Cast Interiors: Broadwalk House - Reuse of Glazed Partitions
This case study was produced as part of ASBP’s Reuse of Glass Partitioning Systems guidance.
At Broadwalk House, Cast undertook a pilot project to integrate reuse into a high-profile refurbishment, supported by British Land. The scheme sought to retain and recover existing materials wherever possible and, for the first time, procure and reinstall reused glazed partitions.
Alongside tea points, appliances, raised access flooring, ceiling tiles, doors, furniture and services, glazed partitions were identified as a significant opportunity for carbon savings. Working with the platform Material Index, Cast tracked retained elements, procured reused glazing, and monitored embodied carbon savings across the project.
Key points
- Multiple elements retained on-site, including tea points, appliances, flooring, ceiling tiles, furniture, and doors.
- Glazed partitions procured through Material Index, dismantled at a donor site, and reinstalled at Broadwalk House.
- Retained embodied carbon across all reused elements: 101.84 tCO₂e.
- Glazed partitions alone delivered 0.714 tCO₂e in carbon savings.
- Coordination with donor sites highlighted the importance of timing, storage, and early commitment.
- Cost analysis demonstrated reuse can be commercially viable, with a clear comparison against new installation costs.
Approach to Reuse
Cast embedded reuse into the project strategy from the outset, in line with British Land’s commitment to circular economy principles.
- Retained materials: Flooring, services, ceilings, furniture, and doors were kept in place, reducing waste and locking in embodied carbon.
- Recovered partitions: With British Land leading the request, Cast sourced suitable glazed partitions through Material Index. After the initial allocated stock was lost due to timing issues, alternative glazing was identified, inspected on-site, and secured for dismantling and delivery.
- Installation: The glazing required new head tracks, repainted profiles, bulkheads, and new manifestation film. Despite these adaptations, the reused partitions were successfully reinstalled to meet the design intent.
Challenges and Adaptations
The pilot revealed key lessons learned:
- Timing & coordination: Early alignment between donor and recipient sites is essential to avoid losing materials.
- Technical adjustments: New head tracks were required, bulkheads added to manage glazing height mismatches, and nib extensions allowed for altered layouts.
- Finishes: Profiles had to be resprayed to match the existing palette, and manifestations replaced.
- Extra allowances: Design and programme planning must include additional time and budget for these adaptations.
Carbon Savings & Emissions Analysis
Using Cast’s embodied carbon calculator, alongside Material Index’s material mapping tool, the project team tracked and reported the retained and recovered carbon.
Total Retained Embodied Carbon (all elements): 101.84 tCO₂e.
- Flooring: 35.65 tCO₂e
- Technical services: 60.00 tCO₂e
- Glazed partitions: 1.83 tCO₂e (retained) + 0.714 tCO₂e (recovered)
- Tea point joinery & seating: 1.79 tCO₂e
- Tea point appliances: 1.84 tCO₂e
- Doors & ironmongery: 0.72 tCO₂e
Ceiling tiles: 6.73 tCO₂e
Recovered Glazed Partitions
- Estimated embodied carbon saving: 0.714 tCO₂e.
- This represents the avoided emissions compared to procuring new glazed partitions.
Key Insight:
The vast majority of carbon savings were achieved through retaining existing materials in place, but even relatively modest reuse of glazed partitions demonstrated measurable benefits. Importantly, the project proved the feasibility of external procurement of reused glazing, setting a precedent for future projects.
Reflections
Broadwalk House demonstrates that with leadership from a client (British Land), reuse of glazed partitions can be incorporated into mainstream office refurbishment. While challenges around timing, logistics, and adaptation remain, the project showed that reuse is possible without compromising on quality or aesthetics.
Cast’s collaboration with Material Index enabled detailed material tracking and reporting, enhancing confidence in reuse strategies and carbon savings. The project has provided valuable lessons to inform wider roll-out of reuse practices across the commercial fit-out sector.
Key Takeaways
- Retain first: The biggest carbon wins came from retaining existing materials.
- Recovered glazing is viable: Procuring and reinstalling second-life partitions is possible, though requires careful planning.
- Partnerships matter: Collaboration with platforms such as Material Index can streamline sourcing and reporting.
- Adaptation is normal: Bulkheads, new tracks, and re-finishing should be anticipated as part of reuse.
- Pilot projects build confidence: Lessons from Broadwalk House will support scaling up reuse across future refurbishments.
Links/resources
ASBP's Reuse Now Campaign
This case study part pof ASBP’s Reuse of Glass Partioning Systems Guidance, part of the Reuse Now Campaign. The campaign builds upon the ASBP-led DISRUPT project, which is exploring the innovative reuse of structural steel in construction through the creation and adoption of new circular business models. Project partners and supporters include reuse stalwarts Cleveland Steel & Tubes, global construction specialist ISG, National Federation of Demolition Contractors, and Grosvenor, the world’s largest privately-owned international property business.
ASBP has been working on the topic of material reuse for nearly 10 years, with past activities including the Re-Fab House feasibility study, research with University of Cambridge identifying the barriers to structural steel reuse, and more recently, a sold-out Reuse Summit.
This previous experience is further enhanced with in-house expertise from Technical Director Dr. Katherine Adams and Research Associate Dr. Asselya Katenbayeva, who bring 25+ years of academic and industry-focussed research and development on the topics of waste, reuse and circular economy.