Q4 2022 BUILD 7 tailored towards the needs of truck drivers. It was funded by Transportes Soto e Hijos, a firm which has long committed to offering an exceptional transport service to the people of Mexico. They wanted a building to act as a flagship for their services, and the spearhead for their move into the US market. A team of experts were assembled to act as consultants on the projects, including truck drivers, a truck designer, trucks workshop mechanics, hoist experts, compressor experts, warehouse managers and experts in the logistics of moving goods across international borders. This pool of knowledge was an invaluable guide as the Ei Construcción team began to develop their plans. On their side, Ei Construcción employed the services of a lighting designer, a skylight expert, solar energy expert, security and communication systems expert, internet expert and furniture expert to work alongside the standard design team of a civil engineer, architects, structural engineer, electrical and mechanical engineer and the landscaping designer. This ensured that whilst the project would fulfil the unique requirements demanded of it, it would also be able to lead the way in terms of green technology. Sustainable principles drive a lot of what the Ei Construcción design team does, with a desire to take care of Mother Earth at the heart of many of their decisions. Any construction project will disturb the balance of the world, but there are choices which can be made to make the impact as small as possible. The less damage done, the better. To this end, on this project, the team have sought to make the most of the potential of solar panels, lighting controls and skylights that do not transmit heat, and so consume as little energy as possible. The success of these decisions will become clear as the building enters operation. The facility is forecast to use only 20% of the energy supplied by El Paso Electric compared to a building with similar capacities. Of course, solar panels are only one aspect of sustainability, and what elevates the Ei Construcción team is their holistic approach to the matter. The team try on every project to incorporate various different ways of securing sustainability. This might mean reusing water where possible, as well as designing gardens so they use as little water as possible. Whilst delayed considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new freight terminal is set to be an incredible success for the firm. It embraces the potential of modern technology and the ideas that people will want to see in the future. One of the best examples of this is the way in which the team have explored the needs of future generations. To find ways of ensuring that they work comfortably, the team included a flexible open work area which gives ease of communication and possibilities of different work and leisure positions. They also designed an area in the landscape specially for meditation and praying, calling it “El Jardin de los Olivos” or “The Olive Garden” Now complete, it’s clear that the truck terminal meets the high standards that the Transportes Soto e Hijos team had dreamed of. Despite taking two years to complete, the quality imbued at each stage of the design and construction process is obvious. Now, the terminal stands apart as an example of a worldclass facility for truck drivers and for the staff who work there. Since opening its doors, the team’s hard work has been justly recognised as one of the best facilities in the region. The success of this project was not always guaranteed, with the team forced to stop work just before construction because of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were severely restricted in how they could live and work. Whilst the team were quickly able to continue on the project as it was infrastructure, the completion was delayed significantly because of the unforeseen
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