At The Krahn Group of Companies (KGC), we know the value of having the assets you need when it matters most. Our specialized cold storage team at KL Tech offers you access to a consolidated team of multi-disciplinary engineering services, all of which combine to give you comprehensive, full-scale support throughout the entire development process. From project management through to civil, structural, and mechanical engineering as well as interior design and landscape architecture, KGC makes it easy to cover every detail seamlessly saving you time, money and avoiding costly mistakes.
As a leading team that specializes in unique projects like cold-storage design and construction, we’re here to make sure you have everything you need for a smooth development process. Below, we’ll cover a few of the most important considerations to have in mind when building a cold storage facility. Read on to learn more!
Select Your Location With Care
Cold storage units are highly specified facilities that need to be able to safely and efficiently maintain their intended temperature indefinitely. Choosing the right location is an essential part of preventing unnecessary problems and guaranteeing optimal performance. To find the right fit, your architects and engineers will want to take in multiple site factors like the external climate, intended use and allocation of the rest of the facility, and power grid variables (i.e.. what are your risk for brownouts, etc.), and more.
Ensuring and Maintaining Accurate Temperatures
The obvious intent of a cold storage facility is to keep your product chilled at the appropriate temperature. Whether you’re storing vaccines that have yet to be shipped, produce, biohazardous materials or other sensitive materials, it’s vital that you always know your space is able to maintain the perfect temperature for the needs of your supply. While extremely mild fluctuations may be acceptable, inconsistency simply isn’t viable when it comes to cold storage and your facility must be able to perform as needed. This means that your design and build teams will need to consider key factors like
- Addressing humidity and airflow concerns
- Insulating and protecting your building envelope (what separates the inside from outside factors)
- The unique needs of your products, as well as the volume of the unit itself, etc.
Accounting for Space and Rooms Needed
Each cold storage facility is unique depending on the variables of the building itself as well as your intended use with products. While certain applications like a restaurant or small retail location may only require a singular walk-in room, other instances will dictate the need for multiple dedicated rooms in order to safely store their products. In each case, your engineering and design team leads need to be able to account for the exact space needed for your products, as well as the unique requirements of managing multiple rooms in the same facility, especially where varying temperatures may be involved.
Circumventing Risk and Promoting Longevity
Wear and tear and risk are an inevitability with any facility, but where cold storage is concerned it is particularly essential to safeguard against certain failures that may be considered less dire for other builds. From day one, your architecture, civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural team leads need to ensure that the final product is not only able to perform in the immediate future but is designed to be as sustainable as possible in the long term. Failure to do so comes at a high cost for your building, as well as your reputation and the safety of your inventory.
Build with the Krahn Group of Companies
At the Krahn Group of Companies, we believe in making it as easy and straightforward as possible to develop your project. From cold storage to major infrastructure, multi-home commercial real estate and everything in between, our integrative “all-in-one” approach to engineering has you covered for the entire development process. Discover the benefits of trusting a team with over 35 years of experience by contacting us today.
Looking to join a team built to excel? The Krahn Group of Companies is hiring across all locations and disciplines. Learn more here!
