St. Modwen Logistics has completed Longbridge 155 – a €23m (£20m), 155,000ft² facility, which includes c. 9,500ft² of grade A office space and is rated as one of the most sustainable warehouses in the country. Complete with an EPC A+ energy rating and BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification – placing it in the top 1% of UK non-domestic / industrial buildings for sustainability – Longbridge 155 offers occupiers significantly lower energy bills, owing to a range of energy-efficient measures.
As energy costs escalate and tariffs increase, insights from across St. Modwen Logistics’ supply chain show that Longbridge 155 could see occupiers generate more of their own energy, whilst helping them use less operationally. The roof-mounted solar generation alone could lead to savings worth in the order of €114,731 (£100,000) a year, when compared with similar buildings for controlled and uncontrolled energy use.
The building features 1,600m² of rooftop solar PV panels, which generates a significant proportion of clean energy used by the grade A offices that form part of the Longbridge 155, qualifying the building to be rated officially net zero carbon in operation. This PV offering also has the potential to be expanded to cover the entire roof to meet the demands of any prospective occupier.
Energy savings are also made thanks to the installation of air source heat pumps, which heat and cool the unit using innovative hybrid technology. Using ambient air with low GWP (Global warming potential) pumps further reduces the building’s dependency on more energy intensive alternatives.
The building also comes with 15% roof light coverage, providing sufficient daylight to illuminate the warehouse and decrease the dependence on artificial lighting. In the offices, increased window heights allow more natural light to flood in. All the LED lighting is smart enabled with Bluetooth connectivity to allow for customisation, as well as using motion sensors to reduce wastage.
Rainwater harvesting methods allow the building to use recycled water in a variety of ways, from flushing its WCs to washing fleet vehicles, whilst the building also reserves 20% of its car parking spaces for EV vehicles to encourage greener travel.
The site is set to create more than 300 jobs once occupied and is suitable for a wide range of industrial and distribution purposes thanks to its proximity to the M5 (J4) and M42 (J2) motorways, both of which are just three miles away.
Polly Troughton, Managing Director at St. Modwen Logistics, said: “Longbridge is an area close to our hearts and we are really excited to open Longbridge 155. From day one, we have wanted this unit to be as sustainable and energy efficient as possible to support our customers’ needs and we have worked tirelessly alongside our partners GMI Construction to make this a reality. Our customers tell us that rising costs, attracting and retaining staff, and meeting company ESG targets are their biggest focus at the moment. By providing a cost-saving, energy-efficient warehouse which is a comfortable and enjoyable place to work, St. Modwen Logistics is helping businesses to tackle all this at once and we look forward to welcoming in an organisation that shares our passion for sustainability.”
Gareth Jones, Joint Divisional Management Director at GMI Construction, said: “We’re thrilled to have reached practical completion and handed over a high-quality, sustainable warehouse to St. Modwen Logistics. The sustainable design is very much in line with our values as a construction company and we are very proud to have been a part of this project.”
