Structural engineering for the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ proposed R&D, Commercial Offices and Warehouse Facility in Waterbury, Vermont.
Long-span elevated floors and concrete shear walls were used to accommodate space and system options with an eye to reducing large costs revisions in the structure as other designs and plans cohered. Material specifications addressed increased use of recycled contents on steel and concrete applications. Attachment details at the building envelope boundary were designed to reduce energy conductance. These efforts were wrapped into the support of the expedited, phased-delivery schedule.
The project required a combination for concurrent fast-tracked foundation with the steel superstructure design. The long-span floor design requirements were a relatively late breaking development, again handled seamlessly in the superstructure lateral system by the shear walls. Because the adjacent existing facility was on-line, adaptable measures in the design to accommodate structural fit-up were used, such as connections with high tolerances. The long span floor design required a heighted level of vibration criteria in the design as the upper floor was to house sensitive open offices.
