This project was a 486,000 square foot new industrial/warehouse/distribution/office facility located on a 35 acre portion of a 55 acre newly developed industrial park.  This facility allowed GE Healthcare to consolidate operations spread out over multiple buildings into one efficient operation. 

     The building was designed to be cognizant of the natural amenities of the surrounding area, including hillsides, wetlands and trees.  The building was positioned deep into the Northwest corner of the site, which was made possible by a 30’ high retaining wall at that corner.  This helped to provide energy savings to the owner by shielding the building from northwest winds, and allowing the building to be assembled into a more efficient space for heating.  Furthermore the truck docks, dumpsters, electrical services and employee patio areas are all screened from view to improve the aesthetics of the building.

    The design incorporated windows that help with internal day-lighting and exterior appearance.  The front entry is taken further to create a strong entry at the office zone of the building.  The primary wall material on the building is exposed aggregate architectural precast concrete panels.  Further detail is added through numerous reveals and areas of smooth texture to break down the building height and to create base, middle, and top conditions.  The glazing has a light green tint and provides high energy performance.  Additional clear anodized metal detailing occurs within the main entry zone, including sun screens and canopies. 

    Energy Efficiency was an important part to this design, and included LED exterior lighting, and high-efficiency warehouse lighting with motion-sensor activation to keep energy use to a minimum.  The exterior pre-cast concrete panels were highly insulated, and the roof was done with a white reflective roof to minimize heat-gain in the summer months.

       This project was the impetus for much commercial development on the Moorland Road corridor in Muskego.  By establishing a high design standard with this building, the bar was raised for future development both in this business park and throughout the corridor, which adds to the visual appeal and economic base of this commercial area.  This is a great example of coordinated effort between the City of Muskego and neighboring property owners to work with the development team to provide a quick approval process while ensuring that the project exceeded the goals of the community.