A highly modern industrial building has been constructed in CTPark Prague West near Prague, which holds a record 92.1% ‘BREEAM New Construction’ sustainability certification score of ‘Out-standing’, making it the ‘greenest’ industrial building in the Czech Republic. Behind its construction is CTP, the largest developer focused on sustainable industrial and logistics real estate in the Czech Republic. The ware-house, which was built under strict environmental measures, features a range of innovative solutions contrib-uting to energy efficiency, as well as facilities to support local animals, abundant greenery, and a charging station for electric vehicles.
The title of the most environmentally friendly industrial building was previously held by an industrial warehouse in Cheb, now this title has been given to a newly constructed building by the developer CTP. The warehouse, which has expanded CTPark Prague West, has been certified as the most environmentally friendly industrial building in the Czech Republic according to ‘BREEAM New Construction’ standards, with a record score of 92.1%. The building is home to the leading company Rhenus Logistics, which uses it as a cross-dock for its pan-European network for collection services and warehousing.
“After the first year of use, we are very positive about our new building. Combined with other energy saving measures, the new building helped us to successfully overcome the energy crisis that erupted shortly after we moved in. Growth and efficiency are part of the Rhenus DNA. The new building allows us to combine the two and is another step towards fulfilling our commitment to social responsibility and long-term sustainability,” explained Aleš Novák, Head of Sales, Rhenus Logistics.
The sustainability of the warehouse lies in several clever features. Inside, there are zone lights that allow people working in the open space to illuminate just their workspace, rather than having to light up the whole office. The windows are also fitted with external blinds. There are also sensors for efficient heating and cooling, thus there is no unnecessary energy loss. Temperature control in the building, together with air circulation, is provided by the Free Cooling system, which helps to cool the building on warm days through special vents. The building is equipped with energy-efficient, low-water consumption devices, underground retention tanks for rainwater management, waterless urinals, and an Aquastop system that prevents water waste.
“I believe that this unique approach will help to break down the myths that are often mentioned in connection with developers. Even the construction of industrial parks can be carried out with minimal environmental impact. We strive to make all our developments as sustainable as possible and are constantly improving, to provide our clients with the highest quality facilities on the market. The result is highly rated projects such as CTPark Prague West or CTPark Prague North, which aspires to an even higher BREEAM certification score,” commented Jakub Kodr, Head of Business Development, CTP Czech Republic.
Emphasis was also placed on the ecological construction of the warehouse. CTP worked with certified and recy-cled materials from the site and the surrounding area, which allowed, for example, most of the gravel to be replaced with concrete recyclate. Biological surveillance was also carried out on site during construction, to over-see the protection of local species. At the end of construction, geomonitoring boreholes were implemented, to measure the quality of the groundwater resources. For the local fauna, lizard, beetle and bird boxes, as well as a pond were created outside the warehouse. The site is complemented by a varied planting of local plant and tree species and outdoor seating.
“The building is a fitting reflection of the values we hold as part of ESG. We use certified materials, work with ex-perts, and apply the latest industry knowledge. It’s a process that has become standard for us at all our parks. Sustainability is not just about one thing, it consists of many smaller solutions and elements, the overall result of which is a more environmentally friendly approach during construction and subsequent operation of the building,” adds Gabriela Povýšilová, ESG Manager, CTP Czech Republic.
The most sustainable warehouse is situated in a desirable location near Prague, where there is a strong long-term demand for modern and sustainable facilities. It is in CTPark Prague West, which is strategically located west of Prague near the village of Chrášťany. In addition to its proximity to the capital city, it offers excellent connections to the D5 motorway (direction Pilsen and Germany), close access to the metro and Metropole Zličín, and only 10 minutes to the airport. The park is also equipped with chargers for electric cars.
The developer is also expanding another one of the most sustainable CTParks in the Czech Republic near the capital city. That is CTPark Prague North, where it has recently completed a 32,000 sqm warehouse called D8.7B and will complete a second warehouse, D8.7A, at the end of the summer with an area of 20,000 sqm. These buildings aspire to an even higher BREEAM certification score than the warehouse at CTPark Prague West. When completed, they will be the ‘greenest’ warehouses in the world.