The Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai represents a new chapter in premium education for the region. As the first international campus of the prestigious UK institution, the school was designed to bring world-class learning to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while setting a precedent in sustainable development.
Built to accommodate 2,100 students, the new campus needed to balance academic excellence with environmental responsibility. Its development marked a milestone for the region: the first school in the Middle East to achieve BREEAM certification, a global standard for sustainability in the built environment.
A complex, future-ready educational facility
Situated on a 40,000m² site, the project comprises a G+3 main academic building, a standalone sports facility, and a facility management building, with a total gross floor area of 27,000m². The campus includes a mix of high-spec teaching and administrative spaces, a swimming pool, auditorium, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and a central atrium that serves as the heart of the school. The challenge was to deliver a high-performance, environmentally certified facility that met the client’s vision for a progressive, future-focused educational environment – while maintaining cost and program discipline in a competitive market.
Our role in delivering sustainable excellence
WT was engaged early to shape cost parameters, benchmark design expectations, and ensure financial alignment with the client’s ambitions. Our early involvement allowed for better coordination between sustainability targets and budget frameworks, particularly important in a project defined by its green credentials. Operating within a non-competitive procurement model, we conducted rigorous market testing at the trade package level and leveraged regional cost intelligence to assess and validate contractor proposals.
A shared cost-saving incentive between the client and contractor was introduced, encouraging responsible cost control and collaboration. By carefully structuring and tracking this mechanism, we helped ensure that savings below the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) delivered mutual financial benefits – driving both value and trust.
Cost control, risk management, and transparency
Throughout the project, we applied disciplined change control, continuous cost-to-complete forecasting, and proactive value engineering. We responded swiftly to late-stage design changes and market volatility, maintaining alignment between cost, program, and design intent. This approach significantly reduced financial risk and supported timely delivery.
The Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai is now operational and stands as a benchmark for sustainable educational infrastructure in the region. Our involvement ensured the project was delivered within budget and on schedule, with full commercial transparency and high client confidence.