Products: ComFlor® composite steel floor decking with Optemis® Carbon Lite
Developer: Great Portland Estates (GPE)
Architect: Allies and Morrison
Main Contractor: Lend Lease
Customer: William Hare
Year: 2025
Location: Central London
35,000m2 of Building Systems UK’s ComFlor® composite steel floor decking has been used to construct Central London’s latest, award winning, Grade A office space. ComFlor® was specified with Optemis® Carbon Lite, a certificate-based steel solution which offers a lower CO2 intensity through the supply chain, contributing to an 85% reduction in Scope 3 emissions for the ComFlor® decking.
The development at 2 Aldermanbury Square involves the demolition of the existing building, and structure, at 55 Basinghall Street (City Place House), and the construction of more than 97,500m2 of office space, including the creation of individual terraces and a new pedestrian route through the site and associated landscaping works.
Extensive energy efficiency measures have been incorporated into the design, along with low and zero carbon applications. The scheme needed to provide a high quality, sustainable development that will deliver new office accommodation and retail space to meet the requirements of the modern-day occupier, while enhancing the building’s relationship with the surrounding environment.
Environmental considerations were at the heart of the new development, and opportunities were identified to reduce the project’s embodied carbon by 36% from the initial design. It was clear that highly efficient and innovative design and product solutions were required to work towards this goal, and Building Systems UK worked with the supply chain to help achieve them. Innovative initiatives utilised on the project included reusing steel from the existing building for roof plant areas and trimmer steels; optimising the thickness of steelwork in the structural columns with high strength steel; increasing the use of cement alternatives in concrete; and powering all construction works with fossil-free fuels and renewable electricity.
Building Systems UK worked in collaboration with William Hare and GPE to drive the environmental aims of the project whilst delivering first class structural solutions. Firstly, 35,000m2 of ComFlor® was specified for the composite steel floor decking throughout the project. ComFlor® is one of the most advanced composite steel floor decking solutions available with a range of nine extremely efficient profiles. ComFlor® has been used in many of the landmark towers in London and for projects throughout the UK. A range of ComFlor® profiles were specified for the project for different design and efficiency requirements. However, ComFlor® 51+ was selected as the main profile for 2 Aldermanbury Square. The low profile height and large span capability of ComFlor® 51+ optimises the structural steel design and concrete volume for an extremely effective and efficient design solution – ensuring weight, cost and carbon are minimised.
ComFlor® is fully certified under the Responsible Sourcing Framework Specification BES 6001 at ‘Very Good’ standard. This, and the features of the range, help towards obtaining credits under the BREEAM Building Certification Scheme. Building Systems UK, are the construction product manufacturing arm of Tata Steel UK – who operate an Environmental Product Declaration Programme with full capability to generate bespoke EPD’s for each of the profiles in the ComFlor® range, and for each of the various finishes available. This is a unique offering in the market delivering increased transparency and reporting across construction projects. This level of reporting is available across Building Systems UK’s entire product range.
In order to further drive down the CO2 emissions of the project, Tata Steel’s Optemis® Carbon Lite was also specified. Carbon Lite is a steel solution which offers a lower CO2 intensity through the supply chain. This flexible solution lets customers choose the CO2 intensity reduction they need. Independently certified by DNV, the CO2 savings can be reported as a reduction in Scope 3 emissions. Revenues generated from the sale of Optemis® Carbon Lite certificates are used to fund additional direct CO2 reduction projects at Tata Steel’s manufacturing facilities – further reducing the CO2 emissions in construction supply chains.
To discover more about Building Systems UK and how we can collaborate on your sustainable construction projects – or to find out more about our ComFlor® range, or our range of highly efficient structural and envelope roof and wall solutions – please contact us.
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