What are the factors to consider when building a Warehouse?

The demand for warehouses in the UK is skyrocketing. This is mainly due to increased online shopping and the e-commerce boom. The warehouse and storage market in the UK has been growing at a CAGR of 5.6% between 2019 and 2024. If you are planning to construct a warehouse, you must consider proper planning and follow all regulatory compliance in the UK. You must also consider the location, accessibility, the type of product to be stored, transportation, and several other things before constructing a warehouse. Read on to learn more about the key factors to consider before starting the construction process of a warehouse.

Proper Location and Site of Warehouse

When deciding on the perfect location for your warehouse, consider a few points. For example, it must be near a transportation hub between the targeted customers and your suppliers. If there is too much distance between your suppliers and the warehouse, higher transportation costs will reduce profitability. However, the warehouse must be easily accessible through the available transportation system. A location with proper road connectivity and local infrastructure can make your warehouse accessible to all suppliers. While selecting the best spot for your warehouse, you should also consider land costs. If the initial establishment cost is significantly high, it will be challenging for you to complete the project in time. However, the best part of warehouse construction in the UK is that you do not need any planning permission. It is known as permitted development rights.

Developing Warehouse Design and Layout

A proper design and development layout of the warehouse is essential. Professional contractors can help you utilise that entire location and develop the best layout for your house. Selecting a particular space for storage or using it as a loading bay can increase the efficiency of the whole warehouse management system. During the planning and designing, you must decide on the warehouse height, storage system, etc. Depending on the goods you will store in the warehouse, its height and storage system will increase work efficiency. You should also design your warehouse in a way that can be expanded in the future. When your business thrives, you will need more space for storage. Flexibility in design for future expansion will be helpful at that time.

Complying with UK Building Regulations

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 mandate that all building owners provide information on their buildings to the local fire and rescue service so that they can quickly start the rescue operation and minimise life risk in an emergency. On the other hand, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires a proper risk assessment of the warehouse and the necessary measures to be taken. You should also train your employees to protect themselves in the warehouse environment. You should ensure proper ventilation and structural integrity in a large warehouse where hundreds of employees work regularly. So, you must hire a warehouse construction contractor who understands regulations in the UK to construct a warehouse. They can also guide you better while designing for the warehouse construction.

Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Adopting a sustainable approach has become very important in modern construction. So, when constructing a warehouse, you should use eco-friendly construction materials. When planning the interior lighting, use energy-efficient lights to reduce the cost of energy consumption. For example, you can install solar panels on the warehouse roof to supply the required energy through solar power. You can also harvest rainwater to use in regular cleaning and washing activities. Such approaches will reduce your overall cost of warehouse maintenance and also reduce your impact on the environment. To better ensure the sustainability of your warehouse, you may apply the BREEAM construction method. It is a science-backed and logically structured building assessment framework that ensures net zero carbon production, biodiversity, and protection for health and society. A BREEAM certification also helps increase your property value.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when constructing a warehouse, you should consider adequately planning and designing a layout. It will help you optimise the space properly. Besides, following health and building construction regulations is necessary for UK warehouse construction. Plan and design your sustainable warehouse that does not harm the environment. Contact Warehouse Construction Contractors to streamline the process of your warehouse construction. We have years of expertise in the field and offer advice on complying with UK regulations.