Industrial

Blum UK, Milton Keynes

A design and build contract comprising of the construction of a 23,000ft2 automated racking warehouse which is 20m high to parapet.

This contract was a D4 compliant contract, providing 10% renewable energy by the use of solar panels, connected back into the national grid, combined with energy recovery from the automated picking machinery motors. Recycled aggregate was also used in all elements of this project, including the warehouse floor slab.

With no access to one side of the site due to the existing building, only 2m wide access to the other boundary, a 20m high steel frame, composite clad construction, with an air permeability of 3.25m3/(H.M2), together with a 3.7m deep, 11000ft2 pit to accommodate the automated racking and stackers installation, this contract was quite some challenge.

The "K" shaped front elevation has a 15m x 15m structural glass gable window, whilst internally a fully automated in rack sprinkler system, frost protection and high efficient automated lighting scheme has been utilized. Large sprinkler tanks have been blended into the elevations along with dock levelers, precast concrete retaining walls, together with all associated external works and drainage.