Sustainability Report

Embodied Carbon

• Embodied carbon (construction): 413 kgCO2e/m² – 35 percent below RIBA 2030 target.
• Whole-life carbon: 491 kgCO2e/m² (including 245 kgCO2e/m² biogenic carbon benefits).
• Carbon locked: 1,884 tonnes CO2
• Carbon comparison: 59 percent better than Greater London Authority 2020 target.

The structure is predominantly a CLT and glulam timber frame, with limited steel framing and concrete cores.

The Sylva™ CLT floors and roofs produced 110 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) during manufacturing and 66 tonnes during transport. By contrast, the trees that were used sequestered 1,600 tonnes of CO2 while growing — this will remain stored in the Paradise building for decades. Overall, this approach avoided 2,400 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, as confirmed by Stora Enso’s third-party-verified EPDs.

For fire reasons, concrete was used in the core of the building. A concrete mix utilised 60 percent cement replacement in the form of GGBS, significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Operational Emissions

• On-site energy generation: Roof-mounted solar PV system generates energy equal to 150,000 electric vehicle miles per year.
• Heating and hot water load: 20.4 kWh/m²/yr
• Operational energy (design): 105 kWh/m²/yr
• Total energy load: 100 kWh/m²/yr (including renewable contribution)
• Carbon emissions (operational): 413 kgCO2/m²
• Airtightness at 50Pa: 5 m³/hr/m²
• Overall area-weighted U-value: 0.38 W/m²K

Paradise provides 105 secure bike spaces.