Sustainable offices set for Holborn Viaduct

One of a number of steel-framed commercial schemes currently underway in central London, a 14-storey office development on Holborn Viaduct is quickly taking shape.

Working on behalf of the client Royal London Asset Management and main contractor Multiplex, BHC is fabricating, supplying and erecting 3,200t of steelwork for the project.

The building has adopted a number of initiatives that are helping the scheme to achieve the desired BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and Well Platinum accreditations.

Inside the structure, around 80t of reused steel has been obtained from European Metal Recycling (EMR) and incorporated into the structural frame.

More than 90% of the steel tonnage used for Holborn Viaduct has been sourced from EAF production facilities. Delivering a significant carbon saving, this material is considered to be much greener and more efficient in terms of energy consumption for the production process, than the more traditional Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS).

It has been calculated that if the scheme had used 100% BOS sourced steelwork, the embodied carbon would have been 14,705 tonnes of CO₂e. This figure has been significantly reduced to 5,816 tonnes of CO₂e with the use of EAF steelwork.

The steel frame erection for Holborn Viaduct is due to finish in June, with the entire building, which has been pre-let to an international law firm, due to complete in mid-2026.