Cold storage facilities need to adhere to stringent standard temperatures. They are designed well and operate more efficiently and reduce maintenance costs. Get three ideas for design from Ware Malcomb principal Cameron Trefry to maximize value of these properties.

Owners of cold storage warehouses have a greater emphasis on employee comfort to attract new workers. This is particularly important since there is a shortage of workers.

Maximizing Efficiency

Cold storage facilities have to be situated in areas that have easy access to transport infrastructures that are able to be accessed by a wide number of customers. Also, they should be located near raw materials, packaging, and even labor.

In the process of designing your facility be aware of the kinds of goods you’ll need to store and the amount you’ll be stocking in each room. Perishables of various kinds produce inert heat which must be cooled and dispersed through ventilation or cooling systems.

Furthermore, installing automation capabilities like Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) for your warehouse will increase the efficiency of your warehouse and decrease errors in handling inside your business. Making sure you plan for these kho thuc pham dong lanh capabilities to be integrated into your building design will make sure that you are ready to make use of these technologies from the beginning. This can save time and cost in the end, while ensuring your cold storage warehouse is able to be a great service for customers.

Product Safety

Cold storage facilities are typically used to store and ship perishable items, which require special attention. Being in a such facility is a risk that needs to be taken into consideration to ensure worker safety in addition to product quality and warehouse efficiency.

The workers must wear appropriate protective equipment like warm coats, gloves as well as insulated trousers when working in cold storage spaces. Also, any facility which uses refrigeration systems that are built on ammonia has to implement appropriate fire safety measures.

Utilizing sprinkler systems and frequently conducting tests on them is one method to reduce the risk of fire. Also, adding the conditioned areas into new-construction outdoor warehouses (a box-inbox model) is another good approach to mitigate fire risk and safeguard stored items from damage. A well-designed warehouse layout can significantly reduce the number of trips required for employees to travel between various functional zones.

Key Considerations

Cold storage structures employ two types of refrigeration: vapor recompression and absorption. It is important for the design team to know the specifications of these systems and their ability to operate within a particular building.

One of the most important considerations for owner equipment is a refrigeration system which can be operated on a continuous basis without consuming a lot of energy and with an extremely small footprint. This is accomplished by integrating the refrigeration system in the architecture, and can cut down on floor and roof square space without affecting storage capacity.

A further important consideration is the fact that cold storage facilities must be constructed as an enclosure that blocks outside air. This is vital for separate facilities as well as for cold storage areas in larger structures. For these attached facilities massive anterooms, which are kept with a moderate temperature in between outdoor and storage areas can aid in preventing condensation from walls and roof assemblies.

Best Practices

Clear communication among the various third parties in the supply chain for cold storage is essential to optimize logistics. This helps to prevent product issues that could cause expensive delays.

Using equipment that is specifically created for cold temperatures is important. In particular, touchscreens on equipment should be designed to work with gloves fingers. Additionally, the buttons need to be large enough that they can feel when you wear heavy gloves. Also, it is important to regularly replace batteries, as they degrade faster in colder environments.

It is also essential for you to seal and insulate the structure properly in order to ensure an ongoing vapor barrier. This will save you a significant amount of energy and time. Furthermore, having effective lighting is vital in order to make sure that employees can perform their activities and visibility of safety signs for workers who work in frigid winter.

Cold Storage Sustainability and Technology

Cold storage warehouses need a lot of attention for maintaining an appropriate temperature. This is especially the case for the storage of vegetables and fruits, which need specific temperatures in order to maintain their high quality.

Many cold storage companies today adopt environmentally friendly design and construction methods even without knowing they are doing it. Utilizing recycled insulation as well as environmentally friendly building materials reduces carbon emissions in the production process, while providing long-term cost savings through energy efficiency.

As well as the refrigeration load that is imposed by and lighting as well as ventilation and even occupant traffic cold storage facilities need to dissipate latent heat produced through ripening fruits and other processes. The energy-efficient concrete slab construction and a building envelope that has a high R value help minimize this heat load while lowering energy expenses.