Prologis Industrial Warehouse Distribution Center

Innovating for a Green Future
For this 246,007 sq. ft. distribution warehouse facility, a global real estate logistics company wanted to explore alternatives to traditional steel construction. With an aggressive goal to reach net zero emissions by 2040, the company was looking for a sustainable approach to the construction of industrial buildings.

The Sustainable Solution? Mass Timber
In exploring alternatives to the embodied carbon in steel, the team decided on a mass timber superstructure, cladded with prefabricated concrete alternative panels for the exterior as the solution.

Element5 supplied sustainably sourced CLT (cross-laminated timber) for the roof panels, and Glulam for beams and columns (replacing what traditionally would have been steel columns, joists, girders and a metal deck).

Mass Timber Superstructure Stats
- Project comprises 40ft high Glulam columns, 55ft and 60ft long Glulam beams, and 250,000 sq. ft. of 3-ply CLT
- The mass timber used provides a 62% decrease in embodied carbon emissions as compared to a steel skeleton structure.
- The mass timber used in the project offers a 62% decrease in embodied carbon emissions compared to a steel skeleton structure.
- The overall construction techniques will reduce emissions by 1,480 metric tons – equivalent to the annual emissions of 186 homes.

This project is North America’s first mass timber constructed warehouse!

Other Sustainability Features
A goal of the client was to learn best practices and to share these lessons learned globally across the company.

Other sustainability of the facility include:
- Electric heat pumps for air conditioning
- Electric vehicle chargers
- Low emission paints and sealers
- Optimized slab on grade with metal fibers
- Solar ready structure

 This benchmark-setting facility building is targeting a LEED certification.