Here’s a shot of an office addition going up in Ellendale, Minnesota. It will become the new home of the Misgen Auto Parts, Inc. staff and sales department.

The photo shows the insulated concrete forms which form the walls. This is one strategy employed to create a low-energy building to better serve the needs of this business. The fire-resistivity of the concrete walls is also desireable in the industry.

Our design work included a master plan to address the overall flow of inventory from receiving, through draining and dismantling, and to the end user through warehousing and sales. A second addition will be built at a later date to streamline the draining and dismantling process.

We are impressed with the Misgens’ interest in minimizing the impact of their operation on the environment. The new office will require little heating and cooling. The future dismantling wing includes a state-of-the-art fluid recovery system that will collect over 99% of the vehicles fluids, and a radiant floor to reduce heating needs. A geothermal heating and cooling system is being considered; this is a switch away from the waste oil heat currently in use. This is a win-win-win: less emissions, efficient heating and cooling, and recycling income from oil that previously went up in smoke.