Gold medals for more sustainable London
The start of the Winter Olympics in Beijing last weekend has reignited the debate around the sustainability issues of major sporting events. China’s claim that the 2022 Games will be carbon neutral has raised a few eyebrows, given that Yanqing will be blanketed almost entirely in artificially-produced snow. Games supporters point out that fake snow has been used in Winter Olympics since 1980 and many European ski resorts use the stuff at some point every year, while China explains that it attains carbon neutrality by retrofitting buildings from the previous Beijing (Summer) Games, using renewable power and deploying hydrogen and electrically powered vehicles.
While the arguments about the Olympics are likely to rage on for at least the duration of the Games, I was heartened to note a couple of more positive stories in the news that are also much closer to home…
Critics counter that while the Games’ venues will be fed by green energy, most of Beijing’s electricity still comes from old-fashioned carbon-emitting coal burning. And they point out that China’s stance on Covid, which has resulted in a ban on international spectators to the Games, has saved over 500,000 tonnes of CO2 that would otherwise have been generated by the travel and accommodation sectors. Even so, the 2022 Games are still expected to create a footprint of 1.3 million tonnes of CO2.
While the arguments about the Olympics are likely to rage on for at least the duration of the Games, I was heartened to note a couple of more positive stories in the news that are also much closer to home. P-THREE recently flagged up the desirability of moving from a linear to a circular economy, where natural resources are kept in use for the longest possible time.
So, I was delighted to see that London-based developer Fabrix has bought nearly 140 tonnes of 35-year old steel girders that once held up the offices at 1-2 Broadgate (currently being redeveloped) and, after appropriate testing, plans to reuse them in its own development projects, both in Southwark, at 55 Great Suffolk Street and the former Blackfriars Crown Court, now branded Roots in the Sky. (This latter project is laudable in its own right, as it incorporates a 1.4 acre rooftop forest, with 100 established trees and 10,000 plants.)
Re-using, rather than recycling, steel (which is what happens to most of it at present), at five times the carbon intensity, absolutely makes sense. Unlike some green initiatives, the baseline economics even stack up: re-used steel is marginally cheaper than new, though re-fabrication costs need to be considered. For me, the point is: there is certainly no premium attached to it.
I think this is tremendously exciting and points towards a much brighter future for redeveloping our urban fabric, where traditional notions (particularly the ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ line) are challenged, often bringing newer and better ways in their wake.
Another good example of this, that recently hit the headlines, is the City of London Corporation’s consideration of timber as a structural component of tall buildings within the Square Mile. Now, I know what you’re thinking: whenever the word ‘wood’ is mentioned ‘flammable’ is not far behind. But structural engineers (who know far more about this kind of thing than I can ever hope to) assure me that CLT (cross-laminated timber, which is the product now often used in wooden building structures), is potentially more durable than concrete or steel when exposed to high temperatures, as it chars, rather buckles or cracks, and therefore retains its structural integrity for longer. The environmental benefits of timber don’t just cover its own production and construction. Timber-structured buildings can be significantly lighter – so require substantially shallower foundations, reducing carbon footprint further, as well as offering advantages in dense urban areas where underground space is also valuable.
What does all of this mean for our towns and cities going forward? Quite simply that the most successful locations will be where owners’ and occupiers’ sustainability agendas align.
My optimism that, however environmentally friendly the Winter Olympics really are, we are witnessing the start of a fundamental shift towards better building methods, is heightened by the very real prospects of medal wins by Team GB in Beijing. Regular Perspectives readers will know that P-THREE isn’t shy about making predictions, so here is our projected five-gong haul for Beijing 2022:
Gold: Charlotte Banks (Snowboarding); Dave Ryding (Alpine Skiing)
Silver: Women’s Curling Team; Laura Deas (Skeleton Race)
Bronze: Brad Hall & Nick Gleeson (2-man Bobsleigh)
Article by Justin Taylor, Co-founder P-THREE
Photo credits: BBC News
