For a fixed total floor area of 1,800 tsubo (approx. 5,950 m²), this section compares 2-story/3-story facilities—which minimize total investment including land costs—against 4-story/5-story high-rise facilities that minimize site footprint.
It clarifies the surge in structural costs and operational challenges unique to high-rise multi-story facilities (4–5 stories) where floor area per story is reduced.
* Assumes fixed total floor area of 1,800 tsubo. Unit construction costs reflect recent inflation in materials and labor (Steel structure / system construction standard). Land cost is benchmarked at 500,000 JPY / tsubo in a standard industrial zone (60% building coverage ratio, truck berth space included).
| Building Height | 1-Story (Flat) | 2-Story | 3-Story | 4-Story | 5-Story |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Footprint (1st Floor) | 1,800 tsubo | 900 tsubo | 600 tsubo | 450 tsubo | 360 tsubo |
| Unit Construction Cost | 650k–750k JPY | 750k–850k JPY | 850k–950k JPY | 950k–1.10M JPY | 1.10M–1.25M JPY |
| 【A】 Core Building Cost | ~1.26 Billion JPY | ~1.44 Billion JPY (vs. 1-Story +14%) |
~1.62 Billion JPY (vs. 1-Story +28%) |
~1.85 Billion JPY (vs. 1-Story +46%) |
~2.11 Billion JPY (vs. 1-Story +67%) |
| Vertical Conveyance Equip. | None Required | 1–2 Vertical Lifters (~20M–40M JPY) |
2 Vertical Lifters + Freight Elevator |
3 Vertical Lifters + Emergency Elevator |
3–4 Vertical Lifters + Emergency Elevator |
| 【B】 Conveyance & Safety Equip. | 0 JPY | ~0.04 Billion JPY | ~0.08 Billion JPY | ~0.12 Billion JPY | ~0.16 Billion JPY |
| 【Building & Equip. Total (A+B)】 | ~1.26 Billion JPY | ~1.48 Billion JPY | ~1.70 Billion JPY | ~1.97 Billion JPY | ~2.27 Billion JPY |
| Required Land Area (Benchmark) | ~3,000 tsubo | ~1,600 tsubo | ~1,100 tsubo | ~850 tsubo | ~700 tsubo |
| 【C】 Land Cost (500k JPY/tsubo) | 1.50 Billion JPY | 0.80 Billion JPY | 0.55 Billion JPY | 0.425 Billion JPY | 0.35 Billion JPY |
| 【Total Investment (A+B+C)】 | ~2.76 Billion JPY | ~2.28 Billion JPY | ~2.25 Billion JPY | ~2.395 Billion JPY | ~2.62 Billion JPY |
While 1-story facilities are cheapest in pure building construction cost, evaluating total investment (Land + Building) shows 2-story to 3-story structures achieve the lowest total cost (Breakeven Point).
Compared to 1-story or 2-story designs, unit construction costs for 4-story and 5-story facilities jump by 1.5x to 1.7x. Key drivers include:
Supporting loads across 4–5 floors (floor load ≥1.5 t/m²) and seismic lateral forces requires exponentially more structural steel for columns and beams. Deep foundation piling length and diameter increase substantially, inflating foundation costs.
To prevent vertical transit bottlenecks, 3 to 4 Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors / Lifters (VRCs) are required (~15M–20M JPY each). Building codes also mandate dedicated emergency freight elevators (~30M+ JPY).
For a mid-sized facility of 1,800 tsubo, selecting a 4-story or 5-story configuration creates operational risks alongside higher costs:
Single-floor area shrinks to 360 tsubo (5-story) – 450 tsubo (4-story). Accommodating 3 vertical lifters, elevators, emergency stairs, restrooms, breakrooms, and main aisles on small floors reduces actual net storage space by over 20% per floor.
During shipping peaks, vertical cargo movement between ground-floor truck docks and upper floors (4F/5F) concentrates at lifters, causing staging congestion and waiting time.
Offers the ideal balance between building cost increases and land cost savings, achieving the lowest total project investment (~2.25B – 2.28B JPY).