'Real estate logistics and the zeroes of nett learning.'

The future of the construction industry and the possibility of reindustrializing the country are in question © Freepik

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The Climate and Resilience Act requires a reduction in artificial land development, resulting in a significant reduction in land available for logistics real estate in major markets. Industry players are looking for solutions to efficiently utilize what already exists and are working to improve space utilization. There is also a need to facilitate the integration of warehouses into the environment, as the population''increasingly sensitive to the environmental impact of construction projects. The Climate and Resilience Act aims to reduce net man-made land development by 50% by 2030 and then 100% by 2050. Logistics operators have already started to assess its impact on their operations. According to Laurent Sabatucci, founder of logistics real estate consultancy EOL, "It will cause a rapid reduction in land solutions in major markets such as Ile-de-France, Lyon and Marseille. The Hauts-de-France region still has vacant land, as the region has large sites associated with the discontinuation of the steel and coal industries." The logistics sector has developed strongly in France and the area is attractive.'''We have convenient roads and highways,'' emphasize Laurent Lamatière and Eric Guillaud, logistics consultants at Arthur Loyd Logistique. Logistics is suffering, although the sector represents only 0.96% of artificial land development. In the short term, we will no longer be able to carry out new operations other than those already built. "

Sanctuarization of spaces

Christophe Broncar, CEO of the Dentressangle Immobilier Logistique foundation, observes the impact on all real estate sectors beyond logistics. "[The climate and resilience law] leads to difficulties for companies to move, develop and replace tools. For owners, it makes it difficult to carry out major modernization works on their premises, as their tenants hardly ever move because of''real estate JLL France, also a member of Afilog, an association of industry players. There will be some harmonization between the regions." In fact, regional logistics conferences with local participants and collective bodies were organized last year at the initiative of the government and will continue. Their aim is to identify sites or areas specifically designated for logistics real estate. "The state mentions industrial wastelands, but there is often a gap between their location, remote, and the desired sites, warn Laurent Lamatière and Eric Guillaud. These wastelands are located in former industrial basins, in the east of France or, for example, on secondary highways,''such as St. Etienne, which are far from the metropolitan area of Lyon. Such a location can lead to a significant increase in transportation costs. It is also essential that the site is close to an area with jobs. "

Preference for high-rise buildings

Another solution to the shortage of land, according to Bruno Montigny, could be the verticalization of buildings to reduce the amount of space they occupy. Such architecture is far from new in France. Multistory buildings were built in the 1970s near or within major cities, such as on Boulevard Macdonald in Paris or in Pantin. The projects were discontinued, with some exceptions, due to stricter regulation. Most local plans for urbanization (PLU)''limit the height to 15 meters. According to Laurent Sabatucci, "we need a clearer legal framework to make these buildings easier to implement. If we have a decree tomorrow that precisely defines the criteria for a multi-storey building, it will be easier to get the support of local collectives". Such a framework will also allow projects to emerge outside of urban zones.

The impact of environmental issues

This perception continues to exist, although the situation has changed, according to Alain Chretien. "Builders and developers''real estate has already made changes, creating buildings seeking High Quality Environmental (HQE) certification, developing reference values, etc.'" Two years ago, Afilog members and the state signed an environmental charter to outline commitments to: establish reference values for calculating and estimating greenhouse gas emissions from warehouses, cover 50% of their usable roofs with photovoltaic panels, implement 100% rainwater drainage as close to where it falls as possible, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 for real estate projects. "The environmental role in our industry is huge. Between 35 and 40% of CO2 emissions are generated by buildings," says Philippe Arfi, CEO of Goodman France. For Goodman, the y''which currently has around ten projects underway in Ile-de-France, a model for the future is their Green Dock platform envisioned for the Port of Gennevilliers as part of the Haropa Port competition, a major river and sea port along the Seine axis. "The environmental role in our industry is huge. Between 35 and 40% of CO2 emissions are generated by buildings [in Europe and worldwide, in all sectors]," emphasizes Philippe Arfi, CEO of Goodman France. "The Green Dock will consist of four floors (including the first floor). Deliveries will be made both by automobile and by water. However, there is strong opposition to this project as it threatens a natural site included in the Natura 2000 program and generates significant truck traffic. 'Community Consultation'. 'have allowed us to make changes. We will increase the share of water transportation by doubling the size of the berth for direct barge loading,' replies Philippe Arfi. Our construction application will be reviewed. At the public hearing, we will discuss the proposals we have included in the project, including biodiversity measures. "

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The Dockinn platform offers unused space Since September, the Dockinn.fr platform has offered a link between storage space providers and logistics companies. The creator of the project, Augustin Dufort de Lajart, discovered a real need to optimize logistics facilities. "I was in charge of operations at a temporary employment firm in logistics, which allowed me to get to know the diversity of suppliers. Я''thought some of them didn't know how to deal with unfilled warehouses and also had difficulty managing excess inventory,' he says." To access the site, you must register. It is free for shippers, while logistics companies have an annual subscription. Shippers or those looking for space can enter their queries based on various criteria. They mark the warehouses they are interested in, just as if they were filling out their shopping cart on an e-commerce site. Once the order is confirmed, the requester receives detailed information about the selected warehouses and the space provider receives information about the interested customer. Dockinn's goal is to maximize the list of sites and''keep it up to date. "By the end of the year, we hope to have 150 registered sites. We believe that 35% of warehouses in France have vacant space, including in very sought-after logistics zones," says the founder. The current formula offers sites to rent or buy in logistics real estate. By the end of the year, three new offerings will be added: "dockimmo" will offer spaces (rather than entire buildings) for rent or sale; "dockoffice" will be designed for use when offices inside warehouses are not in use; and finally, a platform for companies that sell or want to buy used logistics equipment.