London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

In our role as delivery partner, we helped transform the derelict area around Stratford into a world-class sporting venue. The team had six priorities that were achieved during construction and by the legacy left by the Games:

Design and accessibility - The design for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games combined excellence and innovation. The CLM created exciting and expertly designed venues that were distinctive and appreciated by spectators and millions around the world watching.

Employment and skills - The Games provided many people in London and the U.K. with new jobs and career opportunities. Importantly, it helped lower unemployment levels and improve skills within the local area.

Equality and inclusion - Investment into the area had a significant positive effect locally and helped to reduce long-standing inequalities.

Health, safety and security - The health, safety and security of everyone involved in the delivery of the Games was a key priority throughout the games and during decommissioning.

Legacy - The Games offered a unique opportunity to benefit the local area, transforming one of the most underdeveloped areas of London into a modern, urban environment to be used and enjoyed by the community and for many others visiting.

Delivering sustainability and environmental excellence - The venues, facilities and infrastructure for the Games left a lasting social, economic and environmental legacy for London and the U.K. London 2012 was heralded as the most sustainable Olympic Games of all time and was the first Games to independently and publicly monitor and evaluate sustainability efforts.

The project was highly complex and multi-faceted; the Olympic Stadium alone used the services of 240 businesses. It cost $2.56 billion (£1.6 billion) to construct the five permanent venues, which were supported by more temporary venues than any other Games in history.

The team achieved flexibility by setting up frameworks for suppliers and kept a tight rein on schedules, budgets, cost forecasts and construction progress, identifying challenges as they arose.

The site development included possibly the largest environmental clean-up ever accomplished in Europe, transforming a 600-plus acre brownfield site that paved the way for the Olympic Park. 

98% of the waste produced was recycled on site and most of the construction materials were delivered via sustainable rail and water transport, which helped to cut carbon emissions in half and use 40% less water.

Of the 40,000 people who worked on the project between 2006 and 2011, many were employed locally from some of the poorest boroughs in London. We established and paid for a health clinic on site, which provided health screenings for about 2,000 workers each month. At the peak of construction, there were approximately 10,000 people on site, 70% of whom used public transportation to get to work.

Between 2008 and 2012, the Olympic Delivery Authority won over 50 awards that acknowledge the successes and achievements of the London 2012 construction project, including:

• Remediation Innovation Awards: Best use of a combination of techniques.
• RTPI National Awards 2009: Equality and Diversity Awards.
• Constructing Excellence National Awards: Legacy Award – Sustainability.
• Building Public Trust Awards: ‘Excellence’ in Reporting in the Public Sector.
• Chartered Institute for Purchasing and Supply: - Best Public Procurement – Overall Winner.
• RoSPA Diamond Jubilee Award for the most outstanding achievement in Health and Safety performance in Her Majesty the Queen’s reign.

The full list of awards is published in the Olympic Delivery Authority Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12.