Vale - Coleman Office Complex
Additional Info
Award Winner : NRB Modular Solutions
Architectural Excellence : As the resource sector continues its growth, mining companies are pushed to find more effective expansion solutions. This two story admin building was needed to handle current staff and demands for the future. With very specific program requirements, most of the lower floor is dedicated to staff operations, mine rescue and line up logistics, while the balance of the facility provides office space, conference and training rooms. Two corridors that connect the new modular building to the existing were also built off site at NRB. Exterior finishes were chosen for their durability and their aesthetic appearance with horizontal steel cladding, and two tones of architectural block to match the existing building. Interior finishes were chosen to match the existing facilities and include brightly colored painted gypsum walls, suspended ceilings, with floors tiled with vinyl and ceramics. In high traffic areas, FRP was added to the lower part of walls, and non-slip epoxy to the floors.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : This particular mine site was fully functional and operating 24/7 when the new building was ordered. It was very important to the owner that the on-site activity and related time be minimized to keep costs and the requirements for extended site supervision down. By constructing this building all together, we were able to ensure that the modules fit with the smallest tolerances, and that all systems were installed and then tested before shipping. The daily costs to work on a mine site are substantially higher than working in the plant. This roof design provides sloped steel for the roof drains, eliminating the need for tapered insulation. We applied rigid insulation to the exterior of the wall assembly to move the dew point away from the wall and roof cavities and to prevent thermal bridging. High performance windows with Low E argon filled glazing were provided, and the HVAC system was zoned for thermal comfort and control, using roof top HVAC gas fired units with economizers.
Design Firm Name : Gruguric Architects
Occupied Date : 10/15/2010
Production Start Date : 6/22/2010
Project Location City : Levack
Project Location State Name : ON
Technical Innovation : Due heavy access and safety restrictions on the active mine site, the module layout of this building was comprised of sections of varying sizes to allow it best possible access for crane placement on the foundations, as modules were shunted to their location from the staging area nearby. Using steel and concrete post and beam construction helped achieve this high level of customization. Constructing the facility all together at the plant both vertically and horizontally also allows the pre-installation and testing of all finishes and building systems so on-site installation and commissioning time is kept to an absolute minimum.
Total Square Feet : 18600