Amazon trail blazing lower carbon logistics building in Stockton on Tees
Amazon is trail blazing a new international sustainability model in the UK which could transform the way it builds its logistics properties, with a delivery station in Stockton on Tees in the UK.
By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters
THE BUILDING will be the ecommerce giant’s first UK building to pursue American-based International Living Future’s Zero Carbon Certification.
The 116,250 ft2 facility is pioneering pioneering several sustainability features that could reshape how Amazon—and the wider industry—approaches construction
The building will use lower-carbon steel with high recycled content, produced using renewable electricity. Mass timber beams will complement the steel structure, reducing the carbon footprint of traditional building methods
Amazon is also testing four cutting-edge technologies at the site: cement free paving replacing cement with steel slag while permanently storing captured carbon within precast blocks, carbon-storing building materials than=t embed captured carbon dioxide into concrete, A+I-powered carbon tracking that monitors emissions across all buildings systems from wiring to plumbing enabling targeted efficiency improvements and phot-based material tracking using image recognition to document exactly what enters and leaves the construction site in real time, helping reduce waste.
By combining local supply chains with these lower carbon materials and practices, total construction emissions are expected to be at least 20% lower than Amazon’s previous design standards.
The delivery station, where packages will be sorted for delivery across North Yorkshire and parts of County Durham, has been optimised from the ground up to minimise energy consumption.
Early projections suggest that when fully operational in autumn 2026, the site will use around half the energy compared to a typical logistics building—a substantial reduction that demonstrates what’s possible when sustainability is built in from day one.
More than 1,400m² of rooftop solar panels will power daytime operations. The building will run on an all-electric heating and cooling system, eliminating the need for gas. Water-saving plumbing fixtures are set to reduce water consumption by approximately 20% compared to conventional designs
The Stockton-on-Tees delivery station is the first Amazon UK building registered for Living Future’s Zero Carbon Certification (v1.1), a rigorous standard that sets demanding requirements for both construction and operations
The site is also being built to the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the new UK framework that’s helping establish consistent approaches to low-carbon construction across the industry
After a full year of operations, third-party assessors will review performance data to determine whether the building qualifies for formal certification in 2027. Amazon will track and share learnings from this process to help refine the methodology for future industry adoption
“Decarbonising buildings means tackling both how we build and how we operate,” said Amazon Logistics UK director Prajvin Prakash. “This site shows how we’re using smarter materials, advanced technology, and AI-driven insights to cut emissions from day one and improve performance over the long term.”
The £40 million investment will create around 100 jobs.
To secure the Future Living Zero Carbon Certification 100% of energy use must be offset by new, on- or off-site renewables, 100% of embodied carbon emissions from materials and construction must be disclosed and offset. The Projects undergo a 12-month performance period to prove actual, not just modelled, energy efficiency.
