Oliver Winchcombe, Head of UK Portfolio Management and ESG, talks about the importance of Earth Day. Oliver comments “Every year, Earth Day gives us a moment to pause and reflect on the state of our planet, and the responsibility we all share in protecting it. For those of us in the logistics sector, it is a reminder that while our work keeps economies growing, it also carries an environmental cost we cannot ignore.

At Panattoni, we take that responsibility seriously. We are making big strides towards building a more sustainable logistics future and believe in the importance of being open about the progress we have made, and the work still ahead.

In 2023 alone, freight transportation, warehouses, and ports made up 11% of global carbon emissions. That is a huge number that comes with a huge opportunity. At Panattoni, we are determined to lead the charge in turning that around.

We’ve committed to ensuring that all of our buildings are net zero embodied carbon in construction.

Our Target Net Zero framework ensures we’re reducing carbon emissions at every level of warehouse construction and operation. Our buildings are constructed to the highest BREEAM and EPC standards, ensuring that we are making every effort to cut emissions everywhere we can.

We use 20-55% GGBS cement replacement, 90% recycled steel, and low-carbon cladding to reduce emissions and energy use when the site was up and running. We also prioritise materials with environmental product declarations to ensure sustainability is always at the forefront of our decision-making process.

Panattoni Park Aylesford is a great example of what our sustainable practices look like in action. We recycled 125,000 cubic metres of concrete during demolition, saving 150,000 kilograms of CO2 and cutting 110,000 lorry miles. Additionally, the massing and external envelope was designed to reduce the visual appearance of the building from Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB). Over 20 acres of land have been restored for nature conservation, and we’ve invested £400,000 into Thornton Wood’s 30-year recovery plan. At Panattoni, we believe in going beyond reducing harm with our projects and developing them to actively help the planet heal.

We don’t just look at how we build, but where. Panattoni is proud to be breathing new life into brownfield sites, giving disused land a second chance. In Swindon, we have broken ground on one of the UK’s largest brownfield sites with a £900 million investment, which has been endorsed by PM Keir Starmer.

Our efforts have yielded some impressive results. Our flagship sustainable warehouse development, Panattoni Park Avonmouth, achieved a 20% and 7% tCo2e reduction from the baseline in each of the two units, and resulted in the purchase of over 53,000 carbon offset credits from Gold Standard. We are also delivering some of our most sustainable developments yet with Milton Keynes and Central A1[M] set to be our first BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ buildings. Also paving the way to a more sustainable future in logistics is Panattoni Park Sittingbourne, which offers a significant advantage to future tenants through its robust and sustainable energy infrastructure. The park features 1.35MVa of solar photovoltaic (PV) power integrated into its base specification, supplementing a total available power capacity of 7.85MVa (including 6.5MVa of conventional supply).

This sustainable energy provision not only supports environmental targets but also delivers meaningful cost savings. Tenants can benefit from estimated annual energy savings of approximately £343,000 pa across the park, directly attributed to the on-site solar PV system.

With success stories like these, Panattoni is well on course to meet its net zero embodied carbon target.

This Earth Day comes at a time when global logistics is the spotlight like never before. What better time, then, for the sector to look to its own practices, making a concerted effort to help build a more sustainable global economy.”

For more information, please visit www.panattoni.co.uk/esg