Name: Roland Spikings MCIOB
Employer: Kier Marriott
Project: Victory, Agness, Cobra and Keen Office Blocks, EDS, Milton Keynes
Contract: JCT 1998
The constraints of a normal construction project are challenging enough, but Roland Spikings faced extraordinary environmental demands. He had to work around the breeding season of the great crested newt and the hibernation patterns of long-eared bats, and address the various other protected species that inhabited the site. Major changes were forced on the programme and the construction strategy as a result.
Despite the onslaught, Roland demonstrated an environmental sensitivity that impressed the local ecology officers. He arranged training for the construction team and the client’s facility management representatives. He gave ecologists total access to the site, and encouraged his team to collaborate with them.
Ecologists supervised all demolition works. New newt ponds were created, kerbs were lowered in the car park to allow the newts to move easily to them, and the storm water system was adapted so the creatures would not be trapped in it. And by keeping works more than 30m from the badger setts Roland was able to proceed without applying for a licence.
The client had 500 staff working at the live site. Roland demonstrated a more traditional ability to reassure his client that its business would not be affected by data losses or power outages as older buildings were demolished.
Roland drove home the team message with all disciplines. Passionate about a project agenda shared by all stakeholders, he spread a feeling of ownership and pride around the team. Honesty, integrity and a sense of humour were his weapons in the battle for project victory.
‘Our expectations are others’ aspirations’ was the mission statement he nailed to the site reception. He drove it by a battery of quality checks and controls. Subcontractors had to sign off their area of work before handover to the next trade. He encouraged regular visits and walkarounds from building control, the project manager and the design team.
And when the client asked Roland to bring forward completion by four months, he did so in the face of some scepticism. His ingenious methods allowed subcontractors to share space and advance their works simultaneously. In driving the acceleration he changed attitudes and enabled that early completion well ahead of programme.
Value: £24.9m