Where RHPPM Was Born
Experience at The Shard — then the tallest building in Europe — gave clear vision of a growing gap in how traditional lift and escalator consultants operate. The day-to-day reality of very large projects demanded something far more hands-on, engaged from the earliest stages of the project lifecycle.
RHPPM was founded on the principle of taking projects off the back foot — moving them from reactive fire-fighting to proactive, front-foot delivery. This was achieved by building strong, productive relationships across all project teams, and developing new methodologies that have since become the foundation of how RHPPM operates on every project.
310
Height of the Shard (m)
72
Floors
44
Lifts Installed
⸺ Commissioning Oversight
Progressive witness testing and integration with building systems.
⸺ Package Management
On-site management of lift and escalator installation.
⸺ Proof of Concept
Establishment of the RHPPM methodology, now applied to every major project.
What did we do on the Shard Project
- Managed the Lift and Escalator package to completion.
- Managed Night shift operations for the whole project.
- Managed the completion and commissioning of the Building Fire Control Centre including “Black Building Evacuation” required to open the Viewing Galleries and Restaurants (2013).
- Managed Remedial works to basement Grouting and Drainage.
- Managed closure of snags across various packages for the project.
The Challenge
The Shard — designed by Renzo Piano and completed in 2013 — stands at 310 metres, making it the tallest building in Europe at the time of its delivery. With 72 habitable floors, 44 lifts and a travel speed of up to 6 metres per second, the vertical transport package represented one of the most complex and technically demanding elements of the entire project.
The scale and complexity of the building demanded a level of lift and escalator management that went far beyond conventional consultancy. The architectural vision had to translate into a fully coordinated, code-compliant and operationally flawless delivery — across multiple contractors, disciplines and timelines simultaneously.
The RHPPM Approach
RHPPM was embedded within the project delivery team, working directly alongside the main contractor Mace to bridge the gap between architectural design intent and the physical reality of installing 44 lift assets into a live, fast-moving construction programme.
Relationships were built and maintained at every level of the project — from senior client representatives to site operatives — creating a network of communication and trust that allowed issues to be resolved quickly and collaboratively, rather than escalated into disputes.
The Outcome
The Shard opened to the public in 2013, with all lift and escalator assets delivered into service on programme. The project became the proof of concept for the RHPPM methodology: that early engagement, technical depth and embedded relationships consistently outperform the traditional arms-length consultancy model on large, complex infrastructure projects.
The lessons learned and the working methods developed at The Shard have since been refined and applied to every major project RHPPM has been appointed to — including Crossrail’s Elizabeth Line and HS2’s Old Oak Common Station, two of the largest infrastructure programmes in the UK in the last two decades.