Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009 - (Page 18)

SLDT FINANCE BUILDING DESIGN Advancing the Cause Biotech company combines innovations with sustainable concepts in new headquarters. By Michael Reed and Paul Todd Merrill, PE, LEED AP s biotech companies around the world seek to stand out on the expanding landscape of their industry, they also look to industry leaders for ground-breaking developments in and out of the lab. The challenges, solutions and innovations addressed by these corporations help to shape the future of a variety of industries. St. Louis-based Solae undertook the task of developing a new corporate headquarters in 2007. During the process, the multi-national food ingredient company considered three elements key – functionality of the facility to best serve its employees; a facility that meets the bottom line; and a plan that incorporates the same core values the company exemplifies. The project was an integrated and collaborative effort and a complex project from programming through construction. The company incorporated an elegant architectural design that is not only appealing to the eye but also sustainable, built within schedule and budget, and highly functional. The global headquarters is a 170,000square-foot building that embodies the company’s position as an innovator in food science and nutrition. Solae sought to create an open environment which would foster collaborative innovation and creativity and is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for the building with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). A Saving More than Nickels and Dimes The financial benefits derived from increased efficiencies, productivity and sales of an up-to-date headquarters far outweigh any initial cost premiums. With 18 February 2009 Sustainable Land Development Today recent advancements in available materials, increased HVAC efficiencies and increased productivity due to functional workspaces, owners are finding new buildings can produce a return on investment that is more difficult to achieve by updating or renovating an existing facility. Intense planning from conception to completion is necessary to ensure the project stays within budget and still remains true to the owner’s project goals. Only through teamwork between the ownership team, engineers, architects and contractors can a proper evaluation of materials and methods be accurately utilized for the best value to the client. This is especially true in sustainable projects where materials may require increased upfront costs. In this case, builders must carefully consider increased costs on a long-term basis and present increased efficiencies, attractive return on investment and alternatives to guarantee construction costs maximize the benefit to the client. In developing its headquarters into a mixed-use facility, the company chose to utilize the design-build delivery method with Clayco, Inc., a St. Louis-based developer/contractor as the project lead based on an established reputation for quality and innovation. Solae has become a world leader in the research and development of soy-based technologies for the food, meat and nutritional products industries. Originally, more than 400 employees were housed at various locations in St. Louis, and Hazelwood, Missouri and financially the company realized they would benefit from lower, long-term operating costs by consolidating all the employees and operations together in one space. Efficiencies would increase because of the close proximity of the research and administrative departments and operating costs would be reduced by building a smaller, more efficiently utilized and designed facility. The Clayco team’s open-campus design provides unique resources for each function through individualized wings. The three-story east building contains administrative offices, a conferencing center, training room, and fitness center with locker room and shower area. Connected by a series of atriums, the four-story west building includes a main entrance lobby, a full-service kitchen and cafeteria, laboratories and data center. Some of the special requirements of the company’s research and development departments necessitated innovative ideas in design and construction. The building includes labs where scientists can make beverages, experiment with meats, create protein bars and chocolates, and break down molecules to determine why substances taste the way they do. Due to the requirements of Solae’s unique analytical and processing laboratories, the transition from the existing lab space and the mini-production spaces to the new facility required considerable planning. Strategic work sessions with user groups ensured that designers were attuned to employees’ needs and functional processes and there would be minimal operational disruption while efficiency and cost effectiveness would be maximized. Due to the complexity of the move, the design-builder continually revised plans throughout development and construction. In addition, the facility features a pilot plant—a miniature version of a soy-products plant—where scientists can devise recipes and test samples. The space allows potential and current clients of Solae to tour and witness first hand all aspects of research and development but on a

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009

Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009 Contents Our Voice Modern Flood Disasters Origin of the Sustainability Movement SLDI in Focus Calendar Build Smart Product Innovation Takeoff and Cost Management Industry News Products & Services Advertiser Index Editorial Board SLDT Resources Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2009

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