Even within individual sectors or among direct competitors, the supply chains and therefore ultimately the real estate-related processes can vary greatly. This has a significant impact on the aspects of sustainability. An operating method that ensures greater energy efficiency for one user of a particular property can ultimately even have a negative impact on others. Differences can also exist between used and vacant properties and individual (federal) states with different building legislation. Or the local authority may insist on certain structural measures when allocating land - for example, green roofs.

Common starting points are important
Despite all the differences from project to project, common supra-regional building standards are nevertheless important as cornerstones. This applies to construction methods and materials as well as to space concepts and building configurations. There are currently still some differences from country to country. In Scandinavian countries, for example, climate-friendly glulam beams or wooden trusses as roof girders (also known by the abbreviation "Glulam") have become much more widely accepted than in Germany, where they have so far only been used by a few developers. The use of renewable raw materials can significantly improve the environmental balance of a logistics property. In Germany, on the other hand, there are numerous "best cases" regarding the recycling of construction waste in brownfield redevelopments.

For the mandatory steel and concrete components, on the other hand, standards for local production can play an important role: Instead of importing the materials from India or China, for example, they should be manufactured within a certain radius of the construction site. The fact that the step from pilot project to industry-wide guideline can be successful in just a few years has been shown, for example, in the case of low-emission LED lighting, which is now installed in almost all logistics properties.

Certify and analyze
Many of the measures that are applicable to most properties can also be found in the criteria catalogs of environmental certification systems such as LEED or DGNB. These are an important guide for both developers and users when it comes to the basic ecological footprint of a logistics space.

However, to determine exactly what is sustainable for each individual tenant and what is not, individual analyses are required - and therefore a large number of sensors. This systematic data collection makes it possible to examine a wide range of technologies for optimizing the operational and environmental performance of buildings at tenant level. For example, it is possible to determine whether and for how long integrated charging points for electric delivery vehicles are used, how efficiently solar panels combined with power packs or geothermal heating systems work for a wide range of tenant profiles. Continuous monitoring of air and water quality, temperature, noise levels and lighting is also useful. It allows important conclusions to be drawn about the operation of the property, reveals optimization possibilities and, last but not least, is an important indicator of the quality of work of all those who spend time in the property.
Sensors and smart building technologies have the potential to generate significant benefits for tenants and owners. For example, tenants and landlords receive real-time information on the current status and consumption values of the property and can thus optimize usage and operating processes. This results in a better energy balance and lower costs, which is becoming increasingly important in light of the growing pressure on margins in the logistics industry. Ecologically sustainable therefore also means economically sensible.

All of these examples show that it is not a strict choice between "standardized" and "individual", but rather the question of how the two can be combined. In the medium to long term, however, the individualistic approach to data collection using sensor technology will also lead to new standards - as soon as enough individual data points are available from which symmetries or commonalities between different users at different locations can be derived.

Thinking sustainability regionally
However, the issue of sustainability by no means stops at the boundaries of the respective site. Rather, logistics and production properties can and should create added value for the immediate surroundings. In addition to cultural and leisure facilities as well as canteens or daycare centers that are also available to the surrounding residents, biodiversity is a particularly important aspect of sustainability: logistics properties are still all too often associated with a massive volume of (truck) traffic, including noise and particulate matter, and thus with a burden on the local flora and fauna. However, more and more business parks and big boxes are now being used to house native animal species.

Interestingly, standards can also meet individual approaches here: For a relatively large number of logistics properties, it makes sense to establish bee colonies that do not disrupt ongoing operations but contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Honey included. For properties in certain regions, on the other hand, bird nesting boxes or insect hotels make sense. Even herds of buffalo can be considered in special cases - depending on the local challenges in preserving the animal and plant world. And here too, sensors provide a knowledge advantage: by analyzing the movements of the bee colony mentioned at the beginning, for example, biologists can gain important information for their research projects.