17 February 2022 | News
Brocacef builds sustainable distribution centre
Construction of the Brocacef Group’s sustainable distribution centre at Business Park Amsterdam Osdorp began in late 2021. The multifunctional centre will supply Brocacef’s business clients such as pharmacies and healthcare institutions. The centre will also deliver medicines directly to consumers in Amsterdam. The location on the outskirts of the city will reduce the number of kilometres driven. Heembouw is building the centre to a sustainable design drawn up by Heembouw Architects, in collaboration with SADC and owner GLP.
The new distribution centre on Maroastraat will be approximately 24,600 m² – 2,130 m² office space and 22,450 m² warehouse space. The large building is composed of horizontal bands that unite the various floor heights into a coherent whole. The corners of the building are rounded, giving it a high-tech appearance. The first floor and the entrance area are largely transparent, making the building a light and pleasant place to work.
Sustainable urban distribution
Brocacef expects to be reduce driven kilometres through Amsterdam by mid-2023. Ensuring optimal planning means fewer vehicles will be needed to deliver to consumers’ homes. In addition, the use of electric vehicles will lead to a total reduction of 30,000 kilos of CO2. Peter de Jong, CEO of the Brocacef Group, says: “Brocacef wants to be the healthcare partner that people choose consciously. Taking care of a better living environment is part of this, which is why we want to realise CO2 neutral business operations by 2030. Alongside Heembouw and SADC, Brocacef is contributing to sustainable urban distribution in Amsterdam.”
These ambitions for sustainability are in line with those of Heembouw. Rinus Verhey, director of property management, says: “We are aware of the impact of our activities on the planet and are genuinely committed to doing better. It is great to share these ambitions with Brocacef and to realise this sustainable building.”
Sustainable building
The new distribution centre will have 5,880 solar panels on the roof and will be equipped with solar control glass and LED lighting with twilight switches. In addition, the site will be generously landscaped with plants and trees, and rainwater will not be drained away via the sewers but returned to the soil via soil infiltration. The production capacity of the new centre will be double that of the current building which it replaces.
Nature-inclusive car park
The car park of approximately 8,000 m2 will be ‘nature-inclusive’ with plants on the facade. This not only incorporates greenery, but also dampens traffic noise and purifies the air. There will be a bicycle shed with charging points for e-bikes and there will be charging points for electric cars in the car park as well as charging points elsewhere for the urban distribution vehicles. The building will be completed by the end of 2022 and be operational by mid-2023. Upon completion, the building will qualify for the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.
About Brocacef
The Brocacef Group is a group of companies committed to people’s health. The Brocacef and BENU brands support people looking for advice on a healthy lifestyle, and offer the appropriate medicines, self-care products and medical aids. Brocacef also serves a wide variety of healthcare providers in the business market including pharmacies, general practitioners, hospitals, care homes and pharmaceutical manufacturers. We are a major presence in the national consumer market with our chain of some 500 local BENU pharmacies and via BENU Direct. The Brocacef Group employs around 5,400 people.
Source: Press release, Brocacef/Heembouw 17 February 2022.