By: Daily Reporter Staff//May 16, 2024//
From the start, Hunzinger Construction knew the new GEA Repair, Logistics, Assembly, Production and Training Facility in Janesville would be a challenge — it needed to be a net-zero facility.
“We took numerous steps to get to that net-zero goal,” said Andie Rodenkirch, a senior project manager with Hunzinger.
Headquartered in Germany, GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
The 86,000-square-foot building features a high-efficiency heating and cooling system, solar panels, LED lighting, electric car charging stations, recycling and water reuse system.
“We needed to divert at least 70% of construction waste and we were able to divert 235.52 metric tons or 87%, which was incredible,” Rodenkirch said.
GEA has a state-of-the-art building management system, which allows the company to track and monitor different systems to make sure the building runs efficiently.
“The building has a tight envelope to halt any infiltration of air,” Rodenkirch said. “It’s not going to lose energy.”
The solar panels on the building’s roof and ground produce enough energy to power the entire building.
The project had zero lost time accidents. Rodenkirch said Hunzinger has an open-door policy where anyone can come forward and report what they believe is a safety issue. He added Hunzinger also developed and implemented project-specific safety plans, held weekly safety meetings and conducted daily safety checks.
“Our first priority on every job is safety,” he said.
Location: Janesville
Complete: December 2023
Owner/Developer: GEA
Architect: Zimmerman Architectural Studios
Engineer: Strass Maquire & Associates, Harwood Engineering ConsultantsGeneral Contractor: Hunzinger Construction
Submitting Company: Hunzinger Construction
Subcontractors: All-Tech Decorating, Arbon Equipment Corp., ArtUSA Noise Control Products, Babcock Solutions, Badger Scaffold, Blair Commercial Painting, Breezy Hill Landscaping, Breezy Hill Nursery, Buhler Co., Builders Hardware & Hollow Metal, Building Service, CAD Services, Capitol Survey Enterprises, Chilstrom Erecting Corp., City of Janesville, Claridge Products, Consolidated Doors, Construction Supply & Erection, Contrx Industries, Corcoran Glass & Paint, Cushman & Wakefield, ECS Midwest, Eder Flag Mfg. Co., FM Global, Frank Silha & Sons Excavating, GCP Applied Technologies, GEA Mechanical Equipment US, Germantown Iron & Steel Corp., Halverson Carpet Center, Henricksen, Hetzel Tile & Marble, Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Hiram Power Electric, Intelli-Building Control Solutions, JF Ahern Co., JW Schultz Construction Co., Kathy’s Shade Shop, KMI Construction, Lemberg Electric Co., Lycon Inc., Maase’s Floor Coatings, Michels Corp., Mid City Corporation, Middleton Construction, Milwaukee Plate Glass Co., Munson, Nucor Harris Rebar Rockford, Olympic Engineering, Otis Elevator Co., PCI Austad, Poblocki Sign Co., Ramboll/OBG, Regency Janitorial Service, Rock Road Cos., Schranz Roofing, Sheet Metal Services, Staff Electric Co., Stonecast Products, Systech Design, Testing Service Corp., The Horton Group, Thomas A Mason Co., Total Mechanical, Tri-Formed Top Corp., Veit & Co., Wells Concrete, Wil-Surge Electric, Winning Technologies, Wynn O. Jones & Associates.