Industrial Building Design Basics: Planning and Design Tips
Designing an industrial building should not be about the construction of a large building with an adequate amount of floor space. Building a successful facility is about accommodating a building that supports production, storage, and movement; maintaining safety of employees; and providing space for utilities and services and allowing future growth. The Industrial Building Design Basics helps business owners make informed decisions before actual construction begins. A well-designed facility helps move people and goods less, control costs, and expand easily in the future. Also, in Noida and the Delhi-NCR region, choosing the right design team is important, especially on projects that require complex industrial design.
What Do We Mean by Industrial Building Design Basics?
Industrial building design revolves around understanding the operational requirements and designing a factory, warehouse, manufacturing unit, workshop, or industrial campus around those requirements. Unlike the design of a residential building, industrial buildings must incorporate machinery, production, raw materials, finished goods, vehicles, personnel, utilities, and safety infrastructure.
The process of designing should start in reverse to how most people understand the design process. The design should be based on the operations of the business, not the look of the building. The architects and consultants must understand what the building will produce, how the raw materials will come in and how the finished goods will go out, what machinery will be used, how much space will be needed for storage, and if the business will grow in the future.
Designing an industrial building today requires the integration of many building systems, such as architecture, structure, mechanical, plumbing, fire safety, HVAC, etc. The design of an industrial building is often characterized by process flow, efficiency of design, services and utilities, safety, and potential for future growth.
1. Starting with Business and Site Requirements
Before the preparation of final detailed designs, the site and business information must be well documented.
Important factors:
Size and shape of plot
Access to the site and width of access routes
Related regulations for development
Capacity needed for production
Size and weight of machines
Raw material storage
Storage for finished goods
Workforce
Loading and unloading
Space for vehicles and parking
Utilities
Plans for future growth
An in-depth site study identifies potential problems even before they can become expensive construction problems. Buildings need to be designed in relation to access, sunlight, air, drainage and movement of fire, required internal communication, etc.
2. Carefully Plan Industrial Workflow
One of the most critical aspects of planning an industry is the design of the workflow. It is important to design a workflow in such a way that the movement of materials does not criss-cross the work areas. As a result, it becomes very important to minimize the movement of materials as much as possible.
Good workflow design reduces material handling times and optimizes operational performance. For many firms of architects, process flow and movement of materials are major aspects of design, as opposed to minor design concerns.
3. Select the Suitable Structural System
The design of the structure should be based on the purpose, span, height, budget, and the construction time of the building in addition to the loads.
PEB Structures
Pre-engineered buildings are commonly used for construction of warehouses, sheds, factories, and other manufacturing facilities. Since they enable construction of large open areas, they are quite flexible and can be constructed in a short time.
Reinforced Concrete (RCC) Structures
Reinforced concrete structures lend themselves to use in multi-storey industrial buildings, in heavy-load applications, in offices, and where projects demand RCC-specific structural solutions.
Hybrid Structures
Different structural solutions can be integrated to best meet the requirements of the different areas of a project.
The most appropriate structural design should be determined by engineering calculations and the project requirements rather than selecting the most economical option.
4. Design for Machinery and Material Movement
Machinery planning should be incorporated in the initial stages. Construction of the architectural plan may result in the inability to address columns, provide floor load capacity, access for maintenance, equipment movement, utilities, and services.
The design should consider:
Machinery size
Operating and maintenance clearances
The position of cranes and crane dimensions
Floor loading
Foundations for equipment
Service clearances
The movement of materials
Emergency and normal access
Industrial buildings may also require provisions for overhead cranes, mezzanines, equipment, large service networks, and major industrial services.
5. Emphasize Safety and Compliance
Safety is best incorporated in the design, rather than added as an afterthought.
An industrial complex will require the following:
Emergency exits
Fire protection systems
Fire protection access
Circulation for employees
Ventilation systems
Electrical safety
Separating potential hazard zones
Access to emergency equipment
Correct drainage
Safety signs
The detailed requirements will depend on the industry, location, building, occupancy, and standards. Therefore, project teams are required to check the local approvals, building requirements, fire protection requirements, and environmental controls before finalizing drawings.
6. Think of Ventilation, Daylight, and Interior Climate
Industrial buildings may become inefficient and uncomfortable when daylight and ventilation are ignored.
Depending on the operation, designers consider the following:
Natural ventilation
Roof ventilators
Exhaust systems
Skylights
Ventilation high in roof
Artificial lighting
Thermal insulation
Solar control
The requirements of a food processing, warehouse, automobile, and general manufacturing plant can differ greatly. Therefore, the design will respond to the production environment, and not take a one-size-fits-all approach.
7. Design for Efficient Storage and Loading
Storage should address the movement of goods and may require different areas for raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.
Loading and unloading areas should be large enough to allow for vehicles to enter, turn, dock, load, and leave without obstructing the movement of people or activities of the production process.
The best warehouse and factory designs consider vertical storage, as well as the future need for storage and the layout of that storage, racking systems, forklift routes, and loading docks.
8. Ensure Future Growth
Neglect of future growth in industrial design is very common.
In a few years, a business may begin to produce at a higher rate, resulting in the need for additional machinery and storage as well as the introduction of a new production line. If a building is unable to grow, future changes will be both costly and disruptive.
A design that accounts for growth can leave space for the following:
New areas for manufacturing
More machinery
Additional warehousing
Improvements in services
More parking
More offices
Additional access ways
An easier option than designing a facility for growth subsequent to the completion of the original design is including aspects of growth in the master-planning process. An important consideration in industrial design is the ability for plans to be easily and flexibly expanded.
How to Find an Industrial Architecture Firm Near Me
That’s just one of many factors which are important when selecting an architect in conjunction with experience and the ability of the firm to handle the technical challenges and requirements of the project. An Industrial Architect Near Me understands the local industrial environment.
Key questions to ask any potential firm may include the firm's experience with the following:
Design of factories or warehouses
Capability for the integration of MEP, structural, and other services
Planning for and assistance with gaining approvals or meeting compliance
Practice of developing and coordinating construction documentation
Use of 3D or BIM to assist with design and construction integration
A firm such as Inception Design Cell, based in Noida, claims to have architectural planning capabilities and professional experience with an array of projects ranging from industrial to residential, commercial, and hospitality.
Interior Design in Industrial Projects
An industrial building is more than just an empty shell or unfinished shell. Industrial buildings can have numerous finish trades that can include offices, amenities, and service and meeting spaces that require purposeful design.
In the context of an industrial building with corporate offices and finished staff and visitor areas, an industrial building’s interior design and planning can require the expertise of a Top Best Interior Designers in Noida. The greatest challenge of designing an industrial building is creating balance with the client's needs and the image of the company.
Hire an industrial designer who will select materials based on optimum use, durability, and safety with an office environment that balances the company's professional image. The design firm for the exterior and workplace and operational spaces of a building can benefit from coordination for consistency. Inception Design Cell provides architecture and interior design services under its large design services in Noida and Delhi-NCR.
Common Mistakes in Industrial Building Design
There are a number of design oversights that incur needless cost.
Ignoring Production Flow
A design that is aesthetically pleasing can still be a failure if production, movement of materials, and use of forklifts and vehicles obstruct each other.
Designing Without Machinery Data
Miscalculation of dimensions or loads of machinery can mean expensive reworks on the construction site.
Putting Off the Utilities
Architectural and structural design must be integrated with the services for electrical, plumbing, ventilation, fire protection, drainage, and other utilities.
Not Considering Growth
The production of today may become a constraint if the business grows in the future.
Choosing an Architect for Beauty Only
Industrial design calls for a more specific focus than just aesthetics. Operational experience and integration of engineering services are necessary.
An Industrial Design Checklist You Should Follow Before Approval
How much trust do you have in a design? Before approving a building design for industrial use, you should ask the following questions:
Has the design analyzed the site?
Can the production process easily support the design?
Can the design keep the raw materials and finished products separate?
Can the design account for the safety of vehicles?
Will the design take into account the loads and clearances of machines?
Will the design account for the structural system?
Do the design and layout include sufficient ventilation and daylight?
Is the design safe in case of a fire?
Do the design and layout account for all emergency services?
Are utilities sufficiently planned?
Does the layout have sufficient storage?
Does the layout have flexibility for future growth?
Is the design complete enough for construction?
Has the project construction team reviewed the local rules and regulations for which the design was prepared?
Through this design review process, many of the potential pitfalls inherent in construction can be eliminated.
Working Better With Inception Design Cell
“The design partner” you choose can help you organize the planning process better. Inception Design Cell is an architecture and urban planning studio based in Noida, and their published profile says they work on residential, commercial, industrial, and hospitality projects. Their practice has industrial and factory facilities and offers architectural design services across India.
As their design approach suggests, the practice emphasizes collaboration, functionality, innovation, and budget, as well as sustainability.
When working on an industrial design project, your focus should not be on creating the most advanced structure. You should aim to design the most effective and efficient solution; find the solution that is the safest for your business and has the most flexibility to evolve based on changing needs.
Summary
A basic understanding of Industrial Building Design is essential to plan a successful factory, warehouse, or manufacturing facility. Starting with the business process is the most effective approach. After determining the business process, the rest of the site plan is developed along with the workflow, the layout of the structure, machining and utility areas, safety systems, storage, the interior, and planning for future growth.
A well-designed industrial building not only provides space, but also helps a business operate safely, efficiently, and confidently in the years to come.
Some Important Questions
1. Why are industrial building design basics important?
Industrial building design basics include workflow planning, site planning, structural safety, machinery clearance and utilities, movement of materials, ventilation, fire safety, storage, and future options.
2. What is the significance of workflow in the design of industrial buildings?
Good workflow decreases unnecessary movements of materials or equipment and can improve the efficiency of a process.
3. How do I select an Industrial Architect close to my location?
Check their industrial-based portfolio, the technical aspect of their work, their expertise with the different elements of a building, structural and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) systems, approval track, the quality of their work, and their ability to plan for the future.
4. Is an Interior Designer necessary for an industrial project?
An Interior Designer is helpful for the construction of professionally designed industrial areas such as offices, reception, meeting rooms, staff, and control rooms, etc.
5. Why is planning for future growth a necessity for all industrial buildings?
An increase in demand for production is always possible, so structural and utility elements of a building should be designed with future growth in mind.
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