DHL Supply Chain is further boosting its sustainability credentials with the opening of a new multi-user facility in Coventry, UK that is entirely powered by renewable electricity.
The facility, which has been certified as BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, is DHL’s first operationally carbon-neutral new-build site in the UK.
The building features an air source heat pump which provides all the warehouse and office heating and cooling requirements, saving approximately 135 metric tons of CO2 annually compared to a gas-powered system.
Sustainable electricity
It also has 3,000 solar panels, supported by a custom on-site battery storage system developed by DHL’s in-house Digital Manufacturing team, which provide over 40% of the site’s electricity. The site load has been intuitively configured to use stored electricity via the battery storage solution and shift peak demand to off-peak, and a real time building management system enables continuous visibility of the system’s overall performance. There are also 30 electric vehicle charging spaces and all-electric material handling equipment as well as a brand-new fully electric tug.
Natalie Frow, managing director e-commerce and retail, DHL Supply Chain UK and Ireland, said, “As a warehouse that is fully powered by renewable electricity, our new Coventry operation sets the standard for the industry. The highly considered design and fit-out is centered on our three priorities – our people, our customers and our environment.
“We’ve created an operation that is not only highly efficient at meeting the demands of omnichannel brands, but it’s a positive space to be in. Since opening applications for vacancies, we’ve had more candidates than any other site which really shows that we’re meeting the needs of the modern workforce and I’m delighted to be welcoming so many new people into the DHL family.”
Omnichannel requirements
With more than 83,000m2 of operating space, the site has been configured for retail and consumer brands with omnichannel requirements thanks to high-capacity racking, a state-of-the-art pick to light system and three levels of mezzanine flooring for lightweight goods.
Additional automation features include autonomous cleaning robots, a mobile wrapping robot and a dimension system to automatically measure the dimensions and volume of parcels and pallets for faster categorization and sorting.
The facility has been built in line with DHL’s Carbon Neutral Building Framework and supports DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap. By the end of 2025, all of DHL Supply Chain’s warehouses will be operationally carbon neutral.
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