Imagine a building so massive you’d need a packed lunch to make it from one end to the other. Seriously – this one is 2.4 million square feet! One of our team members even had to buy a new pair of boots after the job was done because of the sheer number of steps he took. Looks like those boots weren’t made for walking … or at least not for walking that much!
This enormous building, located on what was once farmland in North Alabama, is now home to First Solar, a leading American solar technology company. Since its founding in 1999, First Solar has been advancing the fight against climate change by producing eco-efficient solar panels. They’re also the only one of the world’s top 10 solar manufacturers based in the U.S., making them a unique player in the global market.
And guess who had the privilege of tackling some of the mechanical and plumbing work for this colossal project? That’s right – your trusted team at Lee Company. We handled the mechanical and plumbing systems for the 49,000-square-foot office space and took on a hefty portion of the manufacturing building’s HVAC needs.
Here’s a quick breakdown of our contributions:
Office Space Magic
In the office section of the building, our skilled team worked on:
- Full mechanical and plumbing installations
- Five chilled water AHUs, 41 VAVs, three CRAC units, 12 exhaust fans, two MAUs, and two mini splits
- Plumbing systems, including grease waste, sanitary systems, domestic cold water, and hot water
- A full kitchen, large bathrooms, and locker rooms
- Fabricating and installing 47,000 pounds of ductwork
Warehouse Wonders
In the warehouse, we focused on:
- Installation of all general exhaust, supply air, and return air ductwork
- Setting up 139 owner-furnished AHU curbs with SA and RA duct drops
- A little help from above – literally! We used a helicopter to set 139 air handler units on the roof, a feat that required specialized training for our team
- Furnishing and installing an additional RTU, six chilled water AHUs, two mini splits, 16 exhaust fans, and 130,000 pounds of ductwork
Big Jobs Need Big Solutions
With a project this size, teamwork and precise coordination were key. In fact, one contractor had over 200 people working on-site at one point! For us, it was all about handling our piece of the pie – and we did just that. Even when equipment deliveries decided to show up fashionably late, our team stayed ahead of the game by planning with foresight and flexibility.
The size of the project meant using cutting-edge tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) to make sure everything fit together perfectly. Our fab shop played a crucial role, too, assembling and installing large sections of ductwork and plumbing systems to make the build as efficient as possible.
Solar Savings Are Here to Stay
With solar panels being all the rage – thanks to a 30% solar tax credit sticking around until 2032 – projects like this are only going to ramp up. Lee Company is excited to be part of the solar energy wave, bringing our expertise to projects that help the planet and create cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
