Saxum Cold Storage
Joliet, Illinois
The warehouse is situated on an 8-acre site within the Southfield Park 35 development in Dallas, Texas. Construction was completed in the fall of 2022. This facility was being constructed with cross-laminated timber (CLT), a precision designed wood product that replaces the concrete tilt-wall panels of typical industrial warehouse. By using CLT instead of steel and concrete, the carbon emissions are mitigated almost by half. The 60-foot panels originate from a forest in British Columbia, Canada, which is closely regulated by federal authorities who allow only 1 percent of available timber to be cultivated and mandate that two trees be planted for each one that is harvested.
In addition to the reduced carbon footprint of CLT, the material offers a more aesthetic design compared to conventional warehouse design, as well as the operational benefits of the related energy efficiency.