the "status quo" of what has been used in the past for newer, higher quality alternatives.
BUILDING BIG
BLUEPRINT FOR MEGASITE SUCCESS
The complexities and nuances of designing and master planning large developments can range from building phasing, to utility access, to rezoning efforts and so much more. Working on multiple developments more than 100 acres, our knowledge on this scale of projects helps us empower our clients for success in every aspect of the development.
What should we build right now versus in a few years?
For a large multi-acre site, master planning helps determine how to move forward with a site for both immediate and future needs. Whether looking at creating multiple individual buildings or a single complex, a comprehensive plan provides flexibility for the site to respond to the market demands in the future – not trapping it into one specific design or layout. The master plan is a critical component to identifying the utility needs of the site. This process helps confirm pathways are worked out for future phases and not limited to the scope of the first build-out. Following a master plan often saves on overall costs and creates efficiencies in the long term relative to site layout, function and utility integration.
Who pays for the new infrastructure?
From utility infrastructure accessibility to adjacent roads, sidewalks and hardscape, many times public improvements are not initially thought about relative to new developments. During public conversations, it is critical to navigate these conversations to clearly identify an equitable breakdown of which party will carry the cost-share burden for these site improvements. Local jurisdictions often want the cost carried by the development, but considerations for site specific needs vs. broader uses is crucial. Our team understands the nuances of navigating this process and can assist the developer and owner through conversation with local jurisdictions and utility providers.
Does the property need to be rezoned?
Whether the property was originally a golf course, farmland, or another land use, navigating the rezoning and reclassification process can be a headache. To alleviate the stress of this transition, the most important aspect of land use changes relates to securing streamlined public approvals. Positioning the land around the value of its placement in the community, such as the number of jobs it will create, the increase in public utility resources, or the addition of new streets, can help if placed at the forefront of public engagement, especially those directly adjacent to the existing site. Additionally, offering amenity integration into the new development can provide significant value in getting stronger community buy-in, such as including publicly accessible site amenities or integrating adjacent trail access.
CONFIDENTIAL FOOD BANK
COMPLETION DATE: 2026
Our team compared onsite solar solutions to purchasing offsite renewable energy credits (RECs) on this cold storage facility expansion to help the owner make an informed decision on what aligns best with the city and state’s performance requirements to help them avoid future fines. Building performance standards are becoming more common as jurisdictions push for energy efficiency and decarbonization, and design interventions can help owners 'get ahead' on hitting their 2030 targets to evaluate what solutions optimize performance.
COMPLETION DATE: OCTOBER 2026
This new 100,000-SF facility is designed to serve more than a quarter million people each month to residents of Southwest Florida. The facility design allows for operational growth, is designed for future expansion and will act as a Florida disaster relief facility. Programmatically, the facility includes a neighborhood pantry; volunteer food packing area; food storage warehouse, freezer, and cold storage facility; donations acceptance room; small food distribution area for smaller food banks in need; conference space; and office space.
ALTORFER CAT CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA
COMPLETION DATE: JANUARY 2024
Consolidating their four campuses into a new corporate headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Altofer partnered with our team to create a new 138,000-SF facility that includes a maintenance shop, warehouse and sales offices. The building’s design provides flexibility for teams and ensures heavy equipment could move from either end of the building without stressing the structure or damaging the concrete floor. The design incorporated room for future expansions of the facility’s shop, office building, outdoor storage area, parking stalls and landscaping areas.
BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTION CENTER
WATSONVILLE, CA
COMPLETION DATE: JULY 2024
COMPLETION: MONTH YYYY 50-60 Words
This 155,847-SF distribution facility spans 11.5 acres and includes an outdoor patio, parking, landscaping, and stormwater detention. Key features are a 15,750-SF refrigerated keg box, a 4,500-SF truck maintenance bay and a 15,775-SF two-story office. The tilt-up concrete exterior incorporates metal panels at the northeast office corner, maintaining design consistency with the brand's other centers. Sustainability elements include EV chargers, two electric yard tractors, and on-site PV, aligning with Reyes' custom approach.
