As a general contractor for industrial real estate, Harden Construction offers comprehensive solutions, including the design and construction of turn-key warehouses and production facilities.

Benefits of working with a general contractor

The first advantage is that the investor is relieved of duties associated with the entire investment process. The design of buildings for industry, the construction of warehouses or logistics centres – each of these activities requires a great labour input, expertise and large human resources, which generate numerous tasks and costs.
A general contractor saves managers’ time, necessary to supervise and coordinate various processes and phases of industrial building construction. As numerous tasks related to both execution and formalities are entrusted to the general contractor’s company, it becomes responsible for the entire building process, from design, obtaining the necessary consents, and hiring experts and subcontractors, to providing equipment according to the specific purpose of the facility.
Cooperation with the general contractor assures less paperwork, but also full responsibility of one entity over the entire investment process. The investor signs only one contract with one entity, which is responsible for the complex construction of the facilities and each stage of the works. Therefore, in case of any comments, it is clearly defined who is the addressee. Thus, the general contractor is obliged to select reliable subcontractors, manage their work and deliver to the investor the final product, i.e. a state-of-the-art real estate with a BREEAM certificate.
This cooperation also provides a price guarantee, which is particularly important throughout the process of controlling investment costs. The general contractor plans, secures and coordinates all resources in such a way as to ensure completion of the project in accordance with the quality and technical parameters, on time and within the specified budget, which translates into real financial benefits for the investor.

General contractor for an industrial facility – what should guide the choice?

Erecting an industrial building involves considerable investment, thus this is of great importance to find a company that will carry out the entrusted task professionally. Before choosing a general contractor, it is worth asking for references from other investors and, what is crucial, check them, e.g. by contacting the real estate owner, reviewing information on the building online, and also inspecting it, even if only from the outside. The contractor’s demonstrated approach to innovation and sustainability while seeking cost-effective solutions, and attitude towards BREEAM certification may also be a key determinant.

What information does a general contractor of industrial facilities need from the investor?

The first thing is the spatial development plan. A technical plan and guidelines from the utility providers will also be necessary. Essential issue to be determined in advance is the purpose of the facility – whether this will be a warehouse, industrial building, infrastructure facility or a logistics centre. The information provided by the investor will help the general contractor draw up an optimal plan and position the facility on the plot accordingly, which is important in terms of the planned installations and connections. Further information to the general contractor concerns the necessary equipment of the production plant – the machinery and process lines. An important parameter is their weight, but also power consumption or generated noise. These data will allow for a precise selection of materials and technologies that will withstand the given loads and offset any inconvenience associated with the use of particular equipment, while ensuring its efficiency.

The final issue is to determine what goods are to be stored in the warehouse or what technology is to be implemented in the production area. This information is necessary for the selection of appropriate fire protection and sprinkler systems, which depend precisely on the fire load of the specific materials.

The production and warehouse real estate market in Poland grows rapidly, driven by its favourable location in the centre of Europe, improving road infrastructure, access to qualified staff, as well as the development of the e-commerce market or the increasingly visible trend of near-shoring. The number of facilities of this type is rising annually and, thus, developers of production and warehouse halls or logistics centres are striving to implement the cutting-edge technologies. Due to the strong competition and increasing need for sustainable building, the comprehensive construction of halls has been based on a holistic approach to the quality of a given investment, taking into account its ecological and economic efficiency. The BREEAM certification system is a good indicator in this case.

What is BREEAM and why is it so important?

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a multi-criteria building rating system. The certification method was developed in 1990 in the UK. Currently, it is used by investors, developers and tenants worldwide. The BREEAM certificate is dedicated to all types of buildings, including industrial facilities and production halls, but also housing estates or infrastructure facilities. Moreover, BREEAM is updated every few years to keep it in line with the latest developments in the building industry.

BREEAM is an internationally recognised sustainability standard. Its rating immediately indicates the high quality of construction in terms of safety, longevity and durability, as well as the sustainable approach, and also proves concern for the welfare and comfort of the building’s users and employees. From an investor’s perspective, obtaining a BREEAM certificate helps to increase the valuation of a property.

Complex industrial building construction and its impact on the environment

Modern technologies enable solutions that combine retrofit with sustainability. BREEAM certification focuses, among other things, on minimising carbon footprint, decreasing water and energy usage, introducing waste reduction methods, and developing strategies that restore and protect biodiversity.

Sustainable industrial building at Harden Construction

All buildings developed by Harden Construction are BREEAM certified. The majority of our infrastructure facilities have been rated Excellent. These include the Panattoni Park Konotopa III, Panattoni Park Poznań XII, InPost Logistics Centre, BTS Carrefour Psary, Panattoni Stryków IV, Panattoni Park Bydgoszcz IV North and Panattoni Park Błonie III warehouses. In addition, as general contractor Harden Construction strives to achieve the highest possible BREEAM certification rating – “Outstanding” for the Panattoni Park Poznań A2 logistics centre in Robakowo.

The pressure to meet the highest standards in industrial building is very strong. Therefore, we expect to see more real estate with high BREEAM ratings in the future. In order to meet all the criteria, a proper, professional approach is essential. Thus, Harden Construction’s sustainable design is preceded by detailed cost and life-cycle analyses of the facility.

Environmental care is essential in the logistics sector, which has a huge share in the greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reduce the negative impact on nature, it is worth to invest in green solutions and partners committed to sustainability, such as Harden Construction.

Harden Construction: ecology at the heart of the company’s operations

The fact that the environment is crucial to Harden Construction has already been reflected in the company’s name. The individual letters in the word Harden correspond to specific company values and goals. The last two stand for: “E – environment” and “N – new technologies”. These two aspects are an integral part of every warehouse, industrial facility or logistics centre developed by Harden Construction. Thus, the construction of modern buildings that will meet the investors business objectives, and simultaneously reduce the negative impact on the environment, is possible thanks to the constant pursuit of innovation and the use of advanced technologies.

Harden Construction’s premise is to reduce the carbon footprint and optimise production and supply chain, which translates into lower raw material consumption and cost reduction. As a result, the increasing number of companies from various industries choose Harden Construction as their business partner. As a general contractor, it develops high-tech and environmentally friendly logistics centres. Since 2021, the total warehouse area of the facilities built by the company has exceeded half a million square metres (comprising, among others, logistics buildings, an e-commerce centre, logistics centres, as well as office and warehouse spaces), and further projects are under construction. It is worth noting that all these facilities meet the requirements of the BREEAM building certification system at the Outstanding, Excellent or Very Good level.

What distinguishes Harden Construction?

The answer is simple – a modern approach to business. The company relies on people, partnership relations and diverse teams, as well as continuous development. Every member of the Harden Construction team, whether a site engineer, project manager, office worker or site manager, strives to find new, more efficient and quality-improving solutions. Bold design, and implementation of modern technologies and management systems, result in the state-of-the-art warehouses.

Projects are carried out all over Poland by a team of 100 experienced engineers. A key objective of Harden Construction is to support the principles of sustainable development through the construction of eco-friendly warehouse and production halls. Modern buildings support the reduction of the carbon footprint, as well as optimisation of the production and supply chain. These factors play an increasingly important role especially in the logistics industry – hence, this should be considered while looking for a suitable investment partner.

Green projects in the logistics sector

Numerous Harden Construction’s clients operate in the logistics sector. Building facilities for this purpose, many investors have succeeded in implementing innovative ecological solutions. Projects of this type include:

• A logistics warehouse for Carrefour Polska with a green roof of 5,000 sq. m and 365 planted trees on the site in Psary (Province of Silesia)
• Warehouse halls for TERG S.A. (Media Expert) and InPost S.A. with a total area of 170,000 sq. m on the site of the Central European Logistics Hub in Łódź, the largest logistics complex in Europe. The InPost warehouse in Łódź, developed by Harden Construction, contains as much as 30% biologically active area!

In addition, green areas, shelters for bicycles or chargers for electric vehicles have been included in particular projects. The company is currently working on further logistics centres with an emphasis on environmentally friendly solutions.