Welcome to Baytree Nuneaton a warehouse the size of 13 football fields (771,000 sqft/ 71,628 m²). It was developed by the leading pan-European and industrial development company, Baytree Logistics Properties and sits on a one million sqft /92,903 m² site known as the 'Rhenus Campus' in the West Midlands in the UK.

Together with the original warehouses of 210,000 sqft, our partners, EURBAN, one of the UK’s leading specialists in mass timber construction, helped set new benchmarks in environmental and social responsibility within the logistics sector.

The scheme, developed by Baytree Logistics Properties was designed by Chetwoods Architects. Their sustainability experts (Chetwoods Thrive) led a number of in-depth workshops, collaborating with industry professionals, academics, and the project team, to set the new standards and achieve significant reductions in both embodied and operational carbon.

The site includes a three-storey, 30,000 sq ft office head office with a structure constructed entirely from cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued-laminated timber (GLT/Glulam).

This is a pioneering example because it’s one of the first cases in the UK of mass timber being used in the build of a large-scale structure within an industrial and logistics setting by a logistics developer.

When compared to conventional materials, procuring timber structural elements can deliver significant embodied carbon savings, especially as trees also sequester carbon while they are growing.

The value of the cross-laminated timber alone by Stora Enso sequestered 750 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in the timber frame of the office at Nuneaton which alone avoided 1,123 tonnes CO₂e (greenhouse gases) if non-renewable construction materials had been used instead.

Internally the facilities will benefit from the latest in robotics, AI and warehouse management systems to provide flexible solutions and control of the supply chain.  When fully operational, the development will help Rhenus Warehousing Solutions UK achieve its ambitious goals of reducing direct carbon emissions.

Rhenus also collaborates with local schools and organizations to promote education and awareness about sustainability and logistics. These initiatives help foster a sense of community and encourage local residents to take an active role in environmental stewardship.

CLT Carbon footprint

Manufacturing 52 CO₂e

Transporting 16 tonnes CO₂e

748 tonnes CO₂ removed from the air and stored in the structure of the warehouse

1,122 tonnes CO₂e emissions avoided by using CLT by Stora Enso instead of non-renewable construction materials

Awards so far include:

Building Innovation Awards: Shortlisted - Most Sustainable Building Project

Property Week ESG Edge Award: Shortlisted - Outstanding Carbon Reduction Initiative

Structural Timber Awards: Shortlisted - Commercial Project of the Year

National Building and Construction Awards: Shortlisted - Project of the Year – Over 25 million

Building Awards: Shortlisted – Net Zero Award

Construction News Awards: Shortlisted - Low Carbon Project of the Year

London Construction Awards: Winner – Excellence in Sustainability

AJ100 Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2024: Shortlisted

IAS Awards ESG Initiative of the Year: Winner

View other warehouses built with a Sylva Kit: Blue Gate | The Plus / Vestre | SONNENTOR High-bay warehouse 

Learn more about industrial building concepts

Text adapted from the architectural description