An industrial building is toured in twenty minutes and paid for over five years. That asymmetry explains why it is worth arriving with a checklist rather than an impression.
First: the letter classification is not a standard
Class A, AA and AAA are market categories, not an official certification. They rank buildings by construction quality and technical specification, and Class AAA describes the top tier: recently built facilities meeting the most demanding standards in clear height, floor load capacity, dock configuration, lighting and fire protection.
It is a useful reference, but it does not replace checking the numbers. Ask for the technical sheet.
The eight figures that decide
1. Clear height
The distance from floor to the lowest structural point. It determines how many rack levels fit.
It is the figure with the greatest economic impact and the one most often ignored: two buildings with identical floor area can differ by 40% in pallet positions on height alone. You are leasing volume, not area.
2. Floor load capacity
Expressed in tons per square meter. It defines what you can stack and what equipment you can operate without compromising the slab.
If you handle heavy cargo — metalworking, bulk raw material, high racking — this number is a hard constraint, not a preference.
3. Docks: count, type and height
How many, whether at grade or elevated, and whether their height matches the vehicles you will receive. An insufficient dock turns every unload into a maneuver, and maneuvers cost time on every shipment.
Practical rule: count how many vehicles you expect in your peak hour, not your average.
4. Electrical capacity in MVA
The MVA measures available capacity. It is the real ceiling on what you can install.
If your operation contemplates refrigeration, automation, conveyors or any process machinery, this is the first figure to verify — because expanding the service afterwards is expensive and slow, when it is possible at all.
5. Fire protection system
The usual references are NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and FM (FM Global). Compliance matters for three reasons: the safety of your inventory, the cost of your insurance policy, and in many cases whether it can be insured at all.
Also ask what type of system — hydrant-based, sprinklers, or both — and whether coverage matches the commodity class you will store.
6. Maneuvering yard
The turning radius available to vehicles. A short yard forces additional maneuvers or outright prevents certain trailers from entering.
7. Park services
What surrounds the building sustains the operation: power, wastewater treatment, storm drainage, fiber optic, controlled access with CCTV and surveillance, lighting, common-area maintenance. And one that is forgotten until it becomes a problem: proximity to public transportation, because your operation depends on your people being able to get there.
8. Connectivity
Real distance — in time, not kilometers — to highway corridors, the intermodal terminal, the airport, and the customs offices if your operation involves foreign trade.
The three questions almost nobody asks
What is the total occupancy cost? Rent is one part. There is maintenance fee, utilities, insurance, property tax. Ask for the full breakdown before comparing two options.
What happens if I need to grow? Is adjacent space available? On what terms? Relocating costs vastly more than expanding.
What happens if I need to shrink? The uncomfortable question. If your volume is seasonal or uncertain, a long fixed-area lease can be the most expensive mistake available. Alternatives exist: pallet-position rental billed by month or fraction, or a 3PL model from 500 m² where the operator absorbs the building.
The short list
| Figure | Why |
|---|---|
| Clear height | Defines pallet positions, not m² |
| Floor load capacity | Hard constraint for cargo and equipment |
| Dock count and type | Determines time per shipment |
| Electrical capacity (MVA) | Ceiling on what you can install |
| Fire protection | Insurance, safety, insurability |
| Total occupancy cost | Rent is not the final number |
| Expansion space | Relocating costs more than growing |
In our parks
Hau Can Park's dedicated space is offered from 3,000 m² in Class AAA industrial facilities. The Querétaro park publishes 5 MVA of electrical capacity and a 2 l/s treatment plant, with fire protection compliant with NFPA and FM; San Luis Potosí adds fiber optic and a hydrant-based fire protection system.