London Bridge station rebuild earns top CEEQUAL score

Left to right: Nick Martin, Thameslink Programme, London Bridge station project manager, Costain ; Ian Nicholson, CEEQUAL; Isabel Simpson,TLP, LBS, Costain, CEEQUAL assessor; Ben Joiner, TLP, LBS, Network Rail project manager; Andy Barnes, Network Rail, consents manager

The rebuilding of London Bridge station has been awarded top marks in the prestigious CEEQUAL scheme.

The £1bn project, delivered as part of the government sponsored Thameslink Programme, received a 97.3 per cent CEEQUAL score.

CEEQUAL is the evidence-based sustainability assessment, rating and awards scheme for civil engineering, infrastructure, landscaping and public realm project. The scheme operates alongside BREEAM – bringing together the world’s leading sustainability assessment methods for buildings, master planning, and infrastructure.

London Bridge station is central London’s oldest station and the fourth busiest in the UK. The Thameslink Programme required the station to be rebuilt, while remaining open for the 55 million passengers a year who use it.

Sustainability was a driving factor throughout the design and construction phases of the redevelopment project.

Andy Barnes, consents manager, Thameslink Programme, London Bridge station re-development said: “We are very proud to have achieved such a high score. It is testament to the importance which was place on sustainability across all elements of the project. It also demonstrates the hard work and commitment of everyone involved to deliver not just a great building but provide a blue print for delivery of major complex projects.”

Ian Nicholson, director, CEEQUAL and infrastructure BRE said: “It gives us great pleasure to present the London Bridge team with their CEEQUAL Excellent certificate. They have demonstrated a very high level of sustainability performance in the rebuilding and remodelling of the station. Their performance shows how it is possible to deliver high performance without costing more money.”

Examples of how the sustainability agenda and successes have made the London Bridge project stand out include:

  • Practices led to construction carbon savings of 1,687 tCO2e, embodied carbon savings of 8,354 tCO2e and annual operation carbon savings of 396 tCO2e
  • Construction phase sustainability initiatives saved £1.3 million with a payback of just six months
  • Operational phase sustainability initiatives saved £115k annually
  • Installation of a geothermal energy pile system contributed 6.1% carbon savings
  • Re-use of 5,000 sqm of aggregates and diversion of over 98% of waste from landfill
  • Providing work experience for over 30 students, training to over 200 unemployed residents and 61 apprenticeships
  • Delivering several community improvement projects and 35 engagement events
  • Supporting the sustainability agenda by producing 52 sustainability focused best practice case studies to highlight how the project provided solutions and improvements to improve overall sustainability performance, both regarding the environment and to strengthen links with the local community
  • Other elements of the Thameslink Programme which have received CEEQUAL awards include: Borough Viaduct, Bermondsey Dive Under, Blackfriars and Farringdon stations.