Metroloq entrepreneur park
Business park relies on digital access solution
Digitalisation has found its way into almost all sectors in recent years. Above all, it promises to increase efficiency, convenience and quality.
Smart building features have also become indispensable in the planning, construction and operation of properties. The main drivers here are the ever-increasing demand for energy efficiency, cost reductions and sustainability.
Digitally controlled buildings, so-called smart buildings, are no longer just a vision for futuristic cities. They are already a reality. This is also the case in North Rhine-Westphalia. After a two-year planning and construction phase, the Metroloq business park with digital features was put into operation in Pulheim near Cologne – one of a total of seven business parks operated by Metroloq, a subsidiary of the Cologne-based property holding company and project developer Metropol Immobiliengruppe.
In an area measuring 31,100 sqm, 18,000 sqm of which has been built on, Metroloq has constructed a digital business park with office, storage and car park space in a total of 15 halls, which is designed not only to be flexible and versatile for tenants, but also to be affordable.
This makes the park attractive not only for established companies but also for small companies or start-ups. The park's facilities give these businesses the opportunity to set up and develop their company cost-effectively.
Whether they be florists, fashion shops or logistics service providers, the innovative project gives the 56 tenants a place to realise their businesses. The concept provides halls of different sizes with different functions (office and/or storage space), which can be adapted as required. With the high degree of building digitalisation, the park offers its tenants not only time and cost savings, but also increased security and convenience.
Digitalisation
Metroloq has brought an experienced IoT expert on board to digitalise the park: ROCKETHOME GmbH from Cologne. In addition to offering consulting services and creating the smart use cases, ROCKETHOME also took on conceptualisation and implementation. The park's digital features include lighting control, motion sensors, temperature displays, e-charging stations, parcel stations and an access solution from WILKA.
"We looked at the various digital access solutions available on the market," says Yüksel Sirmasac, ROCKETHOME Managing Director. "WILKA didn't just impress us with its expertise and product quality," continues Sirmasac. "Our entire collaboration was characterised by reliability and trust from the very first conversation."
Together with WILKA specialist dealer Keycept Sicherheitstechnik from Mönchengladbach, ROCKETHOME has installed and commissioned around 90 electronic cylinders with Bluetooth interfaces in the Metroloq business park in Pulheim.
The smart access solution from WILKA enables tenants to do such things as open and lock their doors and gates from anywhere for suppliers and employees, without anyone having to be on site for a delivery. This is particularly practical for entrepreneurs who travel a lot and are therefore not always on site when a delivery arrives.
Management and control via app
Tenants can control and manage the WILKA access solution and all other smart features of the park easily and clearly via the ROCKETHOME app. For example, a large logistics service provider, a tenant of an XL warehouse, can save on long journeys through the halls by controlling the numerous delivery gates and aisle lights via the app.
The ROCKETHOME Property Manager app is available for landlords and property managers, enabling them to efficiently manage rental spaces and access to wall boxes. But the apps can do even more. Features such as integrated service forms and inboxes enable direct and simple communication between tenants and landlords via the apps.
The concept works
The modular design of the park and the digital networking of various components of the building have been well received by tenants. The fact that no tenant has cancelled thus far and that users have gratefully accepted the functions also shows that this is the right step. The increasing demand for digitalisation in all asset classes confirms that it is a decisive forward-looking factor in the planning of new projects. "There will be no new build without smart features," explains Johannes Koza, Head of Smart Building & Sustainability at Metropol. "Smart is not an add-on for us, but part of the Metropol standard."
A brief look at the future plans of Metropol and ROCKETHOME is promising: due to the positive feedback, the current fixtures and fittings are to be retained for future projects. In addition, existing projects are to be digitalised retrospectively. Other features, such as the installation of photovoltaic systems on the roofs of the park, are also being considered for future projects.
