Taco, Inc. Distribution Facility Expansion

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Project Background

Taco, Inc. is a leading equipment and systems supplier to the HVAC industry. Previously operating from four separate sites, Taco decided to build a warehouse distribution facility adjacent to its headquarters and main manufacturing facility in order to streamline operations and accommodate business growth. The property is located on a former brownfields site in Cranston, RI. The historic use of the turn-of-the-century masonry building was a trolley depot.

The Facility

Taco’s new Distribution Facility is a 60,000 SF single-story warehouse addition that provides twelve loading dock bays, 30’ high clearance for storage rack systems, administrative office space, facilities for the manufacturing plant’s coolant and metal chip recycling systems, and a demonstration area featuring Taco-manufactured products. The new cogeneration plant located in the existing building adjacent to the addition provides heating and cooling for 175,000 SF of office, manufacturing, and warehouse space. The Distribution Facility is organized with smaller-scale, people-oriented spaces along the street side of the site, with shipping-oriented spaces located proximal to the service roads. The Cranston Street façade is lower in height and clad in brick, providing a modern extension to the existing building.

Strategies and Results

In the warehouse storage rack area, forklifts travel on magnetized tracks through narrow aisles, allowing for very compact and efficient use of the space. The high-efficiency lighting in the warehouse is controlled by motion sensors activated by forklift activity which saves energy and reduces operating costs. Although similar “big box” warehouses are often windowless, high clerestory windows were incorporated above the loading dock doors as well as in the office area, providing natural daylight and a connection to the outside environment for employees. A climate-controlled waiting area for truck drivers along with strict enforcement of engine-idling regulations saves 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel annually and reduces air pollutants.

The new cogeneration plant generates approximately one-third of Taco’s electrical requirements through six 60KW gas microturbines, providing critical off-grid back-up electricity in the event of a power outage. The waste heat from the electricity generation is captured and used to produce both chilled and hot water for the HVAC system. Rooftop chilled/hot water air handlers provide heating and cooling at approximately 50% less energy than would be required for typical energy code-compliant direct expansion units. More energy savings are achieved by the use of Taco LoadMatch® pumps. The facility uses a rooftop solar thermal panel to provide hot water for plumbing fixtures; Taco increased the efficiency of the solar panel by 20% by designing its own control panel. Taco also purchased 130 MWh of Green-e certified new wind energy certificates.

Low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) construction products and materials were used to provide improved indoor air quality for the occupants. Materials used in the building consist of 36% overall recycled content. During construction, waste materials were sorted into separate dumpsters, recycling or salvaging 85% of the construction waste generated on-site.

A second expansion project, with an objective of LEED Silver certification, is under way…

New LEED Silver Expansion

About Taco, Inc.

In business since 1920, Taco develops and manufactures hydronic-based components for use in heating and cooling applications across the building spectrum—residential, commercial, industrial and institutional. It is one of the best-known brands in the hydronic industry, long associated with continual product innovation and development. The company’s active commitment to the community and environment is exemplified in its LEED Certified Distribution Facility, green building product offerings and investment in “green power”.

Download LEED Project Profile (PDF)