Impression of the proposed Euston Tower

• CLIMATE Emergency Camden’s letter (Part of the global problem is here, April 18), paints an inaccurate picture of British Land’s plans for Euston Tower and our commitment to sustainability and low-carbon development.

Since starting our community engagement programme on the future of the tower in early 2023, we have been wholly transparent in our quest to find a solution for this building that minimises the impact on the planet, while ensuring it’s fit for the future after laying vacant since 2021.

We have commissioned and considered rigorous third-party investigations – the most detailed feasibility study so far carried out in London – which assessed all the options for the existing building.

The results concluded that the best approach was to retain a significant proportion (31 per cent) of the original building structure while reusing and recycling material that is removed and incorporating low carbon and recycled materials for construction; 100 per cent of materials removed from the tower will be recycled. This includes pioneering new ways of treating material that is removed from the building to minimise the need for virgin resources.

We have already begun testing innovative approaches for both concrete and glass, working with research partners, such as the University of Surrey, and our specialist supply chain, as the first step to reuse these materials, with an impact that will extend beyond Euston Tower.

The majority of the steel in the new building will be of a high recycled content and manufactured using electric furnaces, resulting in emissions that are about 80 per cent lower than traditional steelmaking. This significantly reduces our demand for raw materials.

We hope that this multi-layered approach to sustainability can be a blueprint for other projects facing similar retrofit challenges and we will continue to seek other examples of low-carbon construction to learn from as well as publishing our findings to benefit others.

We firmly believe that we have found the right balance for the future of Euston Tower – which will provide pioneering workspaces for businesses of all sizes, a neighbourhood lab with dedicated space for collaboration and learning in the community, and safe and connected public spaces.

Through retaining a significant proportion of the building and committing to the building being net zero in construction and operation, we are minimising our impact on the environment and delivering a strategy that is industry leading.

While we all have a long way to go to reach our climate goals, we are committed to this mission and will continue to innovate to deliver sustainable, net zero carbon development.

You can read more about our plans and ESG commitments at https://euston-tower.co.uk/

TIM DOWNES
Development Director at British Land