Molin Concrete Products Company
LEED Certified Engineering and Design Office
Lino Lakes, Minnesota

In order to facilitate market growth, Molin identified a need for additional office space for engineering, design, drafting, and estimating personnel.  With space available on their existing campus, the ideal location for the Engineering / Design Office was adjacent to the current main administration office.

With a growing awareness of sustainable design initiatives, Molin Concrete Products was determined to have the new Engineering / Design Office constructed to incorporate Sustainable Design Principles.  At the same time utilizing their own concrete products to the fullest extent, Molin could demonstrate that use of precast concrete building products can result in sustainable buildings with stylish good looks, along with environmentally sensitive attributes.  The components of this  7,442 square foot building demonstrate the use of sustainable products and high performance systems that contribute to improved energy efficiency, resource efficiency and indoor air quality.

This building will provide office space for engineers, designers, drafters, and estimators.  Fixed-wall offices are provided for seven staff, with office system partitions provided for up to twenty-seven staff.  Additional functions include two conference rooms, an employee break room, and a combination plan room / print room / file room.  Employee services include men’s and women’s rest rooms, a mechanical / electrical room, a shower room, and a janitor closet.

Among the initiatives employed in the design of this building are:

• Use of tubular skylight systems for interior daylighting.  Tubular skylight systems are ideal for this application when used in combination with precast concrete roof plank.  The roof openings are small relative to the amount of light entering the space, thereby limiting the effect of the opening on the structural capacity of the plank.
• Large exterior window openings for enhanced daylighting.  High ceilings and side lite windows at interior doors also transmit daylight to interior spaces.  Insulated precast concrete wall panels manufactured by Molin, provided flexibility in sizing of window openings.
• Sunshades at exterior south-facing windows.  Precast concrete sunshades, manufactured by Molin, will help reduce solar heat gain in the offices with south-facing windows.
• Molin precast concrete products with 36% replacement of Portland cement with Fly Ash, reducing the CO2 off-gassing during concrete curing process., and recycled content.
•  R-26 precast wall systems for greater thermal efficiency.
• Low-VOC content paints and interior finishes for a healthier indoor environment.

Molin’s campus is situated within the Rice Creek Watershed District.  Included in the scope of this project is restoration and enhancement of an existing wetland area, which has been restored using native vegetation as part of this construction project.

See the LEED Flyer for this project.

Standout projects at Molin:

Batch Plant
Manufacturing Addition
Yarding Crane
Corporate Office
Maintenance Addition
LEED Certified Engineering and Design Office