FORE is working with Civic Engineers in transforming TBC.London, a 6,300 sq m 1980s office, into a 10,000 sq m ultra-low carbon, all-electric workspace overlooking the River Thames. THe Civic Engineer’s over 40 tonnes of 1930s steel beams salvaged from The Elephant are being reused at TBC.London, marking the first use of pre-war steel in a UK construction project in a deal that hopes to set a precedent for recycled materials.

 

Who is on the project? 

 

Civic Engineers

FORE Partnership

Webb Yates Engineers

Studio PDP, Stiff

Trevillion, McLaren

Willmott Dixon. 

 

Describe the context of this initiative or project, its neighbourhood and the community it serves.

 

In a landmark move for the Carbon Net Zero agenda, structural, civil and transport engineering practice Civic Engineers and sustainable developer FORE Partnership conceived a deal to reuse pre-war reclaimed steel taken from Civic Engineers’ project The Elephant – the major refurbishment of the former House of Fraser on Oxford Street, London – at FORE’s low carbon retrofit, TBC.London, a Net Zero office scheme located next to Tower Bridge. The Elephant has been a feature of London’s famous retail street for decades. In 2020, refurbishment began to transform the building, and as structural engineers on the project, Civic Engineers embarked on a meticulous exploration of preservation and innovation. Rather than opting for complete demolition or façade retention, an approach rooted in sustainability and efficiency emerged. Through strategic intervention, most of the existing building structure was retained, with only the top two floors giving way to a three-storey steel frame addition. At the same time, FORE was deep into the design and construction of its deep retrofit of TBC.London, a 68,000 sq ft 1980s office that it was transforming into an all-electric, ultra-low carbon office space. FORE was stripping back TBC to the concrete frame and vertically extending the building to create 110,000 sq ft of space overlooking the River Thames, and one of the UK’s most sustainable, forward-thinking buildings. The two highly-creative firms came together to spearhead the game-changing deal to salvage more than 40 tonnes of 1930s steel beams from The Elephant and re-use them at TBC.London.

 

 Describe the intervention you’ve made, including its purpose and motivation. How will it contribute to climate resilience?

 

The reuse of existing materials in the construction sector is an essential step in its transition to a net zero future. However, the reuse of steel is in its infancy, and this initiative is truly pioneering in demonstrating what is possible. While a protocol has existed for the reuse of steel manufactured since 1970, only recently, during this initiative, has guidance been produced to cover steel in earlier eras. The project presented multiple complexities the teams collaborated closely to work through. The original steel was encased in concrete, and was a mixture of section sizes and plated and unplated sections. The teams exchanged information including an audit of steel expected to be available from The Elephant. However, because the steelwork was concrete encased, exact sizes could only be determined during deconstruction. As the work was progressing, guidance on the re-use of pre 1970s steel was published and it is thought that this is the first time it was used in practice. Because of the variability in sections sizes and span lengths, each piece of steel had to be carefully removed, tested, cleaned, and re-fabricated before being transported back to the site to be installed.The process was made even more complicated by the fact that London had been fully designed with new steel sections and all orders were placed already. The ability to “swap out” elements of the structure for 100-year-old steel demonstrates the tremendous commitment of the teams, and proves that it is entirely possible to do.

 

Explain the environmental and social impact of the project.

 

The trailblazing project marks a breakthrough in material reuse, as it’s thought to be the first time pre- war steel has been used in a UK construction project. With a commitment to collaboration at its heart, the initiative is an exemplar in the industry. The initiative has generated widespread recognition of the importance of innovative approaches to the circular economy. Substantial media coverage, including in the Evening Standard, have showcased the innovation with far-reaching audiences. The teams have received an approach from British Steel, who, picking up on the national story, wanted to explore how to do more to support circularity. Used throughout TBC.London, the reclaimed structural beams have intentionally been kept on visible display in order to celebrate the benefits of applying circular economy principles. Many bear the foundry stamps, with long-lost names such as ‘Appleby Frodingham Steel Company’ clearly visible. Reflecting FORE’s commitment to ‘retrofit first’, the existing five-storey building has been stripped back and renewed through a deep refurbishment – already halving the embodied carbon in the construction project compared to rebuilding. The developer used alternative materials to bring this down further.