Amazon gives green light to first UK building that pursues new global zero carbon certification
Amazon has begun construction on its first delivery station designed to achieve Living Future's Zero Carbon Certification in the UK and Europe. This is situated in Stockton-on-Tees in the north-east of England, with Amazon set to stump up more than £40 million, creating 100+ roles in the process including managers, supervisors, and associates.
The investment is part of Amazon's plans to invest £40 billion in the UK from 2025 to 2027.
The 10,800m² delivery station, where packages are sorted for delivery to customers’ doorsteps throughout North Yorkshire and parts of County Durham, is set to open in the autumn. The building becomes eligible for certification in 2027 following a full year of operational data collection and third-party assessment.
It will be constructed to the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the new UK framework. It incorporates several key sustainability features including locally sourced and lower carbon building materials, and energy efficient systems. Amazon will track performance data and share learnings to help refine the methodology for future industry adoption.
“Decarbonising buildings means tackling both how we build and how we operate,” says Prajvin Prakash, UK Director at Amazon Logistics. “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.”
“When fully operational, it’s expected to consume around 50% less energy than a typical logistics building - a significant step forward as we work toward our goal to achieve net-zero carbon by 2040. Backed by our £40 billion UK investment, we’re pairing sustainability progress with long-term economic growth in communities like Stockton-on-Tees.”
Amazon is testing new technologies to assess their potential for wider adoption on future projects:
Cement free paving - replaces traditional cement with steel slag and stores captured carbon within the precast blocks.
Carbon storing building materials - captured carbon dioxide is embedded in concrete using technology supported by investments in climate tech startups.
AI powered carbon tracking - using analytics software, engineers track carbon emissions across all building systems - from wiring to plumbing fixtures – allowing Amazon to identify and implement targeted efficiency improvements.
Photo-based material tracking - image recognition software documents exactly what enters and leaves the construction site by scanning delivery notes and waste tickets, providing data on material usage in real-time instead of solely relying on end-of-project reporting, and helping with waste reduction.
More than 1,400 m² of rooftop solar panels will, meanwhile, power daytime operations. The building will use an all electric heating and cooling system, with water saving plumbing fixtures set to reduce water consumption by approximately 20% compared to conventional designs.
RTIH AI in Retail Awards
Brarista, IBM Consulting, Foundit!, Quorso, Vusion, Sensei, Reckon.ai, EE, Walkbase, Globant, Riskified, and Goddiva were among the winners at the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, sponsored by VenHub Global, 3D Cloud, EdTech Innovation Hub, and Retail Technology Show.
Our 2026 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 29th January, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “According to Amazon’s Andy Jassy: AI is a once in a lifetime reinvention of everything we know, and the largest technology transformation since the cloud.”
“Whether that’s overstating it or not, we're certainly seeing an increasing number of innovative, potentially game changing developments in this space across both traditional and digital retail spaces. And that is reflected in tonight's finalists, who are boosting customer experiences and tackling retailers' painpoints across the likes of physical stores, online, omnichannel, supply chain, and payments.”
“To quote one of our judges: I have to admit, judging these awards was so difficult. So many that would have been worthy winners. And great to see how AI has moved firmly into delivery mode. Firmly into delivering for customers and driving huge innovation.”
Congratulations to our 2026 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended our Thursday, 29th January gathering.
Stay tuned for an indepth review of the awards ceremony in the next edition of RTIH magazine.
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