The Safeway Refrigerated Warehouse project is a 10,600 square metre addition to a refrigerated distribution warehouse and renovations to an existing 36,000 square metre building. The new build includes exterior reinforced concrete dock slabs, a new refrigeration system and 16 new overhead loading bay doors.

The upgraded refrigeration system includes 30 compressors and evaporators throughout the facility to control the temperature. To manage this complex refrigeration arrangement, Bird supplied and installed a state-of-the-art automated control system.

During construction, the team was faced with a design change to the floor slab when a newly developed joint-free, high-performance refrigeration slab was introduced. Highly adaptable, the Bird team accommodated the design change, allowing an 80% reduction in expansion joints. This dramatic reduction will reduce the demand on maintenance, thereby allowing the client to increase production. Challenged by working on an operational site, the team adhered to strict food safety standards as two full-time Canadian Food Inspection Agents were on-site at all times. Bird ensured clean production areas by using temporary stud wall hoarding units to prevent the infiltration of construction material.