2 TRAFALGAR WAY
RLB’s cost and project management experts are supporting the construction of 2 Trafalgar Way, Canary Wharf, a major new student accommodation complex which when completed will be the largest Passivhaus development of its kind in Europe.
The scheme consists of three towers of 28, 36 and 46 storeys, providing 80 residential apartments and 1,672 student bedrooms. It is the latest addition to the portfolio of urbanest, London’s leading student accommodation provider, and will be available exclusively to University College London students.
A four-storey podium will include 41,000 sq ft of commercial office space, as well as retail units, ancillary residential space and an indoor soft play area for children. The offices are designed to accommodate university departments as well as acting as flexible, affordable workspaces for start-ups, creating a collaborative R&D environment where academia and business can innovate and incubate new enterprises.
At a glance
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Clienturbanest
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ServicesCommercial Success, Project Management, Contract Administration and Employer’s Agent
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sectorResidential
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LocationLondon, United Kingdom
Support from design to construction
RLB provided services throughout the eight stages of the RIBA Plan of Work, the definitive roadmap for UK building projects, taking the scheme from strategic definition though to construction. This included cost planning, management of the design team, preparation of the tender documents, and the formation of the contract using the Joint Contracts Tribunal framework. We strengthened our approach through benchmarking and targeted supplier selection, ensuring commercial robustness and proactive risk management throughout the procurement process.
Sustainability lies at heart of project
The development targets both Passivhaus certification, demonstrating its accommodation provides a high level of occupant comfort using very little energy for heating and cooling, and the BREEAM Outstanding rating, the highest level of sustainability performance for buildings. There is a strong focus on sustainable transport, with approximately 1,500 cycle spaces provided across the site, together with improved public realm and better connections to the local cycle network. The project will deliver a significant economic and social boost for the area through new jobs and increased local spending.
Overcoming key project challenges
Modern methods of construction (MMC) were key to the seamless integration of façade, structural and MEP systems and meeting what were ‘first of their kind’ Passivhaus requirements for a high-rise development in the UK. MMC features include unitised façades, semi-precast floors, cast-in-place internal walls, modular bathroom pods, prefabricated sky gardens and an ambient heat distribution network. In each case, our team helped ensure the right solution was selected through robust market testing of various options across the different works packages.
Reducing costs while improving quality
Dedicated support from RLB’s specialist MEP consultants was invaluable to ensure that standards were met technically, and affordably, despite procuring from a supply chain with limited MMC and Passivhaus experience. An iterative design process, early engagement of specialist contractors, and close supply chain collaboration reduced overall project costs by mitigating risk, providing earlier cost certainty and managing price volatility, while also reducing delivery pressures and improving the quality and efficiency of the programme.
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