Types of Industrial Buildings With Examples Sam, March 24, 2024May 20, 2024 Most people understand a “building” to be an enclosed structure that is used for designated activities. Structures utilized for industrial purposes are known as industrial buildings.We will examine the ever-expanding sector of industrial buildings, the types of industrial buildings and their examples in this article.Before we get to the types of industrial buildings and their examples, let’s first take a look at what industrial buildings are.Table of Contents ToggleWhat is an Industrial Building? Main Aspects of Industrial Buildings. 1. The Building Entrance. 2. The Office Area. 3. The Industrial Area. Industrial Building Types and Examples. 1. Manufacturing Buildings. Characteristics of Manufacturing Buildings. Types of Manufacturing Buildings. a. Heavy Manufacturing Buildings. Example of Heavy Manufacturing Buildings. b. Light Manufacturing Buildings.Example of Light Manufacturing Buildings. 2. Storage and Distribution Buildings. Characteristics of Storage and Distribution Buildings. Types of Storage and Distribution Buildings. a. General Warehouse Buildings. Example of General Warehouse Buildings. b. Refrigeration/Cold Storage Buildings. Example of Refrigeration/Cold Storage Buildings. c. Hazardous Material Warehouse Buildings. Example of Hazardous Material Warehouse Buildings. d. Specialized Warehouse Buildings. Example of Specialized Warehouse Buildings. e. Distribution Warehouse Buildings. Example of Distribution Warehouse Buildings. f. Truck Terminals. Example of Truck Terminals. 3. Flex Space Buildings. Characteristics of Flex Space Buildings. Types of Flex Space Buildings. a. Research and Development (R&D) Buildings. Example of Research and Development Buildings. b. Data Center Buildings. Example of Data Center Buildings. c. Showroom Buildings. Example of Showroom Buildings. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Types of Industrial Buildings.What Distinguishes Residential from Industrial Buildings?What Distinguishes Industrial from Commercial Buildings?What Materials are Used to Construct Industrial Buildings?Why are Industrial Buildings Significant?What are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Industrial Buildings?What Kind of Commercial Property is Most Prevalent?Conclusion What is an Industrial Building? Source: The Opus Group.Put simply, factories or other sizable spaces predominantly utilized for the production or storage of commodities, services, or raw materials for commercial gain are known as industrial buildings.Buildings constructed with the intention of manufacturing commodities are referred to as industrial buildings. These buildings can be warehouses, distribution hubs, factories, power plants, or other types of specialized buildings.Manufacturing, assembling, generating electricity, storing, distributing, mining, and research are among the primary functions of industrial buildings. They cannot be built anyplace in the city due to particular regulations for industrial architecture. To keep society and the environment in balance, they also have to abide by local regulations.Historically, industrial processes have been housed in buildings that are either aesthetically pleasant to establish a communal façade or that are functionally appropriate for the process. Both are achievable, as shown by recent architectural projects: a functional building that is geared toward attracting people.Check out our articles on the marriage of form and function in architecture and functionalism in architecture to understand how architects can design a functional building geared towards attracting people.Main Aspects of Industrial Buildings. The three main aspects of industrial building designs are:1. The Building Entrance. In architecture, the entrance of any structure establishes the tone for the entire enterprise. Upon arrival, guests are met with an architectural viewpoint that establishes their future perception of the organization and its principles.The street-side façade, the building’s massing, and the surrounding scenery make up the building entrance view.2. The Office Area. Employee offices have typically been neglected during the industrial building’s design process. Industrial plant offices are now more hospitable thanks to options for staff collaboration in pleasant settings and access to natural light. Effective workplace design can boost output, effectiveness, and worker satisfaction.3. The Industrial Area. Modern industrial structures have visible core spaces. They are a source of prestige and are frequently open to the public. Even though these enormous spaces are functional, a few thoughtful design choices can make them inspiring and instructional.Now that we know what industrial buildings are, let’s quickly look at their types as well as the characteristics of each type with examples.Industrial Building Types and Examples. There are three primary types of industrial buildings: flexible space, manufacturing, and storage & distribution. Depending on its size and available resources, each of these types of industrial buildings has unique qualities and functions in distinct ways.Let’s take a closer look at each of these types of industrial buildings and their examples:1. Manufacturing Buildings. A manufacturing building is one of the most prevalent kinds of industrial buildings. Structures used for manufacturing are intended to contain machinery for producing materials or items. For instance, the ship-building, mining, and oil industries. Large multi-story factories and tiny single-story warehouses are both examples of manufacturing buildings.Less than 20% of the loading area for heavy vehicles and office space is made up of standard industrial buildings. For the entire building, there must be a minimum of 10 feet of headroom.Manufacturing buildings might include highly customized architectural structures and final designs in addition to powerful pieces of machinery. Based on your company’s needs, you can also install water, gas, or chemical pipes, ducts, drains, ventilation systems, and drainage.Characteristics of Manufacturing Buildings. An office area makes up less than 20% of a manufacturing facility, according to NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Clear heights of at least 10 feet and high ceilings are necessary to allow overhead cranes and other gear.Massive area is available for production equipment in this kind of industrial building.Trucks can load up at several loading ports to transport finished goods and raw materials.To accommodate large machinery, manufacturing facilities need sturdy flooring.Types of Manufacturing Buildings. There are two main types of manufacturing buildings: light assembly buildings and heavy manufacturing facilities.a. Heavy Manufacturing Buildings. A heavy manufacturing building is used to produce extremely demanding commodities like cars, steel, cement, or outdoor equipment.One of the buildings’ features is a fully automated production system that can operate around the clock. For this reason, in addition to being constructed on a sizable hundreds of square meter space, it serves as a warehouse for the daily production of goods.Heavy manufacturing facilities often have three-phase electricity, plenty of loading dock area, and heavy-duty machinery. A corporation may also require specialized cranes and storage tanks, ducting, ventilation systems, chemical lines, pressurized air and water lines, drainage, and storage tanks, depending on their needs. Buildings used for heavy manufacturing are custom-built, hence a steel manufacturing building can never be used for cement production.Because of the permanent fittings required to make specialist products, the complete industrial building will be refurbished in the event that the structure needs to be altered.Example of Heavy Manufacturing Buildings. Mitsubishi Motors Factories. Mitsubishi Motors Factory.Source: Mitsubishi Electric.Founded in 1917, this Japan-based corporation has been around for more than a century. It began when the Mitsubishi Shipping Company introduced the Mitsubishi A Model, the country’s first-ever series-produced car line.To produce airplane engine components, the business combined with Mitsubishi airplane in 1934, after 17 years. At this point, it was Japan’s biggest company. Mitsubishi primarily entered the shipbuilding and aircraft distribution industries as a result of this transaction.The corporation not only ranks among the biggest in the world’s industrial sector, but it also contributes around 10% of Japan’s GDP! Several additional businesses manufacture boats, cameras, electronics, and other products under the three-diamond brand.b. Light Manufacturing Buildings.Assembling small goods and materials is the primary purpose of light manufacturing structures as opposed to heavy manufacturing buildings. For instance, businesses that produce toys, electronics, textiles, and furniture. As opposed to large production structures, these industrial buildings are lighter and smaller.Assembly lines or big supply units must not be permanently installed in light manufacturing buildings. Renovating a building if ownership or merchandise change is relatively simple because production machines are compact, light, and portable.Light industrial buildings typically feature a large office area for administrative tasks along with contemporary storage space. To function, they need less energy, area, and resources. In lightweight manufacturing buildings, goods are transported and stored with lighter, more transportable equipment that may be quickly set up for new tenants.Example of Light Manufacturing Buildings. Foxconn and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.Foxconn Factory Building.Source: Caixin Global.Foxconn, officially known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., is a well-known contract manufacturer with its headquarters located in Taiwan. It is ranked in the top 10 manufacturing businesses globally. In addition to being a top producer, the business employs a significant number of people worldwide.Foxconn produces television sets, headphones, cellphones for well-known brands including Apple, Xiaomi, and HMD, as well as EV parts for Aether Energy. Among its clientele are businesses like Nintendo, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Dell, Intel, and Lenovo.2. Storage and Distribution Buildings. The designation “storage and distribution buildings” refers to the facilities used for the storage and movement of goods from a central point to final customers. Less than 10% of the building’s overall size is devoted to offices; the remainder is used for distribution and storage needs.These products may be packaged or raw ingredients used in the food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare, or agricultural industries, among other areas.Usually consisting of one-storey buildings, warehouse buildings span thousands of square feet. They feature many car yards, larger cargo rooms, and higher ceilings. These kinds of facilities employ comparatively few people, including consumers and employees. Consequently, fewer parking spaces are needed than for other kinds of industrial buildings.Building these distribution and storage facilities in locations that allow for transportation is crucial, since trucks handle the majority of the business. These sites are ideal because they are close to highway and interstate borders, making it simple for large trucks to follow the main roadways that link the main destinations.Characteristics of Storage and Distribution Buildings. Approximately 80% of the square footage is devoted to storage, with the remaining 20% going toward offices.Large single-story building ranging in size from 50,000 to hundreds of thousands of square feet, featuring high ceilings, numerous loading docks, spacious parking areas, and concrete truck courts.The majority of warehouse and distribution facilities are situated close to airports and city centers to facilitate prompt product delivery.Large racking and storage systems can be installed with ceilings as high as 60 feet.Certain warehouses use climate controls to protect delicate products from excessive heat.Types of Storage and Distribution Buildings. The six types of storage and distribution buildings include distribution warehouses, truck terminals, hazardous material warehouses, cold storage facilities, and general warehouses. Let’s discuss them below:a. General Warehouse Buildings. In contrast to distribution centers, general warehouses are industrial structures used mainly for the storage of various commodities and resources. The location of the building and its door-to-square-foot ratio are unimportant since things are stored here for extended periods of time rather than being carried in and out on a regular basis.General warehouse buildings’ layouts are determined by the products they hold, and each storage facility has a different pricing range for these products. To keep the temperature down, cold storage, for example, has freezers that are completely enclosed and insulated.Example of General Warehouse Buildings. Meyer Werft Warehouse. Meyer Werft Warehouse.Source: Super Yatch Times.The total area of this warehouse is 678,000 square feet (63,000 square meters). Constructed in 1795, this warehouse is among the oldest in the world and is one of the leading German shipyards that provides the most opulent cruise liners worldwide. Over 700 ships, including ferries, gas tankers, livestock carriers, container ships, and river cruise liners, are housed at Meyer Werft.b. Refrigeration/Cold Storage Buildings. Large-capacity freezers and coolers are housed in cold storage buildings, which are industrial structures designed for a single operator. They are designed specifically for large-scale national food distribution and production businesses.In order to maintain product coldness, cold storage facilities need to install seals on their docks and insulated overhead doors. Because slabs can fracture due to the frigid, frequently sub-zero, temperatures in the coolers, a specific foundation is installed. The majority of cold storage industrial facilities are situated in areas with a sufficient supply of energy and close to state and federal highways.Example of Refrigeration/Cold Storage Buildings. 2800 Polar Way. 2800 Polar Way Cold Storage Facility. Source: Facebook.The cold storage facility 2800 Polar Way is situated near Richland, Washington, in the United States, and it is a prominent feature of the northern environment.The warehouse has a volume of 36,340,650 cubic feet (1,029,053 m3) and an area of 505,139 square feet (46,928.9 m2), of which 456,412 square feet (42,402.1 m2) is refrigerated. The facility has the capacity to hold 160 kt, or 350 million pounds, of frozen food.It is the world’s largest automatic freezer and refrigerated warehouse combined. The build-to-suit chilled facility for tenant Preferred Freezer Services was financed by Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (HFF). Beginning on May 12, 2014, the project was completed by late July 2015.c. Hazardous Material Warehouse Buildings. Chemical, biological, radioactive, and/or physical hazardous items are kept in hazardous materials (HAZMAT) warehouses. These industrial materials may be hazardous to the environment, combustible, or corrosive. Such specialized industrial structures must adhere to safety standards established by several regulatory agencies.It Is necessary for a third-party logistics provider (3PL) to have a certified warehouse to handle hazardous commodities. One storage cabinet should hold no more than 60 gallons of Class 1 (explosives) or Class 2 (hazardous gasses) materials and no more than 120 gallons of Class 3 (flammable liquids) materials, according to OSHA regulations. HAZMAT buildings are equipped with unique safeguards that shield nearby residents and employees from potential dangers.Example of Hazardous Material Warehouse Buildings. Sinopec. Sinopec Building.Source: Wikipedia.Sinopec, with its headquarters located in Beijing, specializes in the production, storage, and distribution of natural gas and oil. Sinopec is the biggest refiner and one of the top makers of chemicals worldwide, in addition to being one of the world’s biggest producers of natural gas.Nearly 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas were produced by Sinopec in 2021. For the fiscal year 2021, the business reported having roughly $383.72 billion in total revenue. The Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges are where the company’s stock is traded.d. Specialized Warehouse Buildings. Specialized warehouse buildings are warehouses devoted to the storage of particular materials that need extra care. Oil and chemical warehouses, car storage facilities, whiskey and wine storage facilities, and art storage facilities are a few examples. Industrial building businesses must set up highly sophisticated facilities in such warehouses to secure commodities from rotting or damage.Due to the unique characteristics of each firm, these specialist warehouses are constructed to order.Example of Specialized Warehouse Buildings. Momart Warehouse Building. Momart Warehouse Building.Source: @MomartLtd/X.com.Art storage, shipping, and installation are areas of expertise for the British company Momart. Maintaining frequently delicate artworks in a safe, climate-controlled setting makes up a large component of their company. The business keeps specialized warehouses that are set up for this purpose.e. Distribution Warehouse Buildings. Industrial structures known as bulk distribution warehouses are used to hold massive amounts of a single commodity. Conveyor belts, packaging and shipping equipment, and robotic arms are frequently installed in them. Distribution warehouses are mostly used for delivering goods, as their name suggests, and because of this, where they are located is quite important.A distribution warehouse should ideally be situated close to the center of any geographic location it is located in, equally spaced from its customers, or near major transportation hubs like ports, airports, and railroads.Example of Distribution Warehouse Buildings. John Deere Parts Distribution Center. John Deere Parts Distribution Center.Source: Pit & Quarry.The facility, which is located Illinois, US, keeps over 500,000 distinct spare parts, including vintage parts, for the company’s goods. The parts are packed and transported daily from this location.The 2.6 million square foot (242,000 square meter) distribution facility is used by John Deere, a manufacturer of construction and agricultural machinery, to supply parts to dealers and customers worldwide in addition to the North American market.f. Truck Terminals. In order to facilitate the flow of goods along the supply chain, truck terminals, also known as cross-dock facilities, are a type of industrial building used for storing and maintaining trucks. When moving goods from one truck to another, this industrial facility serves as an intermediary loading and unloading station. Of all these types of industrial buildings, truck terminals have the lowest amount of storage space.Large truck parking areas, maintenance and repair bays, and fueling facilities are among the qualities that are prioritized more. Truck terminals are typically found close to major roads or other transit corridors.Example of Truck Terminals. Iowa 80. Iowa 80 Truck Terminal.Source: Travel Iowa.Known for being the biggest truck stop globally, the Iowa 80 Truck Stop can be found in Walcott, Iowa, outside of I-80 exit 284. A chiropractor and a barbershop are just two of the many services available at the Iowa 80 truck stop. They feature a movie theater, a library, a dentist, a pet wash, a driver’s den, a laundry room, and a gym. There’s plenty of room for truckers to park at Iowa 80, and inside is a trucking museum!Interesting trivia about Iowa 80 Since their establishment in 1964, they have been open around-the-clock and have never closed. When you visit, don’t forget to check out the trucking museum!3. Flex Space Buildings. Because they are multipurpose and quickly updated to accommodate changing corporate needs, flexible space buildings are by nature “flexible.” Office, production, and storage space are all housed in one area in this kind of industrial facility.The ceilings of these structures are marginally lower than those of comparable industrial structures. These buildings provide plenty of parking alongside over thirty percent of space designated for office use.With rates less expensive than typical office space and the ability to accommodate more parking than bulk warehouse facilities, flexible spaces are the best option for entrepreneurs.Characteristics of Flex Space Buildings. The industrial building has plenty of parking and over 30% of its space set aside for business use.Office space, meeting rooms, production spaces, storage spaces, and shipping and receiving ports are all required spaces in flexible space buildings.Often feature a ceiling clear height that is somewhat lower (14–24 feet).Greater landscaping and more room for parking than other industrial buildings.Ground level or dock high loading zones are available, and older structures might even include semi-docks (2 feet) to handle smaller box trucks and vans.Types of Flex Space Buildings. There are three types of flex spaces: research and development (R&D), data centers, and showrooms.a. Research and Development (R&D) Buildings. It is necessary for businesses to have a research and development facility in order to test, create, and enhance new products and services. Companies therefore require R&D buildings with specific build and test spaces, such as open regions for testing, lightweight manufacturing capabilities, and free space for builds.Only products for testing are produced in the research and development building; commercial usage is not permitted. Research and development facilities are not like the bland, empty flex spaces you usually find; instead, their campuses are beautifully designed with collaborative workplaces, beautiful landscape, and beautiful architecture.These kinds of advanced industrial spaces use more electricity than other types of buildings because they have high-security and fire suppression systems, as well as equipment for testing.Example of Research and Development Buildings. AstraZeneca PLC. AstraZeneca PLC R&D Headquarters.Source: Pharmaceutical Technology.AstraZeneca is primarily focused on vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and cancer. In 2022, the corporation invested somewhat more in R&D than it did in 2021, spending roughly $9.762 billion. Developing novel medications for conditions like cancer, heart disease, lung disease, immunology, rare disorders, and other conditions accounted for a portion of its research and development costs. Additionally, it worked with Oxford University to produce a COVID-19 vaccine that was accepted by the World Health Organization and a number of other nations.b. Data Center Buildings. Large businesses can access cloud storage and maintain the internet through data centers, which are specialized industrial facilities. They are large, typically measuring 100,000 square feet, and they house a large amount of telecom switching equipment and computer servers.Effective HVAC, cooling, and security measures are in place to shield costly equipment from damage and overheating in the data center. Furthermore, one or two redundant power supply units are there to guarantee uninterrupted technological operation in the event of a power outage. Reinforced floor slabs are a feature of data centers’ construction, intended to support the weight of large network equipment.Example of Data Center Buildings. Digital Realty Building. Digital Realty Building.Source: Submer.Digital Realty, a San Francisco-based company, provides the whole range of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, connecting businesses and data. With a worldwide data center network of more than 300 facilities in more than 50 metro areas across 27 countries on six continents, Digital Realty provides its clients with the linked data communities that concern them. Being a location of safe and open gathering for businesses, technologies, and data of all kinds is fundamental to Digital Realty’s identity.c. Showroom Buildings. An ideal illustration of a flexible facility that houses office space, storage space, and a retail display area is a showroom. Typically, showing and selling products takes up more than half of the space in an industrial building. Showroom buildings are appealing options for tenants or owners looking for innovative industrial buildings for rent or sale because they combine the allure of retail with practicality.Car dealerships, furniture stores, electronics stores, and vehicle showrooms are the most prevalent types of showroom buildings. Business parks, industrial parks, and malls are among the busy places where showrooms can be found.Example of Showroom Buildings. 13 Paix, Paris. 13 Paix, Paris.Source: Parrucchieri Luca Piattelli.The 32,000-square-foot mansion, which has been restored to receive the highest BREEAM accreditation, is the primary “temple” of the upscale French jeweler, joining its New York and London branches. Its six stories serve as a place of origin and collective memory.Ten salons spread across three stories are followed by workshops, archives, and a rooftop apartment. An atrium inspired by a classic Parisian inner courtyard is covered by a glass ceiling.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Types of Industrial Buildings.What Distinguishes Residential from Industrial Buildings? Residential buildings are, practically speaking, any structures that house people, these could be single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, or condominiums. Commercial buildings are places of employment, offices, retail establishments, or other unique structures utilized by or for businesses or trade.What Distinguishes Industrial from Commercial Buildings? Hospitals, offices, eateries, lodging facilities, shops, and gyms are a few examples of commercial buildings. Contrarily, industrial buildings are concerned with business operations and frequently refers to refineries, factories, manufacturing plants, and other establishments.What Materials are Used to Construct Industrial Buildings? Precast concrete makes up a little portion of the superstructures of industrial buildings, while structural steel frames the bulk of them. Because of its high strength-to-weight ratio, which allows it to span great distances affordably, steel is generally employed.Why are Industrial Buildings Significant? Nowadays, these structures hold great importance. They are essential for fostering innovation, advancing the economy, and developing infrastructure. They function similarly to the support system for various industries. In addition to generating employment, these structures aid the neighborhood.What are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Industrial Buildings? An essential component of the industrial sector’s support are industrial buildings. Flexibility, versatility, lots of storage, and a convenient location are among their benefits. However, one must consider drawbacks such expensive initial operating costs, upkeep, and restricted adaptability.What Kind of Commercial Property is Most Prevalent? Distribution centers are considerably the most dynamic, with major development occurring across the nation due to the increasing demand for storage and distribution space, especially from e-commerce enterprises. Conclusion Finding the ideal location for an industrial building requires understanding of the distinctions among the many industrial buildings, from distribution to flex to choose which space best meets your needs. We hope that this article was of great help to you in understanding the different types of industrial buildings.Total0Shares Share 0 Tweet 0 Pin it 0 Share 0 Articles
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