A new net zero office building in the City will pioneer the use of “passports” that will make it easier for all the materials used in its construction to be used again in the future to reduce carbon emissions.
The recently completed 12 storey building at 100 Fetter Lane uses QR codes to log information about its steel, facades, flooring, floor slabs and substructure so their life is extended long beyond the lifespan of the structure itself.
The 95,000 sq ft block, known as Edenica, was commissioned by BauMont Real Estate Capital and developer YardNine and built by Mace.
Information relating to 80% of the building has been logged on a new dedicated platform developed by Circuland, so that the materials can be used again when the building is refitted or redeveloped, instead of going to waste.
The items recorded amount to 4,817 separate products weighing 22,807 tonnes, with data relating to manufacturer, price, size, composition, any certificates, maintenance manuals and carbon.
The database also logs exactly where the items are within the building to help with reuse.
Circularity is one of the key issues the construction industry must tackle to reduce its carbon footprint and in London alone the economic value of materials not being reused in the past five years is said to be more than £1 billion.
The City of London Corporation recently launched a Circular Economy Framework and Action plan to reduce waste and recycle building materials. It will redefine how resources are used in City, with the aim of becoming ‘fully circular’ by 2040.
The new building also provides a new public pocket park and further public realm changes to to make the area more pedestrian friendly.
Occupiers are expected to move into the new building in June.
Ged Simmonds, managing director private sector, Mace Construct, said: “Mace is looking to use material passports in more of its projects in a bid to help reduce future embodied carbon emissions. We anticipate that the learnings on 100 Fetter Lane will help ensure products in construction can be used again and again.
“In the future, offices can be designed with donor building in mind to suit the size and type of materials that will become available.”
Chairman of the planning and transportation committee at the City of London Corporation, Shravan Joshi, said: “The City of London’s global reputation as a financial and cultural capital is underpinned by our ability to lead on sustainability. As well as reducing waste, we’re creating a resilient and future-proof City, where materials are continuously reused.
“This Circular Economy Framework exemplifies how forward-thinking policies can drive real change, evident in this state-of-the-art development at 100 Fetter Lane. The Square Mile is rapidly becoming the model for circularity and a magnet for sustainable investment.
YardNine’s co-founder, Maxwell Shand, said: “Real estate needs to be developed for the long term.
“As well as the circular economy, more sustainable buildings need to incorporate smart technology, greater biodiversity, water reuse, lower carbon transport, energy and encourage greater wellbeing.”
Anastasia Stella, CEO at Circuland, said: “There is a huge value in materials that are currently going to waste. This technology transforms data into intelligence, enhancing the asset’s value with both immediate and long-term benefits.
“It not only creates a new market for second- and third-hand products, but also improves efficiencies and reduces costs for meeting and reporting on industry requirements.”
