On our holistic Cradle-to-Cradle philosophy, we have combined the latest insights and materials with sustainable practices. With an area spanning 72,595 m², the building is climate-positive, and partly due to this, it is the greenest distribution centre in Germany. The resulting successful outcome is most certainly also down to the open cooperation with our client and project partners. This allowed us to make only a few minor concessions in terms of the building's quality and architecture in an economically and geopolitically challenging time. Among other things, this yielded a nomination for the prestigious MIPIM Award 2024 for logistics projects.
The DC of Levi Strauss & Co. - more commonly known as Levi's - is a brownfield project. It was, in fact, built on the site of the former Wulfen coal mine near the town of Dorsten in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. With our circular, Cradle-to-Cradle construction methods, we are pioneers in Germany and are bringing innovation to the German logistics real estate sector. From the design phase, we have sought to minimise both material and operational CO₂ emissions.
By using renewable energy sources such as solar panels and geothermal energy from deep mine shafts, we are able to create a carbon negative - and therefore climate positive - building. This is in line with Delta's timetable to achieve full carbon neutrality.
“In this project, as in all our projects, we have put the Cradle-to-Cradle principle into practice. We did this by using environmentally friendly and reusable materials and green energy sources as much as possible. The client wanted a sustainable solution and a good working environment for the staff with minimal impact on the environment. That worked out brilliantly in this case”
– Coert Zachariasse
CEO Delta Development
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GLA business space
Of the materials reused on site
Savings from recycling demolition waste
Green wall in the atrium
The mega DC will eventually become the epicentre from which a staggering 55 million items will be shipped across Europe every year. Thanks to extensive automation, only four operators will be needed to run it continuously. Just outside the high-tech warehouse are the returns department and the department where consumers' online orders are processed and garments are personalised according to the customer's wishes, for example with prints, rips and scuffs. This has created 650 high-quality jobs and provided a significant boost to the local economy. This is in line with Delta's vision for the future of logistics, where automated warehousing is combined with high-quality handling and fulfilment work in the same building.
Employee satisfaction has been a key requirement for Levi's from the very beginning. The DC's distinctive undulating window façade not only serves an architectural purpose, but also provides an abundance of natural light. This has been shown to have a positive effect not only on people inside, but also on energy consumption. As with all our projects, we have taken care to ensure that air quality, noise levels and green spaces are as good as possible, both inside and out. A large roof terrace has been added for lunch breaks and also serves as an excellent meeting place. The eco-friendly mobility plan also helps to reduce the carbon footprint by providing direct access to public transport, cycling and walking routes. Inside, the open design and comfortable communal areas encourage effective collaboration, based on the knowledge that people perform best when they feel good.
The distribution centre and offices are LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum-certified. Both certifications underline the value we place on strict environmental standards and sustainable practices. We also won the Brownfield24 Award for this project, and Delta has been nominated for the aforementioned MIPIM Award 2024 in the 'Best Industrial & Logistics Project' category. This confirms that we are on the right track with our sustainable way of working.
“By designing our buildings in such a way that people feel at home, we are able to increase productivity. We have even been able to prove this in the past, after the relocation of one of our clients. The days when people had to eat their lunch between crates are over as far as we are concerned. At Levi's, staff can enjoy the carefully landscaped roof garden during their lunch break”
– Coert Zachariasse
CEO Delta Development
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Client
Levi Strauss & Co.
Location
Dorsten, Große Heide Wulfen, Duitsland
Surface area
70,000 m²
Architects
Quadrant 4
Development partners
European Logistics Real Estate Partners
Project management
Drees & Sommer
Contractor
Bremer BAU
© Delta Development
