GOLD: Jason Hartnell MCIOB, project lead, Kier Construction
Middlesbrough Town Hall
Project: Middlesbrough Town Hall
Scope: Refurbishment of Grade II-listed building
Programme: 68 weeks
Client: Middlesbrough Council
Contract: JCT
Value: £7m
Jason Hartnell’s innovations at Middlesbrough Town Hall began before the build phase, where he identified £400,000 of savings needed to take the project forward.
Hartnell’s full survey of the building found huge quantities of materials that could be salvaged for reuse, including mahogany feature panels, hardwood skirting boards, floorboards and doors, all of which had been down for replacement.
Surveying the existing slate roofs, which were to be replaced with new and reclaimed slates, he noticed that nearly all of them were still in good condition and if removed carefully could be reused.
The ornate steel structural beams were also due for replacement, but loading tests organised by Hartnell proved they would be fit for purpose if retained, saving time and cost.
Under the carpet in the back of house areas, Hartnell found old terrazzo floor tiles, which he recommended refurbishing rather than laying down new carpet – providing commercial savings and retaining existing features.
Hartnell not only brought the works within the budget scope, he also brought in on time a project that was at one point 11 weeks late.
SILVER: Anthony Dowling, construction manager, Willmott Dixon Construction
Alexandra Palace Theatre, London
Project: Alexandra Palace Theatre, London
Scope: Refurbishment of Grade II-listed theatre
Programme: 79 weeks
Client: Alexandra Palace
Contract: JCT, with quantities and CDP
Value: £17m
Anthony Dowling’s refurbishment of this listed theatre got off to an inauspicious start, with the discovery during the enabling works of far more extensive asbestos than originally supposed. Used as sound and fire insulation in the former BBC studios, the asbestos strip took almost a year.
Dowling used the time improving buildability for the main works. He also had to an organise an archaeological investigation, after the original palace foundations were discovered, plus a redesign of the floor support structure.
Another headache was bringing the project within budget, which required shrewd value engineering. He rejected a costly temporary roof, instead installing a sacrificial single-ply membrane over the original felt to provide a dry environment for repairs below. He also replaced 1,900 sq m of brick paving for the east court with polished concrete.
When several roof trusses were found to be rotten, he mitigated the delay that propping the trusses would have caused by installing the permanent structural steelwork already designed for the timber node points. He then had the rest of the steels manufactured and installed, allowing critical activities inside the building to continue.
Other finalists
Jon Allworth MCIOB, Willmott Dixon Construction, St Albans Museum and Gallery
Michael Beeching MCIOB, Brymor Construction, Marlborough College Memorial Hall
Simon Copping MCIOB, Greendale Construction, Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum, Dorchester
Wil Huisman MCIOB, PML, E New Court, St John’s College, Cambridge
Patrick Johnson MCIOB, Morgan Sindall Construction, Ballater Station, Aberdeenshire
Adrian O’Shaughnessy MCIOB, Francis Construction, New Visitor Entrance, Eton College
Graham Tuthill MCIOB, Baxall Construction, Hastings Central Library
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What clever guys we having working in the construction industry,what other industry could save vast sums of money by people looking at the job in minute detail,and finding vast savings for the client/tax payers.
Well done to you all.