Xtratherm Production and Distribution Facility
20,000 sq. m western europe production & distribution centre
Xtratherm is a multinational company manufacturing and distributing insulation products for the construction industry. Their headquarters is located in Navan in Ireland and they have operations in the UK and Germany. To expand their business and improve service to their European customers, Xtratherm is intending to develop a new European production and distribution facility in Belgium to service the Belgian, French and western European markets.
The proposed development comprises a production facility for PIR (polyisocyanurate) insulation products, a warehouse facility for storage and distribution, with support facilities comprising staff welfare and amenities, offices, quality laboratory and process waste management.
The primary function of the building is the manufacture, storage and distribution of insulation products for the construction industry.
Deliveries and goods inward are located on the southwestern side of the building feeding into the production area. The dust extraction area is located on this side also to avoid contamination of finished product.
The production zone is a single double height space where the product is made in a linear process. Finished product is then brought to the adjoining storage areas for distribution. Shipping is via the loading area on the northeast of the building.
The remaining areas of the building provide support accommodation- offices, meeting rooms, canteen, staff areas, QC laboratory- to the production functions.
A number of ancillary buildings are located on the site, namely the security guardhouse, the electrical and gas substation on the front boundary, and the sprinkler pumphouse and tank to the rear of the site. The building has been designed to be capable of expansion by the equivalent production and warehouse area again on the site.
Architecturally, the production and warehouse elements is enclosed in a large box with limited glazed openings. To reduce the mass of the block, a dark band runs around the base of the building with a lighter band on top relating to the sky. The building is approximately 14m high and measures approximately 145m x 125m. Accent colour is used to define important elements (for example, entrances, loading areas, delivery bays and to break up the monotony of the box. The production area features a 40m clear span column-free space while the warehousing area is designed around a 28m x 12m structural grid.
The main entrance is located in a secondary block which wraps around the corner at opposite the site entrance. This block is typically 2 storey and contains the support areas required (staff changing, canteen, offices, laboratory) to support the production area. This block is heavily glazed and uses a lighter external cladding to differentiate it from the main volume. A mechanical plantroom is located on the roof of this block aligned with the corner of the main building block.
Materials storage areas and technical plantrooms are located on the side of the main block accessed from the delivery access road. A projecting canopy is located to the side of the building to provided a covered area for material deliveries. The building has been designed to allow for a future extension (Phase 2) of the equivalent warehousing and production areas.
Externally the building will be clad in polyester powder-coated profiled aluminium cladding (colours to be confirmed) with pressed metal copings and flashings. The entrance block will be clad in a flat cladding panel to enrich the visual appearance with aluminium-framed windows and curtain walling.
The existing site has been levelled recently and has no tangible landscape treatment. There are mature trees at the rear boundary of the site fronting onto the E19 motorway which provide a visual and acoustic buffer to the subject site. These trees are to be retained on the site.
The boundary along Avenue Zenobe Gramme shall be planted extensively with native species of trees to provide a buffer to the truck parking area located along this boundary. Trees shall also be planted at the front of the building to designate the entrance and to provide screening between truck and car parking areas.
The boundaries shall be lined with a 2m high mesh green fence with native tree species planted along the boundary at determined intervals with low ground cover between. It is the intention of Xtratherm to provide low ground cover wherever possible to reduce maintenance requirements and to encourage biodiversity on the site. Hedges are provided along the borders behind fences to provide more privacy for service areas to the rear of the site.
In relation to excavated soil to be removed to facilitate the development, it is intended that this would be retained on site and used to form landscaped berms on the site. These berms are 3-4m in height to accommodate the soil displaced by the development. In the event that the the facility is extended in the future, these berms would be removed to facilitate the extension and any additional roads and parking areas required.
Location
- Feluy, Belgium
Area
- 20,000 sq. m
Completion
- 2015
Cost
- €30m