[It’s official] IKEA CDC BEIJING ACHIEVED BREEAM VERY GOOD CERTIFICATION

IKEA Customer Distribution Center (CDC) Beijing opened in December 2023. As the first owned CDC of Ingka China¹, the new CDC plays the role of a distribution hub optimizing the omnichannel fulfillment network in North China to be more accessible for their customers.

The targeted certification Level of the new CDC was BREEAM® Very Good and it was successfully obtained in June. IKEA incorporated a range of sustainable solutions at the site to meet the required standard. The BREEAM consultancy was carried out by Terao team.

Major sustainable solutions by IKEA

The sustainability strategy at IKEA is referred to as people and planet positive. With climate action and circularity as one of the three focus areas², IKEA has been taking ambitious steps towards a more sustainable future through collaboration with partners, co-workers and customers. Let’s have a closer look at the sustainable features of the new CDC:

Energy: The new CDC is located in Tianjin, where the winter is very cold. To improve the building’s insulation ability and minimize the large energy consumption due to heating needs, the building is constructed with high-performance structures, low-emissivity windows, and optimized insulation materials. The site uses air-source heat pumps that are cleaner than traditional heat sources to fulfill heating and cooling needs. Solar thermal panels are installed on the roof to generate electricity, and a solar hot water system is also installed to heat water using solar energy, reducing dependence on traditional energy sources. A building automation system is used in daily operations to automatically regulate indoor temperatures in both winter and summer. In addition, the lighting and ventilation systems can be monitored and regulated efficiently, creating a more comfortable environment while saving on energy consumption costs, thus reducing the overall operating costs of the building.

Air Source Heat Pump – How an air source heat pump works

Water: Rainwater collection systems, submetering systems, isolation valves, and lower flow water fixtures are implemented to reduce water usage.

Transport: The location of the new CDC is not well-served by public transportation, making it inconvenient for IKEA co-workers. To reduce carbon emissions from commuting, IKEA promoted eco-friendly transportation options such as shuttles, bicycle parking racks, and electric vehicle charging stations.

Management: The IKEA team involved the Green Building consultant from the early days of the project, enabling the integration of the BREEAM objectives at the beginning of the design. This facilitated proper implementation throughout design development and construction. Commissioning has been carried out and enabled the project to have a guarantee on the optimized operation of the installed equipment.

Land Use and Ecology: It is not common for warehouse buildings to undergo an Ecologist analysis of the site. Thanks to the Ecologist analysis, the landscape management measures were integrated into IKEA landscape and management measures, enhancing the biodiversity performance of the site.

Besides securing access on-site and safe connection with the surrounding environment, an inclusive accessible design has been implemented for all users with particular emphasis on disabled users.

In terms of material selection, materials from responsible sources (FSC-timber) or products with lower environmental impact were selected. Moreover, robust materials were chosen for their durability.

Terao is always striving for further reduction of the buildings on the environment while maximizing building OPEX performance and guaranteeing comfort and well-being to building users. With this successful project, Terao is proud to support IKEA on their people and planet positive agenda.

Terao has rich expertise in optimizing the sustainable performance of commercial buildings, as shown by our several case studies (see portfolio on the website https://teraoasia.com/portfolio/). For more info, do not hesitate to contact our BD Director Gaspard Lemoine-Scelles at glemoinescelles@teraoasia.com.

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1. IKEA was founded in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 and is the leading retailer in life at home. Ingka Group (formerly known as the IKEA Group) is the largest IKEA franchisee under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Ingka Group operates three businesses in one: IKEA Retail, Ingka Centres and Ingka Investments. Since opening the first store in Shanghai in 1998, till the end of December 2023, Ingka Group has set up 34 stores, 2 shops and 8 Livat in China.
2. The three focus areas include healthy and sustainable living, circular and climate and fair and equal.