Industrial parks are areas which are created by local organisations and then let out to commercial companies. These sites are generally under a special fiscal regime in order to encourage economic activity in the area. Besides parcels of land, the industrial park will include offices, industrial buildings and warehouses. It is normally equipped with underground services as well as parking, internal signage and green spaces.
These industrial zones are classified in France as:
Artisanal zones (ZA)
Commercial zones (ZAC)
Industrial zones (ZI)
Logistical zones
Service zones
Mixed zones
Port and airport zones
Technological zones
Specialised zones, containing specific industries or technologies.
The majority of industrial parks are characterised by their location on the periphery of towns, where they benefit from being particularly adapted to logistical or industrial activities. These zones are also often home to tertiary or workshop based industries which assist in the integration of the urban fabric.
Reid Brewin Architects work hard to ensure that the development of these industrial zones is conducted in a sustainable manner which adds value to the land and the activity zones. As well as our expertise in green design, we bring to these projects an ability to understand the environmental impact of our work thanks to our ISO 14001 certification.
In our environmental approach, we try to manage our projects (new build, urban design or landscape) to limit their environmental impact. This is most notably done through choice of construction materials, and by taking into account the entire life cycle of the building including its maintenance and eventual demolition. The French system of classification of buildings HQE (Haut Qualité Environnementale), which is similar to the LEED and BREEAM systems in the USA and UK, is a way of measuring how well developments respond to the question of sustainability.
This outlook insures the development of a harmonious relationship between buildings and their environment and makes possible the integration of habitable zones whilst respecting and adding value to the land. Particular attention is given to the study of green spaces, key spaces for sustainable design. Another important factor is the treatment of rainwater and solar energy. The latter relies on orientation of the buildings such as to make full use of the solar opportunities available.
Our sustainable approach is constituted in the first stages of ISO 14001 certification and is based on putting in place a system of environmental management. ISO certification helps us to integrate our environmental preoccupations and initiate a policy to deal with environmental issues. This policy is continually under a process of evaluation and improvement. If industrial parks integrate the principles of sustainable design they evoke a growing interest on the part of developers. Sustainable developments can also have a knock on effect on the economy, notably by encouraging a system for the conservation of energy and the management of rubbish. This effect can be useful in improving the company’s public image and the environment becomes a shared responsibility creating new opportunities linked to the conception and use of an Industrial Park.
