LEO A DALY’s Michael Schmidt, Jill Winkler and Michael Koalska share strategies for creating resilient distribution centers and cold storage

In an era where climate disasters are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, food distribution centers play a crucial role in ensuring food security and resilience. These hubs are not only vital in maintaining a steady supply of food during emergencies but also act as strategic assets in crisis management and recovery.

Consider the Cheney Bros. Distribution Center in Punta Gorda, Florida. When Hurricane Ian ripped through Florida in 2022, the 450,000-SF, LEO A DALY-designed food distribution center turned into a bastion of safety. With a hardened envelope, reinforced mechanical systems, blast-resistant openings, and full backup power, resilient design did more than maintain operations at the Cheney Bros. refrigerated food-distribution center. While adjacent buildings were completely destroyed, this structure hosted the headquarters for emergency responders nearby. Hundreds of EMS personnel lived and operated out of the warehouse properties for weeks, as Cheney Bros. continued to serve people even in the aftermath of the storm.

The structure has most recently withstood hurricanes Helene and Milton, and it serves as the prototype for the company’s other facilities.

READ MORE: Florida/Caribbean Architect article on the Cheney Bros. facility

This kind of resiliency will become more and more valuable as many regions of the U.S. face their own climate challenges. Both existing and new facilities will see larger and more frequent weather events. Owners can mitigate potential costs by building resiliency into a structure or upgrade rather than face the prospect of rebuilding a structure damaged or destroyed by one of these events.

Designing to enhance resilience often exceeds weather-related building code requirements.  Here are three critical areas to focus on to design storm hardened food distribution centers and cold storage:

Critical Systems Protection and Redundancy

Refrigeration systems that keep food fresh and safe are the most important part of a distribution facility to keep intact during and after a storm event. These systems rely on power and supply lines, both of which are extremely vulnerable to outages and damage. To maintain power through an event, automatic standby generators need to have an alternative onsite fuel source in an area that is protected from flood waters. Strategic placement of liquid supply lines with emergency valves and flow meters helps isolate areas that might get damaged without compromising the entire system.

Building Openings

Doors and exterior openings are weak spots during a storm that need increased reinforcement to withstand a natural disaster.  The proper impact-resistant product selections are necessary, and they need to be strengthened with custom anchor details at the jambs to resist severe negative pressure caused by high wind speeds.

Building Structure

The roof is the most vulnerable part of a building’s structure in a storm event and needs to be designed for high uplift forces that result from hurricane-force winds. If the roof is compromised, the entire structure can be destroyed creating a local or total collapse.  Roof connections along the entire loading path must be sized and detailed for increased wind loads, especially at corners around the perimeter where wind loads can concentrate.

Constructing Resilient Communities of Tomorrow

By efficiently storing, managing, and distributing food resources, these centers help stabilize food availability after extreme weather events. In times of crisis, the importance of these centers cannot be overstated, as they are key to not only feeding populations but also supporting community recovery and fostering long-term environmental stewardship.

Want to learn more? Contact our industrial team.