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VAN MARCKE DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Menen, Belgium, Europe

Sector Industry
Client Van Marcke Properties, Weggevoerdenlaan 5, 8500 Kortrijk, BE
Architect Atelier d’architecture Van Oost, Oudenaarseweg 19, 8587 Spiere-Helkijn, BE
Intervention Construction
Scope Study and following up MEP, guidance on application BREEAM as BREEAM Accredited Professional
GFA 85,000 m2
Project status completed
Study January 2017 - September 2017
Execution November 2016 - February 2018

Sustainable Features

reuse rainwater
reuse rainwater
water management
water management
green roof
green roof
heat recovery
heat recovery
solar energy
solar energy
geothermal energy
geothermal energy
passive cooling
passive cooling
glazing
glazing

Total technical installations cost: € 16.000.000 VAT excluded

Total construction cost: € 70.000.000 VAT excluded

K Level: Logistics K18, office building K31

E Level: Office building E30

Certification: Logistics BREEAM ‘very good’, office building BREEAM ‘excellent’

 

The Van Marcke Group is rapidly building their new distribution center, offices and training rooms, located in the transport zone of LAR South Kortrijk. Specialized in the supply and distribution of sanitation and heating products, their new distribution center is scheduled to be operational by March 2018.   The new center will not only continue providing customers and retail shops their regular service, but the new center will also absorb the continued growth in Internet sales. Once completed the center will automatically handle 80 percent of all orders while remaining open to anticipated challenges in its sector. 

 

Like Boydens Engineering, Van Marcke is one of 115 Belgian Company members of the ‘Captains of Society’ committed to engaging in the Paris climate accord. Through collaborative efforts between Van Marcke and Boydens Engineering, a BREEAM score of ‘very good’ for the logistics section of the distribution center, and ‘excellent’ for the office building section was established. These high standards translate into a distribution center that will be water and CO2 neutral.

 

Van Marcke’s ambition is to create a showcase of eco-technologies in the distribution center.

The BTES (Borehole thermal energy storage) System with vertical bores coupled to heat pump stations captures the majority of the heating and the cooling demand of the distribution center. During the winter months the heat pumps extract the heat from the soil reducing soil temperature.  During the following summer, a so-called passive cooling is possible whereby cold water suitable for cooling is made available by pumping water to circulate into the BTES system. A second system is also used to collect the cooling peak: three of the nine air groups are equipped with adiabatic cooling and an integrated heat pump. 

 

By letting water evaporate in the air handling units, the air flowing through is cooled in a natural way. The integrated heat pump springs into action whenever the air needs to be cooled further for a short time.

 

When the need to meet the heating demand is required quickly, condensation gas boilers spring into action. The choice of hybrid systems reduces energy consumption and increase the profitability of the investment

 

The floors separating the upper level workspaces from the lower level loading/unloading zones are equipped with concrete core activation (CCA) which is responsible for providing an agreeable indoor climate. Combining CCA together with a BTES is the system of choice. The offices and most meeting rooms are equipped with climate ceilings which are ideally compatible with the BTES system. 

 

Water is a natural resource that Van Marcke does not take for granted and puts to use in a responsible manner. The roof of the center is designed to collect a considerable amount of rainwater that in turn is stored into water tanks totaling 500 000 liters. Van Marcke goes one step further. The rainwater and ‘grey’ water are purified into drinking water, according to demand. For this purpose, a new (mobile) water treatment plant may be utilized if required in combination with an individual waste water treatment.

 

The distribution center’s electricity supply is supported by two systems: a “standard” power grid supply of 3.25 MVA and 2 MWp from solar panels. On the site there is a main HV cabin and three satellite cabinets connected in a loop. Emergency generators from Van Marcke’s previous site were transferred to the new location and account for part of the electricity generation in case of emergency.

The number of solar panels will be systematically expanding (up to a maximum of 2 MWp) and will provide green power for the automated warehouses, indoor lighting, air handling units and heat pumps. With a limited amount of green electrical current stored in fuel cells. Van Marcke is making their first step towards seasonal storage of green electricity, while taking measures to minimize electrical consumption. Virtually every room is equipped with LED lighting. Rooms that have a highly variable occupancy rate have a presence detection system to keep electrical consumption to a minimum.

 

All energy and water flows are meticulously monitored in order to evaluate and, if necessary, adjust performance. The manner in which the building management system is designed, makes it easy and quick for Van Marcke to make such adjustments to optimize these flows.