RE: LOGISTICS
Next generation warehouses
Acting as hubs for the billions of products bought each year, warehouses lie at the heart of every retail operation. But with so much going on, is it possible to make them as sustainable as they are efficient? Amy North reports
At a glance, warehouses might seem like characterless buildings dotted distastefully on the landscape, filling endless industrial parks. But, rather like a duck on water, peering beneath the surface of these buildings exposes a flurry of activity which allows businesses up and down the country to deliver the products consumers are demanding. With this activity, however, comes a raft of challenges – exacerbated
largely by new cost and environmental pressures. For instance, operators must keep costs to a minimum without compromising the quality of – correctly stored – goods. They also need to implement energy saving measures without altering the products’ optimal temperatures. If Coca-Cola Enterprises’ facility in Dagenham, London is anything to
go by, such pressures are largely surmountable. The facility is operated by one of the UK’s largest privately owned logistical companies, Howard Tenens, and plays host to a number of sustainable and environmentally- friendly features which saves energy and water. Howard Tenens says there are many opportunities for owners and
operators to make their warehouses more efficient which can start before the warehouse is even up and running. The first point to consider, according to the firm, is the building materials. Using, recycled and natural materials during construction wherever possible is imperative, it believes. Appropriate insulation can also help to maintain the temperature of the warehouse, without the need for additional heating and cooling systems, it suggests. Moreover, incorporating renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, and installing energy efficient lighting and rain water harvesting also provide viable opportunities for increased sustainability, advocates Howard Tenens. These are all things which Coca-Cola Enterprises’ facility seems to demonstrate in spades. The Voltaic warehouse not only houses solar panels, it harnesses the earth’s energy through a ground source heat pump to supply heating and cooling systems to the offices. Additionally, taking advantage of natural light by using skylights, it is also reaping significant electricity savings. In total, it has saved over 121 tonnes of CO2 every year.
Coca-Cola Enterprises warehouse in Dagenham features a range of sustainable technologies including solar panels and rain water harvesting
Discussing how it ensures its products are stored correctly, while minimising the impact on workers, Howard Tenens, says: “We take great precautions that all our logistics solutions are not only of the highest quality, but also as safe as possible for our employees. Our systems of work are designed to be safe yet efficient, and our intuitive IT platforms allocate stock in such as way so as to reduce warehouse travel for staff, decreasing picking time and reducing forklift fuel usage.”
Taking advantage of these factors can lead to “tangible cost savings” both for the operator and client, which saves significantly on utility bills, Howard Tenens concludes.
Lighting Keith Wyatt, environment advisor to the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) and director at Keith Wyatt Consulting, says warehouse operators are becoming more aware of their environmental credentials. He says the “green story” used to be about marketing but due to a number of levies and schemes by government, it is now about money. However, Wyatt says while take up in the warehouse industry is getting better, companies are struggling to fulfil their potential on this matter. “Times are hard and people are looking at what their profits are like rather than the planet. “You would think that in hard times people would rush to save money but people are more worried about trying to keep their business going. People need to be secure where they are to bring in these types of things,” he adds.
According to UKWA and the Carbon Trust, which has undertaken extensive research on the topic, the UK warehousing sector could cut energy costs by over £200 million each year by adopting a range of cost effective energy efficiency measures. The main opportunity, according to Wyatt, can be found in lighting
60 RETAIL ENVIRONMENT | JUNE 2013
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