Warehouse certification – BREEAM, LEED, DGNB and WELL. What do they mean for investors and tenants?
Modern warehouse and production facilities are increasingly being assessed not only in terms of location, floor area, storage height or the number of loading bays. Equally important factors include the building’s energy efficiency, water consumption, the materials used, the project’s environmental impact and the comfort of future users.
Compliance with specific standards is confirmed by international certifications for warehouses and industrial buildings. The most recognised of these in Poland is BREEAM, but the LEED, DGNB and WELL schemes are also in use on the market.
Their importance is growing alongside the development of modern industrial construction and the requirements relating to ESG and the reduction of property operating costs.
At BTS Development, this trend is reflected in its latest developments – BTS Park Świebodzin VI will be certified under the BREEAM scheme at the ‘Excellent’ level.
BREEAM – one of the most important certifications for warehouse facilities
BREEAM, or the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is one of the world’s most recognised systems for assessing sustainable buildings.
For new developments, the BREEAM New Construction scheme is applied, which analyses various aspects relating to the design, construction and subsequent operation of the property.
The assessment covers, amongst other things:
- energy efficiency,
- water management,
- materials used,
- waste management,
- transport,
- the project management process,
- the building’s impact on the environment and its surroundings,
- and the health and comfort of occupants.
Depending on the number of points achieved, the development is awarded a corresponding certification level – ranging from Pass, through Good and Very Good, to Excellent and Outstanding.
The BREEAM Excellent level requires a score of at least 70 per cent of the possible total and represents one of the highest certification standards for new properties.
What does BREEAM certification mean for a warehouse?
Obtaining certification is not merely a matter of a formal assessment of the finished building.
The requirements of the BREEAM system come into play as early as the design and construction phases of the project. Specific technical solutions, materials and the management of the construction process are assessed.
In the case of a modern warehouse and production facility, these may include, amongst other things, energy-efficient lighting systems, photovoltaic installations, building management systems (BMS), solutions to reduce water and energy consumption, and infrastructure for electric vehicles.
As a result, certification helps to view a building not only through the lens of its construction costs, but also in terms of its subsequent use.
LEED – an international building certification system
The second well-known system is LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
LEED can be applied, amongst other things, to new buildings and covers issues relating to energy efficiency, resource use, location, indoor environmental quality and water management.
Depending on the result, a project can achieve one of four levels:
- Certified,
- Silver,
- Gold,
- Platinum.
The highest level, Platinum, requires a score of at least 80 points.
DGNB – a certification system covering the entire life cycle of a building
Another system used in sustainable construction is DGNB.
In this case, a comprehensive approach to the property and its entire life cycle is particularly important. The system analyses not only environmental issues, but also the economic, technical, process-related and socio-functional quality of the building.
For new buildings, certification can be awarded at Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
This approach demonstrates that a modern hall should be designed not only to meet the user’s current needs, but also to ensure its long-term operational efficiency.
WELL – certification focused on building occupants
WELL represents a slightly different approach.
In this system, the conditions created for the building’s occupants play a major role – including air quality, access to natural light, thermal and acoustic comfort, and the quality of the indoor environment.
WELL should therefore not be regarded as a direct substitute for BREEAM. The various certification schemes can complement one another, as they analyse properties from different perspectives.
Warehouse certification and the benefits for tenants
Why are warehouse certifications becoming increasingly important for companies leasing space as well?
First and foremost, because the solutions taken into account in the certification process can directly influence the subsequent operation of the facility.
For tenants, this means, amongst other things:
- the potential to reduce energy consumption,
- more efficient use of water,
- modern building management systems,
- the use of renewable energy sources,
- better working conditions,
- the potential to reduce operating costs.
Corporate ESG strategies are also becoming an increasingly important factor.
Today, companies analyse not only their own production and logistics processes, but also the characteristics of the properties in which they operate. For some businesses, the environmental standard of a warehouse may therefore become one of the criteria for selecting a new location.
BREEAM Excellent in BTS Development’s projects
BTS Development is expanding its portfolio of modern warehouse, production and service facilities in western Poland.
Its latest project – BTS Park Świebodzin VI – will be certified to the BREEAM Excellent standard.
BTS Park Świebodzin VI is a 23,600 m² development situated near key transport routes – the S3 expressway and the A2 motorway. The facility’s specifications include, amongst other things, LED lighting, a BMS system, a photovoltaic installation with energy storage, and infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.
More about the development: BTS Park Świebodzin VI – warehouse and production facility
The BREEAM Excellent certification marks the next step in the development of BTS Development’s standards. Its requirements align with our approach to designing facilities that are functional, efficient and built to last for many years.
BTS Development’s experience in delivering warehouse and production facilities
New projects build on the experience gained from BTS Development’s previous investments.
Among the completed warehouse and production facilities are premises intended, amongst others, for the manufacturing, e-commerce, transport and industrial sectors.
One of the most recent completed projects is BTS Park Świebodzin V – a 15,210 m² warehouse and production facility.
See: BTS Park Świebodzin V – completed warehouse and production facility
The full portfolio is available here: BTS Development’s completed projects
A modern warehouse must be future-proof
The standard of industrial facilities is steadily rising.
For businesses, it is no longer just the floor area, location and access to road infrastructure that matter, but also energy costs, the potential to utilise renewable energy sources, the efficiency of the systems, emissions reduction and the property’s compliance with ESG policies.
Therefore, increasingly, the question is no longer simply:
Is the facility certified?
It is also becoming important to ask:
Under which system was it assessed, what level of certification has it achieved, and what solutions were implemented to achieve this result?
For BTS Development’s latest projects, the answer is BREEAM Excellent.
This is a further step in the development of our projects in line with the requirements of the modern market for warehouse, manufacturing and service space.
See also
Completed projects – BTS Development
