KJ Tait supported abrdn on the 2018 acquisition, feasibility studies and design for Grosvenor House at 141-143 Drury Lane, which now provides student accommodation in the heart of Covent Garden.

We were appointed on the £13M refurbishment of the building to deliver 178 market leading high end student rooms, together with common social facilities.  The project was a full turnkey delivery and the students and management company took occupancy and ran the building from day one.

The project has achieved Design Stage accreditation and gained a BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-out Interim Certificate of Excellent. Key design initiatives which contributed to achieving this included:

• Excellent wellbeing facilities
• Good levels of thermal comfort
• Energy efficient lighting
• Low energy design
• Metering and monitoring facilities
• Water conservation factors
• Reduction of construction waste

In addition to energy efficiency initiatives, we carried out thermal modelling to model which bedrooms would be subject to overheating. Brise soleil was added to the upper floor and improved solar controlled glass added to limit overheating of these rooms as no mechanical cooling is provided.

Smart room controls are also incorporated which include temperature actuated mechanical ventilation and wi-fi enabled locations.