Garbe Celebrates Topping-Out Ceremony for Wooden Logistics Property in Straubing

It is undoubtedly a flagship project that attracts attention far beyond the borders of Bavaria: The largest logistics center in Europe, built entirely of wood, is currently being constructed at the Straubing-Sand port. Together with representatives from politics and business, as well as the companies involved in the construction, Garbe Industrial and Logicenters, Nreps’ development and management platform for logistics properties, celebrated the topping-out ceremony today. Both joint venture partners are investing a total of around 31 million euros in the new building, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

(Hamburg/Straubing) The property is being built on a plot of land measuring approximately 47,000 square meters. The modern logistics center will feature a hall area of about 24,500 square meters, along with approximately 1,500 square meters of storage mezzanine and about 1,100 square meters for offices and social rooms. The property will be equipped with 26 loading bridges and nine sectional doors for loading and unloading trucks, six of which will be covered with side access.

“Our goal is for the buildings we realize to do more than just fulfill their purpose,” says Adrian Zellner, a member of the management board of Garbe Industrial. “As a real estate company, we place great importance on harmonizing ecology and economy in the planning and realization of our buildings. Our properties should consume fewer resources, burden the environment less, and be usable in the long term. The building material wood plays a special role in this regard.”

Wood Has So Far Played a Minor Role in Fully Developed Logistics Properties

So far, wood has played a rather subordinate role in fully developed logistics properties. At the Straubing port, both the complete load-bearing structure of the hall and the mezzanine levels and facade are being constructed from wood for the first time. “As Garbe Industrial, we are pioneering here in Straubing together with our joint venture partner Logicenters and the general contractor Köster,” emphasizes Adrian Zellner.

A total of around 4,400 cubic meters of wood will be needed for the new building. It comes from sustainable forestry in PEFC-certified forests. Spruce and pine from the Bavarian forest and neighboring Austria will be used for the construction. For the facade, which will visually stand out from other typical logistics properties, Douglas fir from the Black Forest and Switzerland will be used.

Renewable Resource Wood Offers New Opportunities

“As a renewable resource, wood offers entirely new possibilities for saving carbon dioxide in the realization of logistics properties due to its ecological balance,” explains Adrian Zellner. According to calculations by Garbe Industrial, the CO₂ footprint is reduced by 66 percent when using wood for the load-bearing structure and facade compared to conventional reinforced concrete construction. Additionally, the insulating effect of wood creates the conditions for energy-efficient temperature control. “By deciding to use wood as a building material in Straubing, we are fulfilling our ecological responsibility and want to be pioneers for a forward-looking, sustainable construction method,” says Adrian Zellner.

Both the joint venture partner Logicenters and the Zweckverband Hafen Straubing-Sand, as the land lease provider, support the clear commitment to wooden construction. “With the realization of the logistics center in Straubing, we are setting standards in terms of sustainability,” is Martin Ohly, General Manager at Logicenters Germany, convinced: “Together with Garbe Industrial, we want to ensure that wooden construction becomes established in logistics. The demand for sustainable properties oriented towards ESG criteria is increasing.”

Pleased are (from left to right): Martin Ohly (General Manager at Logicenters Germany), Andreas Löffert (Managing Director of the Zweckverband Hafen Straubing-Sand), Bernhard Krempl (Deputy District Administrator of the District of Straubing-Bogen), Adrian Zellner (Member of the Management Board of GARBE Industrial), Markus Pannermayr (Mayor of the City of Straubing), Adalbert Hösl (Mayor of the Municipality of Aiterhofen)

In Line with the Sustainability Goals of the Port

For Andreas Löffert, Managing Director of the Zweckverband Hafen Straubing-Sand, the wooden logistics property aligns with the sustainability goals of the port: “As a site operator, we pay attention to the ecological execution of construction measures when new businesses are established. In this respect, the new building fits perfectly with our efforts for more sustainability.”

The property also sets standards beyond just its construction method. 2,000 square meters of roof area will be greened. An additional 16,500 square meters will be equipped for a photovoltaic system with a capacity of about two megawatts peak to generate renewable energy. To avoid the use of fossil fuels, the property will be heated using air-to-air heat pumps. Garbe Industrial aims for certification according to the Gold Standard of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for the property.

The site will feature parking spaces for 70 cars, twelve trucks, and 30 bicycles. The transition between the outdoor area and an adjacent biotope will be designed in a nature-friendly manner. Benches in the green areas are intended to provide retreat options with quality of stay. To protect nocturnal animals, the lighting concept aims to limit outdoor lighting to a necessary and sensible level.

An Important Building Block for Sustainable Development

Mayor Markus Pannermayr, who is also the chairman of the Zweckverband Hafen Straubing-Sand, welcomes the nature-friendly design and is pleased about the new settlement potential for companies: “I hope for many positive effects – for the port and the region. This new building is an important building block for sustainable development.”

The logistics property in Straubing is located just a few meters from the harbor basin and the Danube. Freight tracks run in close proximity. The site is connected to the A 3 and A 92 motorways via the federal roads B 20 and B 8. The A 3 connects Straubing southeast to Passau, northwest to Nuremberg, and further on to the Rhine-Main area and Cologne. The A 92 provides access to the greater Munich area. A bus stop located 200 meters away offers connections to the public transport network and the Straubing-Hafen train station.

Storage of Water-Hazardous Substances Also Possible

Due to its location with trimodal transport connections, the logistics center is particularly interesting for companies that provide logistical and production-related services. A foil will be installed under the entire hall’s floor slab for sealing, and the floor will be lowered so that special products, such as water-hazardous substances, can also be stored. The property can be rented either entirely or in units starting from approximately 7,600 square meters. Discussions with potential tenants are ongoing. Adrian Zellner anticipates rental success even before the completion of the new building.

Photo: © Garbe