Mace Construct has completed what it calls the UK’s biggest steel-reuse project ever in the UK commercial office sector at London’s 30 Duke Street St James’s, sourcing 78% of the building’s structural steel from reclaimed material.
As CM previously reported, the project for Great Portland Estates – trading as GPE – turned the former French Railways House and 48-50 Jermyn Street in Piccadilly into a 68,000 sq ft, fully electric office and retail space.
Using recycled steel, including from another of GPE’s buildings, saved some 744 tonnes of embodied carbon, which Mace Construct said sets “a new benchmark for circular construction”.
GPE said 450 tonnes of steel were used from its other building, while 400 tonnes were returned to the market for future use.
As well as steel, the team reused 21 tonnes of Portland stone from the original French Railways House, repurposed original staircase marble in the new reception area, and found new uses for original mosaics and raised access floor tiles.
Window frames were made from Hydro CIRCAL 100R recycled aluminium, which Mace Construct said was another first for UK commercial development.
The building also used ORAÉ glass manufactured from 100% recycled content.
“30 Duke Street St James’s shows what’s possible when sustainability ambitions are embedded from the very beginning of a project,” said Ged Simmonds, Mace Construct’s managing director for commercial.
“Working in close partnership with GPE and our supply chain, we’ve delivered a building that not only provides exceptional workspace in one of London’s most prestigious locations, but also demonstrates how circular construction can be delivered at scale.”
