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DECEMBER 2019 | 35 Molson Coors Brewery PHOTOGRAPHY + RENDERING COURTESY OMICRON Molson Coors Brewery by NATALIE BRUCKNER LOCATION 45662 Elder Avenue, Chilliwack, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Molson Coors Canada ARCHITECT/ STRUCTURAL/MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Omicron CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Smith Bros. & Wilson (B.C.) Ltd. CIVIL CONSULTANT Hub Engineering Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PMG Landscape Architects Ltd. TOTAL SIZE 397,000 square feet TOTAL COST $300 million T he new 397,000-square-foot Molson Coors brewery in Chilliwack, B.C. is truly a legacy project – one that con- nects the company's storied past to the industry's future. Molson Coors was constrained by the age and location of its facility on Burrard Street in Vancouver and so in 2015 the company announced its decision to evaluate the current mar- ket for the potential sale of the site and relocation of the brewery. The result? The building of a new state-of-the-art brewery that has quickly become a landmark in the Fraser Valley. Finding a site that could accom- modate the needs and the size of the brewery required an extensive review of available land in the lower main- land. "After assessing a number of sites, Molson Coors determined that the Chilliwack site was optimal given its proximity to the Trans-Canada Highway, the size of land available for development, and the friendly business environment and partnership devel- oped with all the stakeholders like the City of Chilliwack, the Economic Partners Corporation, and our First Nations community," says Matthew Hook, chief supply chain officer at Molson Coors Canada. As is fairly common for this area, the soil conditions weren't great so preloading of the entire building's footprint was required by Omicron's construction management team prior to construction. Rick Murray, director of construc- tion at Smith Bros. & Wilson – which has a long history with Molson Coors hav- ing constructed the original Molson Coors brewery in Vancouver – adds that logistics were also somewhat com- plicated due to the footprint of the building. "At the peak of construction there was north of 500 workers on the site, so almost daily logistics were required. We started construction in late August 2017 and faced a chal- lenging winter. In fact, it resembled weather more akin to Alberta, but once we were out of the ground, con- struction went fairly smoothly." For the building, Omicron was tasked with designing a sustainable facility that would stand the test of time and help Molson Coors achieve its goal of reducing energy use by 20 percent and water by 40 percent, com- pared to its Vancouver brewery. The building's foundation was increased to a higher elevation to with- stand a 250-year flooding event, while all the building and equipment have been structurally designed to mod- ern seismic standards. Omicron also opted for a particular design to further increase efficiency and complement the location. "A building this large demands a design approach that is highly tuned to the complex process it houses. Still, we wanted to celebrate the brewing process and did this in two ways; first we put large windows where the 'hot block' is located, providing a glimpse into the heart of the brewery; and second, we placed a composition of large tanks and grain hoppers on the exterior in plain view of people driv- ing by on the Trans-Canada Highway that passes in front of the brewery," explains Pablo Yuste, principal at Omicron. "Otherwise, the building forms are large and boxy, with varying roof heights, and all are clad in a tight metal wrapper of insulated metal pan- els that change orientation and colour to break down the scale of the building. We also carefully designated areas of the exterior for corporate signage and promotional graphics." A fully galvanized steel structure was chosen as the key material for the exterior to prevent corrosion and ensure longevity, and the outside walls have been constructed using pre-fab- ricated insulated panels that minimize material use. "The building envelope meant we were not weather dependant, so there was no impact on the schedule," says Murray. "For the roof we used ther- moplastic polyolefin [TPO], which is white on top and can help reflect the sun's light and stop heat buildup within the building."

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