The distribution centre is situated along the Tilburg A58 motorway and is, due to its size and futuristic design, a true eye-catcher.

The distribution centre, named “The Tube”, consists of three linked compartments with mezzanine floors at two levels that are suitable for Value Added Services (VAS) and/or (future) expansion of the office.

The main entrance is on the right (east) side of “The Tube” and provides access to the office. This is where Rhenus Contract Logistics established its head office for the Netherlands.

A separate entrance was created for the employees of the warehouse that is located centrally and can be reached via a tunnel. This tunnel passes under the manoeuvring area for the lorries, which guarantees safe access to employees. The entrance to the shipping office where drivers can report can also be found here. The drivers can watch on screens how their lorries are loaded or unloaded.

The warehouse where products are stored in racks and block stacking is located immediately behind the receiving & despatch area. In addition, a part of the products is placed in an ‘auto-store’. This is mechanised storage for the benefit of the order picking.

Below the highlights from a number of categories are provided.

FSC certificate

The contractor, Heembouw, disposes of the FSC certification as a result of which all the wood that is used during the construction is FSC certified wood. Also the wood that is used permanently in the building disposes of the FSC quality mark.

Water consumption

The building is equipped with Modbus meters in the various groups of all main and sub-distribution units and the available water meters. These meters are all linked to the DOCC CONTROL platform that allows for the reading of extensive consumption data, as well as the real-time consumption. Because consumption data can become transparent at an exceptionally detailed level, maximum awareness of the user of the building is created. The data are presented in the specifically organised exhibition in the main lobby.

Rainwater, originating from the roof, is absorbed in tanks. This water is used to flush the toilets. The latter in combination with water-free urinals, valves at the various water consuming groups that are switched off by the motion detectors of the lighting installation and automatic water taps make it possible to reduce the water consumption.

Healthy work environment

The offices dispose of a healthy indoor climate. Apart from the choice for the air conditioning system that contributes to the saving of energy, employees have the possibility of controlling the climate according to their personal needs. The CO₂ concentration at the workplaces is measured continuously and, where required, supplemented with additional fresh air. In addition, the workplaces dispose of their own lighting configuration (per 4 workplaces), height adjustable desks, ample natural daylight and the possibility of preventing light nuisance through the installed awning. We are convinced that these measures directly result in a healthy and pleasant work environment, which will ultimately result in a reduction of the sickness absenteeism.

Attention is not just paid to health aspects at the office. For instance, the façades of the warehouse were provided with wall-lites that provide for daylight. These wall-lites were positioned strategically at the centre of every aisle, as a consequence the warehouse disposes of remarkably much natural daylight, which contributes to a liveable indoor climate.

The Trias Energetica principle played a central role in the elaboration of New Logic III. The Trias Energetica principle consists of the following three steps:
Step 1: Limit the demand for energy;
Step 2: Use sustainably generated energy;
Step 3: Where required, use fossil energy as efficiently as possible.

Energy saving measures

The building was designed air-tight as a result of which as much heat (or cold) as possible remains inside. The latter in combination with the correct insulation value of the façades contributes to reducing the loss of energy to a minimum. The results from the air-tightness tests confirm this picture. This even showed that the office scores at the level of a ‘passive home’.

By setting the standards high, BREEAM assists in making the correct system choice with regard to the cooling installations of our offices. We opt for a sustainable energy system that heats our offices. In this respect we opted for a VAV system (Variable Air Volume system) in combination with an air-heat pump. This VAV system uses free cooling, which means that in case of a low outdoor temperature and an increasing indoor temperature, the offices are cooled with the “free” cool outdoor air, without the intervention of the heat pump. A VAV system is an all-air system, which means that in case of more demand for cold or heat, more air is blown into that specific area. As a consequence the CO₂ levels always remain within the safe margins and a contribution is made to a healthy indoor climate.

The complete building was provided with triple glazing. This type of glazing does not only contribute to higher thermal insulation but also to better acoustic insulation. Noise from outside is reduced to a minimum.

Generating sustainable energy

New Logic III uses sustainably generated energy through the enormous PV installation, consisting of 11,620 PV panels. This renders the building both energy and CO₂ neutral.

Entirely gas-free

Both the warehouse and the offices are heated with an air-heat pump. This renders “The Tube” entirely gas-free and thus a unique building of its kind.

Encouraging bicycle usage

To stimulate the use of bicycles amongst the staff ample attention was paid to this. For instance, a bicycle lane was installed on the premises and there are no less than three covered and lockable bicycle sheds. In addition, there are changing rooms (M/F) that provide for showers and lockers. 

Charging points for electric vehicles

To stimulate the use of electric means of transport several charging points are installed at the parking facilities.

Construction

The main support construction consists of a recyclable steel frame. In consultation with the constructor the correct grid size and optimisation in the steel construction were sought in order to design both as effectively and efficiently as possible. The steel pillars in the warehouse are protected with collision protection.

The foundation of the ground floor of the warehouse consists of a reinforced concrete floor poured in the work. Together with the mixed granulate this floor provides for a stable substructure for the racks and business operations of the user. Because BREEAM imposes requirements on the environmental impact of the materials used, we exclusively looked for suppliers that dispose of an ISO 14001 certificate.

Building façades

Apart from the trendsetting front façade, which is made entirely of aluminium, the façades of the warehouse were provided with sandwich sheeting of Kingspan. Wall-lites are available in the delivery programme of Kingspan that contribute to a daylight option for the warehouse. By selecting these panels strategically at the centre of every rack aisle the warehouse disposes of exceptionally much daylight, which contributes to a liveable indoor climate in this part of the construction. The LED lighting addresses this handily and is dimmed automatically.

Flexibility

The building was set up with attention for flexibility. Due to the selected grid size of the building pillars the user is free to divide the warehouse according to its own needs. With the introduction of an ESFR sprinkler installation, rack sprinklers have become redundant. Changes in the division of the warehouse are thus always possible, without changes having to be made in the sprinkler installation.

It was opted to provide the “lost” space above the receive and dispatch area with hollow-core slabs with a maximum span. As a consequence the forwarding zone is pillar-free as much as possible, which prevents the chance of collisions with these parts of the building. Above it, lost space is practically filled through the creation of mezzanine floors where manual order picking activities can take place. In addition, parts of this area are filled as office space, canteen and dressing rooms.

Layout and finish

Inside “The Tube” has a high finishing level with ample natural elements. This results in a pleasant and comfortable work environment.

Reijrink steel construction won the ‘Tekla BIM Benelux Award’ with the new development Rhenus DC, New Logic III. They had already felt tremendously honoured that they could perform the project under the authority of Heembouw and Habeon architecten, however this award would give it even more lustre. Not only were they proud to also work on such an eye-catcher along the Tilburg A58 highway, but also because it is a beautifully innovative building that asks for special dedication of the builders. The jury of the BIM awards appreciated this.

Due to the 1^st prize for the BeNeLux, “The Tube” was also nominated for the Global Awards.