Gold: Amy Griffiths MCIOB – Kier Construction
Project: Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tan-y-lan, Swansea
Scope: Construction of single-storey school for up to 600 pupils, completed in 24 weeks
Client: Swansea Council
Contract: NEC3, option A
Value: £8.2m
In building this 600-pupil school in under six months, Amy Griffiths upended the typical handling of the landscaping works. Rather than treating them as low-value non-critical operations for the final months, she prioritised their early completion. Her strategy led to delivery ahead of programme, a high-quality build and a very satisfied client.
Having completed the enabling groundworks, piling and steel early, Amy persuaded the client to spend the provisional sums on ensuring that the key water and power supplies were put in swiftly, at a time when utility providers were focusing on ‘emergency works’ during lockdown.
Other finalists
Neil Branchflower ISG, North Hulme SEMH School, Manchester
Blake Lennan Greendale Construction, Bishops Waltham Junior School Scola Recladding
She then surfaced the building perimeter at the earliest opportunity so that all the external works – structural framing system, curtain walling, brickwork –were undertaken from a clean and level surface. Coupled with early installation of the permanent car park, it meant muddy boot prints were never tracked through the building.
By completing much of the external works early, Amy swiftly closed the boundary of the 15,000 sq m site. That meant she could then focus on achieving the highest-quality internal finishes possible on the 2,200 sq m-footprint building.
Her approach helped keep the client satisfaction score at 10/10 from precontract through to mid-term and completion.
Silver: Adrian Mills MCIOB – ISG
Project: Llancarfan Primary School, Rhoose, South Wales
Scope: Construction of two-storey school, completed in 58 weeks
Client: Vale of Glamorgan Council
Contract: NEC
Value: £4.9m
Adrian Mills put his environmental and sustainability qualifications to good use on this replacement
school project which is the client’s first educational facility that is net zero in use.
To achieve the net zero target, Adrian installed air-source heat pumps, solar panel arrays and solar battery storage. By ensuring all members of the team had specialist training, he ensured BREEAM targets were hit – and in some instances bettered. He also reduced the carbon footprint during construction by sourcing an electrically operated forklift truck, wheeled dumper and hybrid 360 excavator.
Adrian also reduced the two-piece design of the outer sheets of the standing seam roof to a single element, value-engineered the structural steel frame and optimised the purlin layout to exploit the single roof-sheet installation.
