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 this 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.
