A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) integrated cold chain facility at the Ruakura Superhub has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star NZ Design & As-Built rating by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC).
This is the first cold storage facility in New Zealand to achieve the highest sustainability standard in commercial construction.
Opened in February 2024, the 18,000 square-metres (m²) facility represents Maersk’s largest infrastructure investment in New Zealand.
It supports seamless transfer of goods between rail, road, and ocean transport along the Auckland-Tauranga trade corridor.
Delivered by Apollo Projects, the facility was designed and built prioritising energy efficiency and emissions reduction.
Kylie Fraser, Managing Director of Maersk Oceania, said: “This achievement underscores our dedication to decarbonisation and innovation across both industrial development and supply chain logistics.
“Cold chain logistics play a vital role in global food supply chains and represent a significant opportunity to reduce GHG emissions.”
Andrew Eagles, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Green Building Council, stated: “Green Star is an internationally recognised sustainability rating system that aims to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, constructed, and operated to improve environmental efficiencies.
“It provides a rating of up to six stars based on a building’s key sustainability credentials. This facility is a clear example of how high-performance, lower GHG industrial buildings can and should be delivered in New Zealand. It sets a strong precedent for the sector.”
The facility incorporates several advanced decarbonisation and energy-efficiency technologies, including a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system that captures and reuses waste heat, condensate recovery for cooling tower misters, and rainwater harvesting to reduce potable water use.
It also uses lithium-powered reach trucks and forklifts for improved energy efficiency and low-emission operation, alongside a rooftop solar array generating over 1.52 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy for onsite use.
