Opportunity

Because we focus on sustainability, brownfield developments play a major role in the Prologis portfolio. These developments create new space with minimal impact on the environment. No new areas of soil are sealed; prior contaminants are removed; and the land is repurposed. Prologis Park Moissy 2 in France is one such development. The property was previously owned by PSA group. The car manufacturer used the facility as a storage center for spare parts, and Prologis had the opportunity to buy it.

Challenge

Most of the original buildings had to be demolished to make room for new Class-A logistics facilities. Concrete, metal and other materials had to be either recycled, reused in new buildings or sold to specialists. Infrastructure and trees had to be maintained. In addition, a storm water management system was needed to reduce impact on the community’s sanitation systems and limit the need for water table replenishment.

Solution

Prologis Park Moissy 2, located in the city of Moissy-Cramayel in Seine-et-Marne just south of Paris with easy access to the city, now consists of three buildings: a 70,000 square meter build-to-suit  facility delivered to the discount store chain Action in Feb 2017, a 56,000 square meter build-to-suit project under construction and a renovated building with 65,000 square meters of space leased to the logistics company Transalliance. At full build-out, the park will include up to five buildings comprising 240,000 square meters of Class-A logistics space at the center of a triangle formed by the ring road (La Francilienne), the A5a and the A5b highways.

The development team pursued an integrated approach that minimized the new park’s impact on the surrounding ecosystem. Prologis collaborated with the Water Agency of Seine Normandy to minimize the effect of storms. The team defined two objectives for storm water management: maximizing retention of storm water within park boundaries and filtering storm water to reduce pollutants and deliver it to the water table with minimal contaminants. Prologis implemented a storm water management system that directs storm water to ditches and green hollows near water-resistant areas, such as parking lots and roads, ultimately helping reduce blockages in the waste water systems. Moreover, the implementation of various infiltration facilities will also enhance the beauty of the landscape, which is a source of well-being for customers and the surrounding community.

Biodiversity is another important aspect of the project. Prologis is a member of Conseil International Biodiversité et Immobilier (CIBI), an organization committed to enhancing urban biodiversity. Prologis Park Moissy 2 is designed to improve the surrounding environment through the installation of beehives and shelters for various local fauna, as well as eco-friendly landscaping in accordance with CIBI criteria.

Lesson

Prologis collected new insights through the brownfield development in Moissy 2. In particular,  management of storm water equipped Prologis with a new field of expertise. Prologis increasingly invests in brownfield developments, and we approach every situation with an eye to for unique solutions.