75,000 SF Multi-Temperature Distribution Center
Three independent zones engineered for high-throughput cold chain operations. Glycol secondary loop refrigeration. Cross-dock layout. Delivered as a buildout inside an existing Class A shell.
FIELD LOG · MULTI-TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION · OPERATING -20°F → 35°F · 3 INDEPENDENT ZONES
Client details withheld at client request to protect operational confidentiality. Project specifications, technical details, and engineering work accurately described.
- SiteExisting 120K SF Class A Shell
- Buildout75,000 SF · 3 zones
- Refrigerated Zone35,000 SF · 35°F
- Frozen Zone28,000 SF · 0°F
- Sub-Zero Zone12,000 SF · -20°F
- Clear Height32 ft
- Dock Doors28 dock-high
- RefrigerationNH₃ ammonia + glycol secondary
By the Numbers
±2°F
Zone Uniformity
96 hr
Pulldown to Spec
28
Dock Doors
0
Thermal Failures
Three independent temperature zones under one roof. Cross-dock layout. USDA-FSIS compliance. Inside an existing shell.
A multi-temperature distribution center is one of the more demanding cold storage builds. Three or more zones operating at substantially different temperatures, all under one roof, all sharing dock infrastructure, all expected to operate independently without thermal interference between zones.
This project required exactly that complexity. The buildout took place inside an existing 120,000 SF Class A distribution shell with the structural and infrastructure profile needed: 32-foot clear heights, 200-foot warehouse depth, adequate three-phase electrical service, and modern dock infrastructure.
Every wall between zones had to handle a 35°F-to-55°F temperature differential. Refrigeration architecture had to support independent zone control without one zone affecting another. The dock layout had to accommodate concurrent loading and unloading across all three temperature programs without cross-contamination of cold chain integrity.
Three zones. One refrigeration plant. Engineered together.
Refrigerated Zone — 35,000 SF · 35°F
Chilled storage zone with 4-inch IMP envelope and continuous vapor barrier. Dock-adjacent layout for high-throughput receiving and outbound staging.
Frozen Zone — 28,000 SF · 0°F
Standard frozen storage with 5-inch IMP envelope and sub-freezing vapor barrier detailing. Under-slab heating throughout.
Sub-Zero Zone — 12,000 SF · -20°F
Specialty deep-freeze with 6-inch IMP envelope. Cascade-ready refrigeration architecture. Multi-stage vestibule access.
NH₃ Mechanical Room
Ammonia primary refrigeration with glycol secondary loop. Zone-independent control. PSM-compliant mechanical room with leak detection, ventilation, and isolation valves. Future-expansion capacity built in.
Complete multi-temp buildout. Engineered, executed, commissioned.
Multi-Zone Thermal Envelope
4-inch, 5-inch, and 6-inch IMP installation across three zones with thickness matched to operating temperature. Continuous vapor barrier across zone boundaries. Thermal break protection at every panel joint, penetration, structural connection, and zone transition. Under-slab heating across both frozen and sub-zero zones. USDA-FSIS compliant finish specifications throughout.
Glycol Secondary Loop Refrigeration
Mechanical room and piping infrastructure built for industrial ammonia refrigeration with glycol secondary loop architecture. The glycol loop circulates to evaporators in each zone, isolating ammonia to the mechanical room and supporting independent zone temperature control. Sized for current operations plus 25% future expansion capacity.
High-Throughput Dock Infrastructure
28 dock-high doors with insulated overhead specifications matched to each zone's operating temperature. Dock shelters with thermal break detailing. Premium dock seals for the sub-zero zone. Cross-dock layout coordinating receiving and outbound flows. Air curtains at zone transitions minimizing thermal exchange during forklift cycles.
USDA-FSIS Compliant Buildout
Coved floor-to-wall transitions throughout for sanitation compliance. Sealed concrete with epoxy coatings rated for USDA-FSIS washdown protocols. Drainage with slope-to-drain in all zones. Hand wash stations at zone transitions. Pre-operational FSIS approval coordinated through commissioning.
All three zones activated simultaneously. Zero thermal failures. Zero cross-zone interference.
All three zones reached target temperature within 96 hours of commissioning, with zone uniformity within ±2°F across each zone. Zero thermal failures since opening. Zero cross-zone temperature interference detected during operations.
The refrigeration architecture has performed at design specification through full operational cycles. The cross-dock layout enables concurrent receiving and outbound flows across all three temperature programs without cold chain integrity issues. The shared mechanical infrastructure has supported operational growth without modification.
3 zones
Activated simultaneously
All three zones hit target temperature within the same 96-hour commissioning window.
±2°F
Zone uniformity
Multi-point temperature mapping during commissioning confirmed performance at every measurement location.
0
Thermal failures
Continuous monitoring data backs every operational hour since commissioning.
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