Opportunity
Almost 30 years ago, a facility in Hamburg-Hausbruch was built for the microchip manufacturer Philips. The Philips subsidiary NXP later used the buildings briefly and vacated in the summer of 2010. In 2011, Prologis, which already owned two other logistics facilities at the location, bought the former Philips site to develop a new speculative facility.

Challenge
When the opportunity to expand Prologis’ logistics park in Hamburg-Hausbruch arose, Prologis moved ahead with speculative development on a former industrial site. The location offered many advantages to future customers. The old building had to be demolished and the area upgraded to build the new facility. With the revitalization, Prologis created much-needed industrial space to meet strong demand in the Hamburg market.

Solution
Prologis identified an infill location in Prologis Park Cologne-Eifeltor that met objectflor’s economic and ecologic requirements. Immediately thereafter, low-pollution construction of an 18,600 square meter logistics center commenced.

The property was constructed using low-pollutant and FSC-certified wood-based materials from sustainable forestry practices. Reuse of existing paving reduced the quantity of sealants required on exterior surfaces.

The new facility was equipped with increased thermal insulation, including a high-efficiency heating system with gas tube heaters. As a result, the building runs on only 65 percent of the permissible primary energy as defined by Germany’s 2009 Energy Saving Ordinance.

The property has high safety standards, and bicycle parking areas support environmentally friendly transport.

Employees of objectflor have access to an electric vehicle and electric charging station. The car, with a range of around 100 kilometers and a recharge time of 3.5 hours, will help objectflor save up to 825.5 kilograms of CO2 emissions annually as compared to a similar vehicle that runs on conventional fuel.

Prologis received “gold” certification from the German Sustainable Building Association (DGNB) for this property.

Lesson
Local knowledge and professional know-how enabled Prologis to identify a perfect opportunity for a new logistics facility in Hamburg-Hausbruch. Good connections and proximity to end consumers are important for successful business and a high leasing rate.