Pioneering City office block uses "materials passports" technology to stop waste

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.”