The Starting Point — Structural and Logistical Challenges
The construction of a cold storage facility designed to lease refrigerated space to food distribution operators required a thermal envelope capable of simultaneously maintaining distinct temperature regimes in adjacent cells: two independent negative cold rooms at −25°C, a positive cold room at +4°C, and a blast freezer room — all within a new building of roughly 5,000 m² with a 9.20 m clear height throughout.
Technical Development and Materials
The solution deployed polyisocyanurate (PIR) sandwich panels: LA200 (200 mm) for the walls and ceilings of the negative zones, and LA120 (120 mm) for the positive cold room and airlock, both classified Bs1 d0 for fire reaction. At floor level, 2×80 mm Styrofoam XPS insulation cast beneath a floating slab closes the thermal envelope and supports high-density racking up to the full 9.20 m height.
Sustainability and Operational Efficiency
Achieving thermal separation between zones with contrasts of up to 45°C — from the blast freezer through to the outside — demanded precise execution at every cell junction, particularly at the 3,500×2,400 mm sliding doors serving the loading dock and the 8 pressure equalisation valves, each sized to its zone’s specific requirements.
Results and Execution Timelines
The envelope incorporates 13 isothermal doors (sliding and hinged) plus a fire-rated EI-2-60 service door. Completed in a single 8–10 week on-site intervention, the project delivers — within a new building — a modular, high-performance refrigeration infrastructure designed from the outset to serve multiple operators across different temperature regimes.
