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4th Jul 2025
London Museum: Sustainable approach to roof delivers multiple benefits
Our use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in the conversion of the two former market buildings in Smithfield into the new London Museum provides an excellent example of sustainable engineering excellence.
The project is recasting the late Victorian General Market and the Grade II listed 1960s Poultry Market to provide a world class 21st Century museum experience.
CLT, created by gluing layers of timber together at right angles, is being used for key sections of the roofs of the buildings, delivering design flexibility, cost and programme advantages in addition to the significant sustainability benefits.
Unlike steel and concrete, which require energy-intensive production processes and emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, the timber in CLT is a biogenic material (one derived from living organisms) which stores carbon for its entire lifecycle, in this instance some 383 tonnes CO2e.
Comparable in strength and durability to steel and concrete, CLT has been used for the flat roof of the General Market. The flat roof functions as a diaphragm, transferring lateral forces from the central domed roof and lattice girder to the outer perimeter, with some spans reaching up to 30 metres between walls.
CLT is also being used to support the 'racetrack' of services that serves the building.
In the Poultry Market, CLT is being used for the signature ‘hut’ or monitor roofs that run around the extremities of the building beneath dome level, the pre-existing RAAC (Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) having been identified as unsafe.
The demolition of these components significantly affected the project's carbon footprint, reinforcing the decision to use CLT for its reduced environmental impact.
CLT panels also had the added benefit of allowing us to preserve more of the existing structure compared to alternatives like metal decking, which would have altered the roof's original details by the addition of gables and eaves.
The adoption of CLT further contributed to improved energy efficiency, with reduced U-values lowering heat loss and energy consumption.
As well as contributing to the project’s sustainability credentials, the use of CLT also reduced installation time, allowing for the team to get the building weather tight as early as possible. The selection of CLT also reduced labour costs as well delivering financial advantages compared with precast, metal deck or Structural Insulated Panels.
Smithfield Install of Oculus to Dome © London Museum
Smithfield Install of Oculus to Dome © London Museum
General Market May 2024 © London Museum
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