Gazeley outlines green savings

Gazeley, Wal Mart's warehousing unit, is saving EUR 1.2mln annually in operating costs on its property portfolio thanks to the development of green buildings. 'Our portfolio of energy-sustainable buildings, which has been valued at EUR 1.3bn, delivered an overall reduction in operating costs of 13%,' Gazeley's sustainability director Jonathan Fenton-Jones told the Global Distribution Strategy Conference in Amsterdam last week.

Gazeley started developing energy-efficient buildings in the UK in 2002 before extending the programme to other European countries. Two pilot projects were launched in France recently.

Gazeley's 743,000 m² Magna Park in the UK is the largest logistics scheme being developed according to green standards, Fenton-Jones said. He pointed out that the quality and efficiency of Gazeley's green assets have increased significantly since the first project. That initial 43,000 m² eco scheme showed a reduction of 6% and 7% in CO2 emissions and energy use respectively, compared to the 39% reduction of CO2 emissions and 40% of energy savings at the 65,000 m² Milton Keynes scheme Gazeley is completing this year for retailer John Lewis.

Gazeley has achieved the BREEAM 'very good' rating for sustainability for this asset. 'The property's environmental standards result in this case in annual operating cost savings of £238,000,' Fenton-Jones added. 'We believe that none of our investors or customers would be happy with a D-rating.'

Gazeley is also developing the 'Blue Planet Chatterley Valley' project in the UK, which, Fenton-Jones said, will exceed the UK government's sustainability targets for 2050. The scheme will be a 'carbon positive' development, he said.

Gazeley, founded in 1997, has developed a total 5 million m² of warehousing space in Europe.