Improving Logistics Through Sustainability

In late May, industrial developer Agility Logistics Park (ALP) received EDGE Advanced certification for its warehouse development in Ghana’s Tema Free Zone.

The 160,000-square-metre warehouse park is located adjacent to the Port of Tema and the capital city Accra, and houses multinationals and local businesses. All five warehouses within the development have been certified as EDGE Advanced.

According to ALP, the warehouses provide average energy savings of 68%, water savings of 38% and utilise construction materials containing 63% less embodied carbon in materials when compared with others in the market.

Established by the IFC, the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) buildings certification programme is a globally recognised standard with third-party certification. It provides a measurable way for developers, builders and asset owners to optimise designs for new builds and retrofits, ensuring a minimum 20% reduction in direct energy consumption, water use and embodied carbon in materials compared to conventional buildings.

To be certified EDGE Advanced, a building is required to deliver a significant reduction in energy use, water use and embodied carbon in materials when benchmarked against standard local buildings.

For ALP, the achievement comes at a time of heightened activity in the African logistics industry as governments move to counter geopolitical shocks by diversifying trade routes and unlocking intra-continent logistics via the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

ALP, a developer of warehouse parks and light industrial facilities across the Middle East, India and five African countries, has long been committed to developing a network of secure and efficient warehouse parks across the African continent.

In addition to the park in Ghana, the firm has a 470,000-sq-m park in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; a 320,000-sq-m facility in Maputo, Mozambique; a 270,000-sq-m park in Lagos, Nigeria, which is under development; and the 270,000-sq-m Yanmu East logistics park in Cairo, Egypt, as part of a joint venture with the local Hassan Allam Utilities.

“Achieving EDGE Advanced certification for the warehouse park in Ghana is a significant milestone for Agility,” says Geoffrey White, CEO of Agility Africa, in an exclusive interview with ConstructAfrica.

“It underscores both the quality and sustainability of the development, while setting a benchmark for warehousing standards in Ghana. It also builds on Agility Africa’s growing track record of EDGE Advanced-certified facilities across the continent. Our warehouse park in Abidjan was the first in West Africa to achieve the certification, and in Maputo, our warehouse park was the first in Mozambique to be EDGE Advanced certified.

“The certification also reflects growing demand from both multinational and local tenants for compliant, high-quality warehousing. Increasingly, customers recognise the commercial benefits and operational efficiencies that come with operating in a secure, well-designed and sustainable logistics environment.”

On the materials used to construct the Tema warehouses, White says ALP used a pre-engineered steel structure with roof and wall cladding, alongside pre-insulated polyisocyanurate (PIR) wall and roof sandwich panels to improve thermal performance.

“[The warehouses] also incorporate glazed windows with aluminium framing and concrete floor slabs finished using recycled steel fibre. Together, these materials help reduce embodied carbon while supporting efficiency and durability,” he explains.

ALP employed several sustainable construction methods while constructing the warehouses, starting with a pre-engineered structure that allowed components to be manufactured off-site in a controlled environment. “This helped reduce material waste, improve construction quality, and shorten on-site build time,” says White.

“The development also followed a lean construction approach, aimed at minimising waste of materials, time and effort. In addition, the warehouses feature a high-performance building envelope, including effective insulation, airtight sealing and efficient glazing to reduce energy loss. Design choices such as the wall-to-window ratios were also considered to maximise natural daylight and ventilation, reducing reliance on artificial lighting and mechanical cooling.”

Asked about the selection of Tema as the location for an ALP logistics park, White says Tema was chosen “given its position as Ghana’s main port and a key gateway for adjacent landlocked countries in West Africa”.

“Tema also benefits from reliable power sourced from the Akosombo hydroelectric dam, ensuring consistent supply for warehouse operations,” says the CEO. “In addition, the Tema industrial zone is directly connected to the West African highway, strengthening connectivity across coastal markets.”

ALP is also moving ahead with expansion plans, including further development within existing parks and ongoing plans to add new countries as part of building a pan-African network of logistics parks.

White opines that Agility warehouse parks make African markets more bankable, attractive and competitive, which is crucial as momentum builds towards fully operationalising the AfCFTA and transforming the continent into a net exporter of goods.

“Governments recognise the level of quality and standards required to compete for business both regionally and globally,” says White. “In our experience, they are supportive of private sector developers who can fund and deliver world-class facilities that attract new investment, support local business growth, and create jobs and broader economic benefits.

“Similarly, banks and financiers recognise that developments built to international standards are more competitive, viable and resilient over the long term, making them more attractive to finance.”

Top photo: Tema ALP (Source: ALP)