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7R Glossary

Class A Warehouses

Class A warehouses represent the highest market standard for logistics and industrial real estate, characterized by optimal technical specifications, convenient locations, and a high level of environmental certification (ESG). Facilities in this class ensure maximum operational efficiency, safe storage of goods, and a comfortable working environment, while meeting the stringent requirements of international tenants.
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What should you know?

In the commercial real estate market, there is no single, rigid legal standard defining warehouse class, but the market has developed a set of generally accepted criteria. Class A facilities are distinguished by, among other things, adequate storage height, increased floor load-bearing capacity, modern fire protection systems, and a column grid that facilitates rack layout. Another important aspect is the supporting infrastructure—spacious maneuvering areas, an adequate number of loading docks, and a high standard of office and break-room space.

Today, sustainability factors are also a key determinant of Class A status. For a building to qualify for the highest market category, it must be energy-efficient and hold recognized environmental certifications that verify its impact on the environment and the well-being of its employees.

Class A Warehouses in Practice: 7R

At 7R, all of our projects are designed to meet—and often exceed—the rigorous criteria for Class A warehouses. We design our logistics parks with a focus on long-term reductions in tenants’ operating costs, investing in advanced insulation systems, solar power, and modern building automation. Every new 7R building undergoes BREEAM certification .BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is one of the world’s most important and widely recognized methods for the multi-criteria assessment of buildings in terms of sustainability, environmental performance, and user comfort. BREEAM certification confirms that the warehouse facility was designed and constructed in accordance with rigorous environmental standards.Read the full definition → at a level of at least “Excellent,” setting new standards in industrial construction.

Comparison

Criterion Class A Warehouses Alternative
Storage HeightStorage Height (Clear Height)Storage Height (Clear Height) is the maximum usable vertical space inside a warehouse, measured from the finished floor to the lowest-hanging element of the roof structure or building systems (e.g., sprinklers, joists, lighting). It determines the facility’s actual pallet capacity without the need to increase its floor area.Read the full definition → (clear height) At least 10 m (12 m is increasingly becoming the standard)
Floor Load-Bearing CapacityFloor load-bearing capacityFloor load-bearing capacity is a parameter that specifies the maximum static and dynamic loads that an industrial floor can safely support without the risk of cracking, deformation, or ground settlement. It is most commonly expressed in metric tons per square meter (t/m²) or in kilonewtons per rack leg support point (kN/foot).Read the full definition → At least 5 metric tons per square meter (often 7 metric tons per square meter or more for specialized industries)
Fire Safety Measures ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) Sprinklers ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) is an advanced early suppression and fast response sprinkler system installed on the roof of a warehouse to extinguish fires in high-bay storage facilities without the need to install additional sprinklers inside the racking.Read the full definition →, smoke dampers, advanced detectors
Pole GridColumn SpacingColumn spacing (column grid) refers to the distance between vertical load-bearing columns supporting the roof structure of a warehouse, expressed in meters as the product of the distances between rows of columns (e.g., 12 × 24 m). This parameter determines the ergonomics, flexibility of rack layout, and width of the working aisles in the warehouse.Read the full definition → Most commonly 12×24 m or 12×22.5 m—a less common spacing that makes planning easier
Environmental Certifications BREEAM (Very Good / Excellent / Outstanding) or LEED (Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design)is an international, multi-criteria certification system for green buildings, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED certification provides objective confirmation that a warehouse has been designed and constructed in accordance with principles of energy efficiency, water conservation, and environmental protection.Read the full definition →
Outdoor Infrastructure Spacious maneuvering areas, with at least one dock for every 800–1,000 m² of warehouse space

Frequently Asked Questions

Class B warehouses are typically older buildings, often converted from former industrial facilities. They have lower storage heights (usually under 8–10 m), lower floor load-bearing capacity, fewer loading docks, and less frequent use of modern eco-friendly technologies (no BREEAM certification). Class A facilities are modern, often built from the ground up, and designed to meet current logistics standards.

Despite a potentially higher base rent, a Class A warehouse generates significant savings in operating costs (service charges) thanks to its energy efficiency (e.g., LED lighting, better insulation). In addition, the optimal column grid and storage height allow for better use of space and the storage of a greater number of pallets within the same floor area.