Delhaize, Brussels

Circular Construction meets Logistics Innovation

Client

Montea BV, Aalst

Location

Forest, Brussels

Project Duration

February 2021 – August 2024

Can a logistics center deliver more while consuming fewer resources? For Montea and Delhaize Belgium, the answer lies in a logistics hub designed around circularity, efficiency, and renewable energy. The innovative e-commerce logistics center in Forest, Brussels, sets new standards for sustainable urban logistics.

Delivering Circularity in Urban Logistics

Drees & Sommer supported the project with Cradle to Cradle® Real Estate Consulting, helping to enhance circularity, resource efficiency, and long-term sustainability into the development from the earliest planning stages. The result is a fossil-free building that combines high operational performance with innovative environmental solutions. The facility is powered by water-to-air heat pumps and incorporates rainwater harvesting and reuse, smart skylight systems, and residual heat recovery to minimize energy and resource consumption.

To make the most of the available space, the parking deck was placed on the roof of the building, with photovoltaic panels installed above it. This approach supports renewable energy generation and contributes to the site's overall efficiency. By reclaiming and reusing materials from the former industrial site, the project minimized waste and conserved valuable resources.

Dedicated exclusively to e-commerce operations, the facility significantly increases Delhaize’s delivery capacity while reducing its environmental footprint and supporting the transition to more sustainable logistics.