R&D Engineering and Support Facility
Additional Info
Award Winner : McDonald Modular Solutions, Inc.
Architectural Excellence : A large international automotive and industrial technology supplier required a high-end temporary building to group R&D efforts on-site, without sacrificing any appearance or functionality of the scarcely four-year-old existing campus. Thirty factory-built modules comprise the 25,000 square foot, one-story building, including several private offices and dynamic meeting spaces on the perimeter. The core of the building boasts a variety of individual work spaces and a spacious kitchen and lounge, as well as ADA approved restrooms. Concealed rooftop HVAC units maintain a clean exterior appearance and eliminate the sound disturbance of typical ground units. Though this custom building is able to be relocated in 3-5 years and the site completely restored, it mirrors all interior and exterior design elements, rather than merely complimenting them. From door handles to corrugated aluminum cladding to indigenous plant life, employees experience a seamless transition to and from the R&D annex.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : A-frame support walls previously used to ship our Flex Plex units were repurposed as storage-ready, shipping support walls ready for re-use if plans for building removal stay on course. Additionally, a nationally certified fire sprinkler company executed a full sprinkler installation, testing, and inspection in the modular building before it even left the factory. This allowed for immediate wiring and inspection of the sprinkler system upon building installation, reducing time and costs. A less obvious cost savings of eliminating the rent of an off-site, stick built building. The reduction in mileage fees or paid commute time associated with the 200 engineers that were forced to commute between separate campuses each day. By providing space and resources for the displaced employees on the larger R&D campus, productivity can see an increase, as downtime and carbon footprints decreased.
Occupied Date : 4/23/2012
Production Start Date : 1/9/2012
Project Location City : Plymouth
Project Location State Name : MI
Technical Innovation : The proposed site for the building presented the unique challenge of an eight foot grade change to tackle within an overall project time frame of four months. To accommodate for the steep grade change, custom cement pillars were installed beneath at the installation site to compensate for disparities, all while the building’s modules were being built off-site. The entire structure is engineered with motion sensing lighting grids of high efficiency T8 bulbs and programmable thermostats to minimize energy usage. Each module is equipped with a large, tinted, double-insulated window to minimize sun glare while taking advantage of ambient sunlight. As a Research & Development facility, it was also necessary to incorporate added security features during installation of the annex. Along side Panic Bars, an electronic key card system was installed to ensure that only designated personnel are permitted through each entrance.
Total Square Feet : 25000
Category : Relocatable: Office: over 5,000 sq. ft.