We can't do without green industry, revitalizing brownfields is key, experts say
The Czech company Demaco, which is the only developer and general contractor on the industrial real estate market, has built up renowned specialists in the revitalization of brownfield areas in its three years in the field of industrial construction. While other development companies demolish the original development and build their projects completely from the ground up, Demaco is not afraid to revitalize older developments as well. In the evaluation of the original properties, he sees the potential for gentle reclamation and preservation of the genia loci of the original property, all using the unique software solution Building.online and adapting the technical standard dmc construct 4.0.
“Not all buildings are technically so bad that they deserve complete demolition. Their value is just in the reconstruction,” thinks Jaroslav Kaizr, partner of Demaco. And he adds: “The rent for a renovated industrial hall can be said to be only about 10% lower than for a newly built one, but the renovations are, compared to the new construction, less demanding in terms of permitting processes and often less expensive. As a result, we can afford to charge lower rents. For the last project of this type in Pardubice, we managed to rent the entire space before the construction, which is confirmation of interest in this type of industrial premises. “
Property value is key to sustainable development of the economy
In recent years, brownfields have dominated over so-called greenfields, due to a combination of a lack of green building land and interest in the space from the logistics of the last mile, which needs to be close to the residential development of which the brownfields are partially located. Demaco specializes in the revitalization of brownfields, taking into account the original infrastructure and development, which uses a unique building management system in conjunction with the building.online software from Inteligent studios. The software is designed as a building service book. The basis is a management system that focuses on the process of meeting individual milestones in the construction process, and which gives subcontractors access directly to the construction log. Already from the construction phase, Budova.online also contains the necessary information about revisions, repairs, user requirements, or about contractual relations and received and issued invoices. Part of the standards of industrial halls from the Demaco workshop is always an economical solution in the management of water in the territory, for example in the form of maximum catchment and retention of rainwater through systems such as inverted wells, or the use of the latest technologies in the use of rainwater directly in the production technology. As Jaroslav Kaizr adds: “The value of space and sustainable real estate development are key factors in the recovery of our economy. “ Thanks to this philosophy focused on sustainable development and the protection of water in nature, the company won the first place in the LOG-IN 2020 competition in the category Innovation in Logistics Realities in the autumn.
We can't do without green industry
The progressive climate change has resulted in extreme weather manifestations and alternating periods of drought and heavy torrential rains. It is for this reason that developers are increasingly counting on systems for retaining water from precipitation and its sustainable use in their projects. When creating project documentation, it is necessary to think not only about economic but also environmental aspects and so-called eco-efficiency, which aims to create a balance between the activities of enterprises aimed at the appreciation of assets and the protection of the environment, that is, to maximize values, while minimizing the use of resources. “An example of this is our industrial park DMC Parbudice I, which was created by redeveloping the brownfield site of a former factory from the 1960s,” adds Jaroslav Kaizr. Most banks and investors recognize the importance of sustainable development and construction of industrial properties and refuse to finance investment projects that contribute to climate pollution or encourage sustainable projects by being willing to pay extra for them.
“The pandemic has brought about a fundamental change in the understanding of energy, space and time. It's incredible how our society wastes these resources. It is necessary to start taking sustainable development seriously, otherwise the next generations will face much more serious problems than the pandemic. But far from being just about green certifications and emissions allowances, the economy needs to change from the ground up towards the pursuit of profit growth to sustainably raising values. This, of course, also applies to real estate.” concludes Jaroslav Kaizr.
