The latest building in Earls Court resembles a site devastated by war, with vacant windows and absent floors, evoking memories of The Blitz.

Yet, this innovative initiative aims to revolutionize the construction sector by revisiting traditional materials.

Positioned just in front of the entrance to The Greatest Showman, the structure utilizes a material that has largely been overlooked as a primary construction resource.

Its carbon footprint is significantly lower compared to contemporary materials like clay bricks, concrete, and steel.

That material is stone.

Funded by the government as part of a project from the Design Museum, the Stone Demonstrator strives to inspire builders to embrace stone as an alternative building material.

According to Justin McGuirk, director of the Future Observatory at the Design Museum, it is essential for the construction industry to curb its emissions.

“You can construct with natural stone in a manner that reduces carbon emissions by around 90% compared to using steel or reinforced concrete.

“Construction is a major contributor to carbon emissions, and with the government’s goal to build numerous homes, we must find approaches that minimize environmental harm.

“This project is one of the solutions we’re exploring.”

The Design Museum projects that a similar building made with a steel framework and a brick façade would produce 262,870 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2), while one using reinforced concrete with a brick veneer would result in 252,633 kg of CO2.

In contrast, the Stone Demonstrator emits just 6,443 kg of CO2—less than 3% of the emissions produced by the other options.

The stone used in this project is sourced from quarries and has been crafted by The Stonemasonry Company in Rutland.

Project engineer Steve Webb mentioned that stone can serve as a practical substitute for concrete and is “technologically feasible.”

“There has been significant prior investment in fossil fuel infrastructures, as well as in the concrete and steel sectors.

“This gives them a significant advantage over a new technology, but I believe that with modest investment, stone can be industrialized as an efficient, cost-effective, and fossil fuel-free building method.”

Architect Amin Taha from Groupwork stated, “Ideally, it should look completely standard.

“It resembles a typical brick, doesn’t it? However, this brick is made from stone, sourced from various locations across the country, which offers a range of colors and textures. The crucial aspect is that it boasts 98% less embodied carbon than fired clay because it is simply extracted from the earth.”

“Even taking into account the use of diesel machinery to extract it, the carbon emissions are still 98% lower.

“Clay bricks require drying in a kiln and significant heating.

“The aim is to decrease the embodied carbon of construction back to levels seen about 200 years ago.”

This site previously housed the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and is set to undergo redevelopment.

Rebecca Paczek from the Earls Court Development Company emphasized that the site is “a key component of London’s future.”

She elaborated, “We’re talking about 4,000 new homes, 12,000 job opportunities, and 2.5 million square feet of workspaces.

“Exploring ways to surpass net zero emissions and incorporating future sustainable trends in urban development are vital to how we envision Earls Court’s future.”