Workman-managed Republic, London has been awarded Fitwel’s Most People Impacted Across Building Scorecards recognition, as part of a Fitwel 2025 Best in Building Health Award.
A contemporary campus rooted in history, Republic spans four buildings in East London’s former East India Dock, offering 650,000 sq. ft of education, office and retail space with a strong focus on community and wellness. This standout project shows how large-scale developments can drive measurable population health impact.
In this Q&A, we hear about the Fitwel process from Eleanor Newton, Partner…
What motivated the Republic project team to pursue Fitwel Healthy Building Certification?
At Republic we have long been committed to the values that Fitwel reflects. Our ethos prioritises the health and wellbeing of building occupants, with active design and workplace wellness strategies in place.
Our team, led by Eleanor Newton, Partner, James McGrath, ESG Manager, and Daryna Dziuba-Dubyna, Republic’s onsite Assistant Facilities Manager, (pictured below, L-R) felt that pursuing Fitwel Certification was not only a good opportunity to demonstrate our dedication to the wellbeing of our staff, but also to identify any areas where further improvements could be made.
What advice would you give a team who is considering adopting Fitwel for the first time, and what lessons were learned through the process?
For a team considering adopting Fitwel for the first time, we would offer the following advice:
- Understand Fitwel’s certification requirements early: Before starting the certification process, thoroughly review Fitwel’s guidelines and criteria. This will help you understand the required improvements, and whether they align with your own goals.
- Involve the right team members: Getting certified requires a multi-faceted team ranging from facilities managers, ESG professionals and in some cases, the landlord or asset manager, particularly where investment is required to achieve certification. Successful certification is not possible without the right team of dedicated people in place.
- Prioritise low-cost or no-cost improvements: There are usually some very simple changes that can be made to achieve Fitwel accreditation. For example, installing signage to encourage a healthy lifestyle (handwashing reminders, using stairs etc.), introducing regular occupier-satisfaction surveys, and providing free space for local initiatives. For example, at Republic, we regularly host the Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs Network as part of our inclusion programme.
- Allow time for the process: Obtaining Fitwel certification requires careful planning, and it can take time to implement some of the larger and more meaningful changes. Rushing the process could result in missed opportunities and not achieving a score that reflects the scheme’s full potential.
- The Fitwel team is there to help: There is support and there are resources available to help you reach the accreditation – don’t be afraid to use it!
How does Fitwel advance Republic’s ESG strategies, and specifically efforts related to the ‘S’ or ‘Social’ pillar?
There are several ways in which Fitwel advances ESG strategies, particularly in relation to the ‘S’ or ‘Social’ pillar. For example, Fitwel promotes occupiers’ wellbeing by recognising built environments that prioritise both physical and mental wellbeing.
Fitwel also has a strong focus on accessible and inclusive spaces, which allow us to welcome and encourage diversity amongst our tenant population.
Finally, the accreditation encourages community-building features, such as breakout spaces which are designed for collaboration and social interaction.
These features are key to fostering a sense of community in the building.
More broadly, by adopting Fitwel, it signals to stakeholders that, as a team, we are committed to social responsibility.
How does Fitwel support market differentiation for Republic?
Fitwel supports market differentiation for Republic by showcasing to occupiers and prospective occupiers our commitment to health, wellbeing and sustainability. By achieving Fitwel certification for Republic, London, we can demonstrate that the campus is a healthier, safer place to work and study.
Republic is largely occupied by universities, with a population of more than 15,000 students studying at the scheme. We have found that students care deeply about the community and wellbeing credentials of their place of study, so by holding Fitwel accreditation, we can also support our university occupiers in their goals and strategies to attract and retain students.
What are Republic’s ESG goals for 2025 and how have they evolved in response to market demand and regulations?
The main ESG goals for Republic for 2025 relate to reducing energy reduction and pushing the civic mission agenda in conjunction with our university occupiers. We have installed IBOS in both buildings at Republic, resulting in savings of c. 30% savings in the Import Building to-date.
We are looking to push the energy reduction in Export Building in 2025, following the more recent installation.
A local community mapping report has also been created by our Senior Social Impact Manager to kick off 2025. This will support our goal of increasing awareness and addressing the needs of the local community in areas such as education, community development, health and wellbeing.
Republic’s asset manager, Trilogy, is committed to environmentally conscious operations now and into the future. Since LaSalle’s acquisition of East India Dock in 2015, Trilogy has worked to underscore their commitment to sustainability by regenerating the site from a tired office estate into a burgeoning innovation and education campus.
May Molteno, Head of Campus and Social Impact at Trilogy, said:
“To achieve our EPC and Net Zero pathway goals, Trilogy recognises that significant opportunities lay in the optimisation of building controls to ensure equipment is operating efficiently, and at appropriate times.
“When Workman’s IBOS was installed at Republic’s Import Building, the system achieved 100% ROI for installation cost after just two weeks of implementation. Data shows the system has delivered a 21% saving on whole-building energy consumption – which translates to a cost reduction of more than £927k . This is equivalent to carbon savings of 527 tonnes of CO2.
“By implementing IBOS, Trilogy continues to maximise efficiencies, aligning to Net Zero interventions within our sustainability strategy.”
How has Fitwel supported value generation at Republic?
Fitwel certification has supported value generation through enhanced employee satisfaction, supporting our occupiers with attracting talent and enhancing the Republic brand’s reputation.
This was reflected in a recent student satisfaction survey carried out in September 2024, where Republic’s satisfaction rating was, on average, 4.6 / 5 stars from a survey of more than 700 students.
