Metal Growhouse Building in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii

Sunward Steel Buildings, Inc. was pleased to fabricate and supply this preconstructed steel building on behalf of a customer in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii, in June of 2002.

These days, the durable, highly sustainable steel building serves as a grow house and agricultural building for the Hamakua Heritage Farm, a grower and purveyor of specialty and organic mushrooms. Nicknamed “Hawaii’s Gourmet Fungal Jungle,” the Hamakua Heritage Farm cultivates mushrooms using a tried-and-true Japanese method so that they grow out of bottles filled with a combination of corncob, wheat bran and grandis eucalyptus saw dust. This prefabricated metal farm building houses the farm’s growth operations, and farm workers use the space year-round to grow and cultivate the farm’s signature Hamakua Mushrooms, which boast a thick, meaty texture, as well as a range of other exotic varieties.

Hawaii’s Trusted Specialty Mushroom Supplier 

While Hamakua’s mushrooms have long been a hit across Hawaii, they’ve made their mark on other parts of the nation and world, too, even going so far as to appear of the plates served at former President Barak Obama’s inaugural dinner at the White House. The farm’s owners, who left their interior design and helicopter pilot careers to pursue their true passion, continue to leave their impact on Hawaii’s agricultural scene, and they even recycle the “substrate” their mushrooms grow in so they can distribute it amongst local farmers. This particular steel agricultural building houses an essential component of the farm’s operations, providing a reliable, versatile growing environment where farmers can maintain quality control and product consistency. Preferred by many farmers and ranchers with agricultural needs, pre-engineered metal farm buildings offer economical, low-maintenance construction solutions that can accommodate a wide range of storage, feed, animal and livestock housing, and related needs. A census-designated area in Hawaii County, on the island of Hawaii, Laupahoehoe is situated within the District of North Hilo. The community sits about 24 miles outside Hilo and about 32 miles from Waimea.

Interested in purchasing a pre-engineered metal building for farming, agricultural, industrial, commercial or other use in Hawaii or another part of the country? Explore your options for steel buildings in Hawaii or click here for a price quote.

Building Specifications

Because this agricultural building sits within an area prone to heavy seismic activity, its owner needed a structure that was durable enough to withstand earthquakes, and Sunward Steel was up to the task. Comprised of the strongest available steel components, the metal farm building stands 132’x121’15’6” in size, and it features an attractive, Colony Green exterior. Overhead, it boasts a hardwearing, corrosion-resistant Stone Beige roof with matching trim and a 2:12 pitch, and it also features (50) framed openings distributed throughout. Included are (2) 3068 openings, each enclosing one of (2) 3068 pre-hung walk doors, and the farm building also has (48) 11’4” skylights overhead that let natural sunlight inside, aiding the growth process. Other key features intended to help prevent water from pooling around the building include an eave gutter along two sides and 160 linear feet of downspouts at eight different locations. An 80-mph wind speed rating serves as a supplemental feature included in adherence to local building code requirements.