Why cold-chain is different
A cold-chain warehouse is not just a warehouse with refrigeration. The structural envelope is part of the thermal envelope. Five decisions made at the structural-design stage drive operating energy cost for the next 20 years.
The five
- Column wrapping continuity — discontinuous insulation around column flanges creates thermal bridges that condensate.
- Slab perimeter insulation — perimeter heat-loss accounts for 25–35% of cold-store thermal load.
- Roof vapour barrier integration — vapour barrier continuity at primary purlin attachments.
- Door-frame thermal break — door openings are concentrated thermal-loss zones.
- Sub-floor anti-frost-heave provisions — for facilities below −18°C.
What MEC delivers on cold-chain projects
- Structural drawings that explicitly call out thermal-bridge mitigation at every primary-secondary intersection.
- Column-wrap details aligned to the architectural envelope.
- Coordination with the refrigeration consultant on slab edge insulation and frost-heave control.
- Vapour-barrier-integration details around fasteners and connections.
Lead-magnet download: Our cold-chain warehouse structural pre-brief template. Request the template.