Name: Michael Devaney ICIOB
Employer: Kier Wallis – Kier Regional Ltd
Project: Wolfson Education Centre, Hammersmith W12
Contract: NEC option A
Michael Devaney knew how high the stakes on this project were. If it was successful, Kier’s continuation on the client’s contractor framework was assured; if not, other contracts would have to be found.
Mike then proceeded to hit the sweet spots at all kinds of levels. Positive and proactive with medical staff and students, he forged excellent relationships on a multi-tenanted hospital site where the multitudinous indirect clients had a massive influence that was not recognised in the contract but was indisputably real.
Rather than relying on traditional drawing techniques to gain the acceptance of the many stakeholders, he had a model built of the new lecture theatre, which was the emotive heart of the scheme. It gave a 3D view of the work and helped the users conclude the colour scheme selection.
For the M&E strip and replacement, he monitored forecast temperatures to identify when the plant could be shut down while heating to adjacent hospital buildings was maintained. And he resequenced the delivery of the new plant and relocated the ductwork so that critical activities could progress while he awaited the opportunity to isolate the steam supply.
He involved the trade contractors at key stages of the design, bringing their suggestions to the table. This paid particularly welcome dividends when tight access and limited storage posed unforeseen difficulties for the steelwork installation. Mike’s organisation of early meetings with the steel contractor resulted in the effective solution of splicing a large steel truss into sections that were delivered just in time, thereby maintaining the programme.
And even though the building had already undergone a battery of value-engineering exercises prior to site start, he deployed his buildability knowledge to great effect.
For example, during the demolition work it became clear that the original blockwork walls had not been tied to the outer concrete frame, leaving unstable ‘live’ walls. Rather than demolish the walls and rebuild − which would have added eight weeks to the programme and a considerable sum to the budget − Mike implemented a structural restraint system he had used on another project. It halved the time required and deflated the extra costs.
The client had no doubts about Mike’s success on this project. His building is now the benchmark lecture facility for an impending £250m refurbishment of its main campus.
Value: £9.1m