From the beginning, Project Dolphin was envisioned as a flagship warehouse and distribution facility that would set a new benchmark for sustainability in industrial buildings. The Owner, Venture One, included a cost-based incentive tied specifically to achieving LEED Platinum certification. The resulting facility, which was completed on time and under budget, is now the first LEED Platinum warehouse in Illinois.
The building incorporates numerous energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly features, including a rooftop photovoltaic solar array, low-carbon concrete, highly efficient mechanical systems and user-friendly building automation. A feedback-enabled design allows workers to share input on comfort and operations, while managers track real-time data on energy use and solar generation to monitor cost and carbon savings. This allows the facility to reduce energy usage by 66% and embodied carbon by 28% compared to regional baselines. Even during construction, battery energy storage systems and solar light towers were used to minimize emissions.
Technology Saves the Day – and the Budget
Technology played a central role in meeting the project’s quality, efficiency and sustainability targets without exceeding the project’s budget or schedule. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used for clash detection, spatial validation and design coordination, reducing rework and streamlining installation. Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) served as a single source of truth for information, checklists and daily logs, giving all parties — from field crews to the Owner — real-time visibility into construction progress and providing opportunities for continuous quality control. This system enabled quick intervention when an unapproved concrete product was detected mid-pour, preventing a costly failure and saving more than $65,000 in potential rework.
Project Dolphin proves that large-scale industrial developments can be both cost-effective and environmentally responsible when design-build best practices are combined with advanced technologies and a project team with a strong commitment to sustainability.
Design-Build Team
| Client/Owner: | VentureOne |
| Design-Builder: | Clayco |
| General Contractor: | Clayco |
| Architect: | Lamar Johnson Collaborative |
| Engineers: | IMEG Corp.; Sun Mechanical Systems; Jacob & Hefner Associates Inc. |
| Subcontractors: | MVP Plumbing; Titan Electric |
| Project Cost: | $34,908,000 |
| Construction Duration: | 12.5 Months |
Photos
Photo Credit: Clayco