Design-Build Delivers World-Class Facility for Climate by Design International

10/23/2024
Climate by Design International (CDI) had three goals when they enlisted us to design and build their new 162,640-square-foot manufacturing facility and 39,270-square-foot office headquarters in Owatonna, Minnesota:
  1. to streamline production and distribution by housing all operations and employees in a single world-class facility
  2. to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and community engagement
  3. to stay on budget and on time
Upon move-in, the designer and manufacturer of custom desiccant dehumidifiers and critical process air handlers credited us and our collaborative design-build approach with helping them achieve all this and more.

Here are some key points of success:
  • By gaining familiarity with the existing CDI facility, we identified its shortcomings, missed opportunities for efficiency and potential design challenges for the new facility, which enabled us to develop numerous creative, constructive and cost-effective design ideas for the new building. 
  • CDI was already working with an architect when we were brought onto the project. There came a point when we needed to replace a scope of their work with another design team. Leaning on our design-build expertise, we revised the scope of work and redesigned the entire interior while simultaneously executing in the field and staying on budget.
  • Partnering with CDI, our subcontractors were able to determine the specific gas and electrical power needs the new facility would require to operate efficiently. These subs also provided on-site support to help minimize the construction impact of the power equipment's 14-month lead time.
  • Stepping outside of our typical areas of responsibility, we worked closely with CDI's preferred funding partner to help them pursue and receive project financing and opportunity zone new market tax credits.
  • We identified and partnered with many Owatonna-based businesses who provided products, solutions and expertise in the areas of sustainable land management, safety systems, indoor air quality and more. Of particular note was our work with Viracon for the installation of a self-tinting smart glass solution that optimizes comfort and energy consumption. Of the impact of this kind of community effort, CDI shared in a statement on its website: “This project is more than just the construction of a manufacturing plant; it's a testament to the power of collaboration and community support. With Opus enlisting the expertise of these local subcontractors, CDI has not only delivered a world-class facility but has also generated a substantial number of jobs for the local workforce."

  • We delivered a state-of-the-art facility under budget, which allowed CDI to make additional investments in the area of employee wellness that would otherwise have been out of scope.