Low-Carbon Warehousing: Examining Impacts of Building and Intra-Logistics Design Options on Energy Demand and the CO2 Emissions of Logistics Centers

Julia Freis,Willibald Günthner,Philipp Vohlidka

doi:10.3390/su8050448

Abstract

Logistics centers contribute to CO2 emissions in the building and logistics sector and therefore share a responsibility to decarbonize not only the supply chain. Synergy effects in both building and intra-logistics should be considered as suitable levers to lower energy demand and related CO2 emissions. This research develops firs t with a systemic approach an integrated analytical model for energy calculation and reference building models for different types of logistics centers to provide basic knowledge and a methodological framework for planners and managers to aid in the selection of different intra-logistics and building design options for optimum energy efficiency. It then determines the energy demand in reference building models and performs parameter studies to examine interrelations and impacts of design options for intra-logistics, building technology, and building skin on energy demand. It combines these to optimized reference building models to show the extent to which energy and CO2 emission savings can be reached. The results show that it is possible to significantly lower CO2 emissions. However, there are clear differences between the different types of logistics centers and the impacts of different design options.

Highlights

The building sector is responsible for 36% of CO2 emissions and for around 40% of energy consumption in the European Union (EU) [1]
A system structure was defined which describes the functional connection between the system elements, the influence on the system from the environment, and the effects of the system’s behavior qualitatively within an abstract model that is representative of different types of logistics centers
The aim of this work is the evaluation of the energy interrelation between the areas of intra-logistics, building skin, and building technology within logistics centers and, further on, the examination of the impacts of intra-logistics and building design options on the total operational energy demand and related CO2 emissions for different types of logistics centers

Summary

Introduction

The building sector is responsible for 36% of CO2 emissions and for around 40% of energy consumption in the European Union (EU) [1]. Logistics buildings will have to ensure a very high-energy performance. Architects, developers, investors, and operators are faced with the challenge of planning, designing, and implementing energy-efficient and ultra-low CO2 emitting concepts for their logistics buildings and the equipped material handling and storage technologies. This is so because building technology, such as heating or lighting systems, the building skin with windows and loading bays, as well as intra-logistics, such as material handling, storage, and flow technology, all have an impact on the total energy performance of logistics centers, accounting for energy-related CO2 emissions

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Conclusion