Four thousand photovoltaic panels on the roof of the LPP Distribution Centre in Brześć Kujawski
Finishing works on the new LPP Distribution Centre in Brześć Kujawski are underway. As part of implementing environmentally friendly solutions, four thousand photovoltaic panels have been installed on the roof of the building. The installation with a total power of 1,5 MWh and an area of over seven thousand square metres is one of the largest green projects in the region. In line with the sustainable development strategy, the new LPP logistics facility is expected to meet high environmental standards – the Polish manufacturer focuses, among others, on solar energy, reduction of emissions and employee comfort.
In January this year, LPP – a Polish clothing manufacturer – began the construction of its largest logistics investment: the Distribution Centre in Brześć Kujawski which is scheduled to start operating in the first quarter of 2022. The schedule of works includes the implementation of a number of solutions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the centre’s operations, including the installation of photovoltaic panels.
– Harvesting solar energy for the needs of the distribution centre is a pioneering project for LPP. We want our logistic facilities to be friendly not only for the employees, but also for the environment and local communities; therefore we are equipping them with more and more advanced CO2 reduction systems as well as solutions limiting water and energy consumption. We hope that during the operation of the installation we will get to know its advantages in practice and we will be able to decide on implementing similar solutions in our future facilities. We also do not rule out further expansion of the photovoltaic installation in the newly built Distribution Centre in Brześć Kujawski – comments Łukasz Piwoński, Administrative and Technical Director, LPP.
The photovoltaic panels have topped one third of the roof of the new LPP logistics facility. They currently cover an area of over seven hectares. The remaining part of the roof is prepared for possible further expansion of the PV installation. – In single-family houses there are usually about 20 photovoltaic panels installed. There are 4,000 of them on our building – it is as if 200 households in the region started using green energy, thus reducing its consumption from less ecological sources – adds Łukasz Piwoński.
The energy potential of the panels on the premises of the LPP investment in Brześć Kujawski is over 1500 megawatt hours a year. This means that such an installation could meet the annual energy needs of around 800 households. The installation of the Polish clothing manufacturer will be a source of renewable energy for the facility, while the surplus energy will feed the power grid.
In the LPP Distribution Centre located in the Brześć Economic Zone, the company also plans to introduce other environmentally friendly solutions, such as a recuperation system in the office premises, which will allow up to 95% heat recovery. The building will also feature an advanced BMS (Building Management System), which allows for the functional integration of automation modules, elements for monitoring equipment operation and energy consumption, as well as technical installations of the facility: lighting, heating, air-conditioning and ventilation. The facility will also be equipped with a progressive LED lighting system adjusting light intensity to weather conditions and time of day – so as to ensure comfort of work inside while reducing energy consumption to the maximum.
Currently, the company is in the process of BREEAM certification, which is one of the most widely used methods in Europe for assessing buildings in terms of their compliance with modern, environmentally-friendly building standards. In line with LPP’s sustainable development strategy, the clothing manufacturer wants all its new construction facilities to be BREEAM-certified by 2023.
1Source: Central Statistical Office figures: In 2019, electricity consumption per one consumer (household) in Poland was 1,963.9 kWh.
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ABOUT Brześć Kujawski Distribution Centre
The construction of the Distribution Centre in the Brześć Economic Zone is the next step in the development of the LPP’s supply chain. The state-of-the-art facility will enable the diversification of logistics operations and will strengthen the currently available capacities of the supply and distribution network of the Gdańsk-based company. Its area will comprise 75 thousand m2. The centre will support the operation of LPP’s brick and mortar stores in 25 markets, with distribution of up to 8 million pieces of clothing and accessories per week. In the first phase of its operation, the facility will employ about 500 people. The launch of the Distribution Centre in Brześć Kujawski is planned for the first quarter of 2022.
LPP is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For 30 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collection in traditional stores already on 25 markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Berlin, Tel Aviv or Moscow. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. As at the end of 2020, the company had a chain of over 1800 stores with the total area of 1.4 million sq.m. The online offer of the brands collections is available on 30 markets. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 259 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP plays another important role as it employs nearly 22 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.