RL Cold is a 292,000 square-foot speculative cold storage facility situated on a 28-acre site, designed to support flexible, multi-tenant cold chain operations. The facility includes 220,000 square feet of freezer space, a 54,000 square-foot cold dock and more than 16,000 square feet of office and mezzanine space. Its layout allows for up to five subdividable freezer zones, supported by 38 dock doors, a ramp door and ample trailer and employee parking offering adaptability for a wide range of users.

The facility also stands out for its innovative trans-critical CO₂ refrigeration system, which enhances safety and reduces environmental impact compared to traditional ammonia systems. Designed with sustainability in mind, the project targeted LEED Silver certification and incorporates energy- and water-efficient solutions, particularly important given its proximity to sensitive natural resources.

The pioneering and complex design of this project created significant technical and logistical challenges for the concrete scope and sequencing. The 3” mud slab, embedded with glycol lines, could have been damaged by equipment during pouring. The original pour plan was tied to fire suppression material delivery but posed a risk to the embedded systems. Through coordination with subcontractors and the Client, we proposed a revised sequence that reversed the first half of the building’s pour. This eliminated risk to the glycol lines while still enabling fire suppression installation in a larger, more accessible work area.