Maersk’s Ruakura cold store sets a new precedent for high-performing industrial modernism in Aotearoa.
The exceptional facility has achieved a 6 Star Green Star Design & As Built rating.
Essentials
Name: Maersk Ruakura Cold Store
What: new purpose-built facility; provides cold storage solutions with temperature-controlled logistics for perishable goods; provides connectivity between Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Tauranga ports; increases import and export capacity for Aotearoa; offers end to end supply chain management for the Asia Pacific region; Maersk’s first owned and operated facility in Aotearoa
Building Type: Industrial
Details: 18,000 square metre building situated on a 45,000 square metre leasehold site; 625 square metres of administration space; cold store space has blast freezers, cold storage rooms, inward and outward staging areas; docking areas; staff amenities include a wellness room and quiet zone
Location: industrial and commercial park at Ruakura Superhub; four kilometres from Hamilton CBD
Daily occupancy: approximately 50 people
Address: 7 Aka Matua Lane, Ruakura, Hamilton
Project Snapshot
Owner: Maersk
Architectural Designer: Stiles & Hooker
Project GSAP: Powell Fenwick Consultants
Project manager: Apollo Projects
Project status: design phase commenced early 2022; construction August 2022 to February 2024; occupation March 2024
Project certification: 6 Star Green Star Design & As-Built NZ v1.0 Built rating
Decarbonisation and innovation in the cold chain logistics sector is Maersk’s headline act and its new Ruakura operation walks the talk.
“We have an ambition to achieve net-zero GHG emissions across all our global operations by 2040. All Maersk’s newly constructed facilities target the best possible standard available in each country,” says Maersk cold chain sales director Oceania, Tony Mildon.
“In New Zealand the recognised and accepted system is Green Star and this became our goal from the outset of the project.”
He says with long thin food supply chains from Aotearoa to global markets, the drive to reduce Maersk’s emissions footprint has been centre stage.
“Our New Zealand clients appreciate our push for environmental efficiency which in turn allows them to meet the growing demand for sustainability from their own customers. We’re really proud to support them in lowering their emissions footprint from production to plate.”
Architecturally the form and materiality of the big-scale building follow its function.
Stiles & Hooker project architectural designer, Lance Walker, says two office blocks (five metres high) at either end of the facility feature horizontal prefinished metal while the main cold store building (20 metres high) comprises fire-resistant insulated panels.
Materials utilised included Kingspan insulated panels, structural steel and a combination of in-situ and precast concrete.
Tainui Group Holdings - owner of the Ruakura Superhub whenua - guided cultural design considerations including glass manifestations and landscaping.
Powell Fenwick project GSAP, Zoe McQuoid, says the Maersk cold store encapsulates green leadership.
“It proves that world-leading sustainability is achievable even in energy intensive sectors. This project challenges the New Zealand industry to raise its ambitions and demonstrates what is possible when sustainability is embedded in an industrial building from the outset.”
She says the project’s success story has been shaped by:
early targeting of 6 Star Green Star and Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) leading to: early identification and resolution of technical issues; streamlined project development, reduced costs, mitigation of potential delays; fostered of a strong partnership between the client and the project team
energy modelling: verified the building and solar PV performance; showed a 168 percent improvement in operational emissions compared to a reference building (attributed to the PV system)
Life Cycle Assessment demonstrated a 328 percent cumulative impact reduction across all indicators and a 6 percent reduction in upfront carbon
Zoe says cold storage facilities are not highly occupied spaces; hence the project’s focus was on reducing energy, water and carbon impacts.
She says Green Star drove the delivery of advanced and energy-smart refrigeration technologies:
condensate recovery; water from refrigeration system is repurposed for cooling tower misters; significantly reduces potable water demand; a first in Aotearoa
trans critical CO₂ refrigeration system; one of the largest globally; includes nine blast freezers operating at minus 45 degrees; CO₂ has zero global warming potential unlike ammonia or synthetic refrigerants; system captures and reuses waste heat to warm office spaces and the underground glycol system
Apollo senior project manager, Craig Sands, says the level of technology in the refrigeration plant and electrical solar systems is ground-breaking for the building’s genre.
“Cold storage facilities are known to have a huge impact on the environment. To be able to hit 6 Star Green Star is a huge accomplishment for Apollo and our consultants. We believe this building, influenced largely by Green Star, sets a new benchmark for projects of this nature in Aotearoa.”
Those Green Star influenced outcomes include:
1.386kW capacity rooftop solar array covering 100 percent of the roof area; powering refrigeration systems; significantly reducing operational energy; producing around 1.4 MW of electricity at peak production. A key objective was ensuring the panel suppliers met global standards for anti-slavery and corruption
a modified building layout for the CO2 refrigeration plant; instrumental in saving over 88 kilometres of reticulation piping for the facility; reducing construction costs; leading to greater efficiency within the refrigeration plant; major reduction in the carbon footprint of the build
the use of electric forklifts; 10 electric car chargers and electric bike chargers on site; improved energy efficiency and low-emission operations
“Collaboration on site to deliver this high-performing building was phenomenal. We all had a common goal – to deliver of a sustainable cold storage facility - the first of its kind in the nation. It’s also important for us that the delivery of the Maersk project has contributed positively to the local community” says Craig.
More green features include:
rainwater harvesting; integrated systems reduce reliance on potable water
around 70 percent of project waste recycled
sustainable construction materials
water efficient fixtures
no light pollution to external bodies
carbon neutral 100 percent recyclable carpet through office zones; sustainable paint, sustainable ceiling tiles with high acoustics comfort and excellent light reflectance
high level of thermal comfort
improvement in ecological value of the site
project location achieves a high walk score/ access to public transport