Neagley & Chase Construction strives for continuous improvement and constant innovation. Our current project, a 25,000 square foot warehouse and manufacturing facility for Freedom Foods in Randolph, incorporates Cleanbox cleanroom technology into the food industry– a first in the state of Vermont. Cleanrooms are controlled environments that limit contamination and airborne particles, and, according to a study by Electroniq, the demand for cleanrooms in the food manufacturing industry is steadily growing. Neagley & Chase has contracted Cleanbox, Inc., to supply the cleanroom system; we will self-perform the installation. The production rooms are built using state-of-the-art cleanroom technology:
- Walls are constructed from 3 1/2 inch-thick insulated metal panels coated with anti-microbial finish
- Plastic trims seal all joints without leaving any flat square-edged surfaces
- Doors and windows are sealed to prevent air infiltration
- 20-foot ceilings are made of walkable insulated panels
- The entire system is completely modular and can be restructured to fit future needs
Freedom Foods’ new facility is slated to be complete in December. The new structure is a pre-engineered metal building frame with 3-inch insulated metal panel siding and a membrane roof. The building’s shell is highly efficient: the walls are R26, the roof is R37, and the windows are R7. We have incorporated many energy-efficient details into the design, like occupancy sensors for lighting control and skylights to provide natural light. In order to avoid cross-contamination of airborne allergens, the HVAC system operates on 100% makeup air.
We are excited to be expanding the use of cleanroom technology in Vermont and look forward to finding future projects that can utilize the Cleanbox system.
