The modern industrial hall in Panattoni Park Cheb South has become the greenest industrial building in the world. It has achieved an Outstanding rating and a record score of 94.2 per cent according to the prestigious BREEAM 2016 New Construction sustainability certification. The building was constructed by property developer Panattoni, with Accolade Group as the project investor. The hall has a total area of over 40,000 sqm, with the majority of the space leased by German online automotive parts retailer AUTODOC, which currently operates in 27 European countries, employing around 5,000 people in 10 countries.
“The level of certification achieved is not only good news for Panattoni, but for the entire Czech Republic. It underlines that modern industrial construction in the Czech Republic truly has the highest global standards and places great emphasis on responsibility towards the environment and local communities. This is why our country is still an interesting destination for investments by large multinational companies that want to conduct global business in the field of sustainability,” says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni’s General Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“The Czech Republic now has the greenest building for modern industry in the world in Cheb, which is a great satisfaction for us. It confirms that the path of investing in green buildings, which we set out more than 10 years ago, is the only right and possible one for us. There are not many projects in the world with the highest level of Outstanding certification, because the requirements to achieve this level according to BREEAM New Construction are very strict and only a very small percentage of buildings can achieve it. I am even more pleased that this is the sixth Outstanding for us,” adds Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade.
Rainwater flushing and energy savings.
Panattoni Park Cheb South, which was built on a brownfield site on the site of a former engineering plant, consists of six buildings, two of which are rated Outstanding. The hall, which AUTODOC uses as a distribution centre, is literally riddled with sustainable features. The construction itself was carried out under strict environmental measures, with more than 85% of construction waste saved from landfill. Exposed parts of the building are designed to minimise the frequency of any replacements, and all materials are selected with consideration for their environmental impact throughout their life cycle.
The building is also exceptional in terms of energy management. Thanks to the installation of water-saving sanitary facilities and a rainwater flushing system, the daily consumption of potable water has been reduced by 85%. The total primary energy consumption has been reduced by 59.2% compared to the baseline, resulting in a 68.6% reduction in CO2 emissions from the building. The building therefore saves 2 474 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. All interior and exterior lighting consists of high-efficiency LED luminaires. Optimal access to daylight is ensured by large and openable windows, which are fitted with blinds. The roof is then prepared for the placement of a photovoltaic power plant.
The emphasis on sustainability is also evident in the immediate surroundings of the building. Landscape greenery has been planted with native species with low maintenance and water consumption. In addition, the arrangement of the greenery provides ample habitat for birds, insects and small vertebrates. There is also an insect hotel, lizard nesting boxes and squirrel nesting boxes. Employees can use the outdoor gym, dining room and relaxation area with seating. Eco-friendly transport is provided by a regular bus service on site. In addition, there are charging stations for electric cars and locking bike racks.
Excellent transport accessibility is also a great asset of the project. Near the park there is the I/21 road connecting to the D5 motorway, which connects Prague and Rozvadov. The European rail corridor from Prague to Nuremberg also passes through Cheb, and a local railway line connects the border areas of Germany and the Czech Republic. The container terminal in the German town of Wiesau is 33 km away.
First in the Czech Republic and Poland.
For developer Panattoni, the Cheb building is the sixth “Outstanding” in the joint portfolio built for investor Accolade. According to statistics, the vast majority of buildings that pass BREEAM certification achieve a Very Good grade, with a large margin of Excellent and only about 3% reaching the highest grade of Outstanding. In addition, Panattoni and Accolade became the first entities in the Czech Republic and Poland to achieve BREEAM Outstanding for a new industrial building. In addition to the two buildings at Cheb South Park (the second with tenant Kaufland eCommerce Fulfillment), the Stříbro Industrial Park and Kojetín Industrial Park have Outstanding certification, with the 187,000 sqm building in Kojetín being the largest building with this level of certification. In Poland, the industrial parks in Szczecin and Konin achieved the highest rating. The total area of their projects certified as Outstanding is nearly 260,000 square metres.
The Czech Republic is among the leaders in sustainable industrial construction.
The Czech Republic has strategically positioned itself as one of the leaders in sustainable development and has already received a total of 109 BREEAM New Construction certificates. In Central and Eastern Europe, it is second only to Poland in this respect (600 certificates). Third place belongs to Romania (90 certificates), followed by Hungary (59), Lithuania (55) and Slovakia (45) by a wide margin.
The significant number of certified buildings in the Czech Republic underlines its attractiveness as an investment destination for companies wishing to align themselves with global sustainability goals.
