IMEG’s inclusive design services and process engineering experience resulted in the firm being a design partner for Prairie Sky Seed’s new greenfield seed conditioning facility and warehouse. The state-of-the-art, fully automated plant is equipped to clean, size, treat and package wheat and other grains. The fast-track project, designed and constructed in eight months, used a design/build delivery method with phased releases of construction documents. Structural concrete design was released first in order to meet construction schedule requirements. Conditioning facility process design was released next, followed by mechanical systems. The bulk storage design was released last, coinciding with construction in that area.

IMEG worked with the contractor and the client to establish the project scope in order to meet the client’s needs while maintaining the project budget. The firm’s 3D modeling ensured design accuracy and multiple-discipline coordination, enabled digital fabrication, and employed clash detection to eliminate risks and better control project schedule. The contractor also used IMEG’s 3D model to aid in construction planning and coordination. The new facility can condition seed at 500 bushels per hour (BPH). Its design allows for future expansion to 1,000 BPH by installing a second conditioning line.

Through the first six months of operation in the new facility, Prairie Sky Seed conditioned more than 600,000 bushels of wheat. Through the first year of operations, the new facility is expected to condition and treat more than 750,000 BU of seed.