Green Tractors, Inc.
A family-owned dealership replaced inefficient legacy buildings with a single, high-performance facility designed for energy efficiency, durability and comfort — creating a better experience for customers and employees while securing long-term stability.
Project
Overview
Green Tractors Inc., formerly Clow Farm Equipment, set out to modernize its dealership experience without compromising the values of a family-owned business built on service and trust. The new 15,000-square-foot facility brings every aspect of the operation under one roof, replacing a collection of aging buildings that no longer supported efficiency, comfort or long-term performance.
“After making the decision to build, we started researching options and toured other John Deere dealerships to get ideas and advice,” said Doug Clow.
Those visits led the Clows to a Butler® building system they encountered during their travels across eastern Canada. The performance, appearance and longevity of that facility became the benchmark for their own project. Working with Bel-Con Design-Builders Ltd., a Butler Builder® based in Belleville, Ontario, and Ernest A. Cromarty Architect, Inc., the Clows translated inspiration into a highly efficient, purpose-built dealership.
For Oakley Clow, his wife Shirley and their son Doug, the decision to build was driven by clarity around what the business needed next. The new facility had to perform through harsh winters and hot, humid summers near the Lake Ontario shoreline.
It had to reduce operating costs, improve the customer experience and create a better environment for employees who spend long days inside the space. Just as important, it had to be a building they would not have to think about fixing years down the road.
The design prioritized energy efficiency, low maintenance and year round comfort. The MR-24® roof system provides a weathertight steel surface engineered to accommodate thermal movement as conditions shift from heavy snow and cold to intense summer heat. Paired with the ThermaLiner™ insulation system, the roof assembly delivers accredited R-values as high as 38.7 while contributing to a clean, finished interior ceiling well suited for a customer facing showroom.
Green Tractors is in the business of selling and repairing farm equipment — not repairing buildings. With a low-maintenance building, they can concentrate on what they do best.
The Shadowall™ wall system adds another layer of performance with accredited R-values up to 21.3 and an exterior appearance that reflects the professionalism of the brand. Integrated daylighting reduces electrical lighting demand while creating a brighter, more welcoming environment inside.
The result is a building that supports both environmental responsibility and business sustainability.
“Going into this project, we focused on environmental sustainability, but my mindset was to achieve overall sustainability as well. We wanted to invest in a building that would contribute to our profitability and help make our business economically sustainable for the long term,” Doug Clow said.
Low maintenance was central to that vision.
“Green Tractors is in the business of selling and repairing farm equipment — not repairing buildings. With a low-maintenance building, they can concentrate on what they do best,” said Tom Gunsinger of Bel-Con Design-Builders Ltd.
Today, the Green Tractors facility stands as a clear example of how a precision-engineered Butler building system delivers confidence not just at occupancy, but for decades to come.
