NewCold cold storage facility
| In collaboration with | abt be, abtWassenaar, bbn advisors, Huygen,, Van de Laar. |
| Location | Dinteloord |
| Project scope | 32,000 m2 bvo |
| Expertises | |
Long-term collaboration ABT-NewCold
The Dutch company NewCold, with highly automated cold storage facilities on three different continents, is a global leader in storage and logistics. ABT has been closely involved in the company’s growth from the very beginning. For this new location in Dinteloord, we were responsible for all technical consulting. In collaboration with Megaborn, we designed the building and the surrounding area. The complex consists of a fully automated cold storage facility with a 40-meter-high high-rise warehouse, a low-rise warehouse with expedition and picking floor, a three-story office building, technical rooms for process installations, and loading and unloading facilities. Together, these cover an area of 32,000 m² GFA.
Maximum fire safety
Since standard fire installations do not function in freezing conditions, alternative solutions are necessary to ensure fire safety. ABT designed a fire safety concept that seamlessly aligns with the project’s climate conditions. For the high-rise warehouse, which has a temperature of -28°C, the oxygen level in the air is kept low to prevent any fire from starting. For the low-rise warehouse, given the compartment size of more than 2,500 m², a sprinkler system is used. The office is designed with structural fire compartmentalization. The technical rooms for process cooling (ammonia) are designed based on PGS 13 for safety reasons. The roof of the high-rise warehouse, where solar panels will be installed, is made accessible for the fire brigade by extending two stairwells with dry risers to a height of 40 meters.
Nitrogen emissions
The project location in Dinteloord is situated close to a Natura 2000 area. ABT has provided consultancy for nitrogen emissions. We have considered both the construction phase and the operational phase of the project. During construction, we limited nitrogen deposition by using electric equipment and minimizing the use of diesel equipment. However, the operational phase is crucial. The operation of the cold storage facility requires a lot of daily freight traffic, which results in significant nitrogen emissions. Currently, we are working with an ecologist to investigate whether and how we can increase traffic movements without negatively impacting the nitrogen levels in the nature reserve.
Sustainable concrete
In the new construction project, the ambition is to minimize the environmental impact of the concrete used. ABT has made efforts in structural consulting to limit material usage while ensuring a long lifespan. For cast-in-place concrete, we have set a maximum embodied carbon of 130 kg CO2 per cubic meter of concrete (sustainability class A). Additionally, instead of gravel, we choose concrete granulate as a secondary raw material for cast-in-place concrete. We also use sustainable hollow core slabs with a maximum embodied carbon of 32 kg CO2 per square meter. In the site finishing, we opt for concrete with good environmental performance for paving, sewer pipes, and concrete wells.
Self-sufficient thanks to solar panels
The roof is largely covered with solar panels that together generate 3.2 MW of power. Thanks to large battery packs, the building always has enough power and does not need a grid connection. In case of overproduction, electricity can be supplied to the neighbors, who in turn can assist with their combined heat and power (CHP) installation.
Optimal integral collaboration
A design of this level requires an efficient, integral design strategy. ABT therefore works closely with the other Oosterhoff companies: abt be, abtWassenaar, bbn advisors, Huygen, and Van de Laar. This way, we bring together all disciplines: from geotechnics and structures to installations and fire safety.
