Name: John Downey
Employer: Miller Construction
Project: New Motherwell College
Contract: SBCC 1999
Leading a £47m project from conception to completion on time and ahead of budget would be a source of pride to any construction manager, but to do so at the age of 33 is accomplishment indeed. Right from the start John Downey’s open, transparent and enthusiastic approach gave confidence that he was the man to deliver the project.
He immediately established effective lines of communication and teamwork, and took the time to gain an understanding of the client’s aspirations. He repeatedly went beyond his contractual obligations in alerting the client to specific design details that did not match those aspirations, offering a review to find a more satisfactory solution. It was the sort of teamwork that the client noticed and appreciated.
John clearly explained build progress in monthly reports. He accompanied it with high-quality pictures of the site, an assessment of works recently completed and a mapping out of what was to come. Made confident of delivery on programme, the client dovetailed its internal procurement and relocation plans with John’s handover dates.
And it wasn’t only his mindset and ethos that won the respect of the professional team. The client and the construction team alike benefited from his technical insight. For example, his removal of a 300m-long stainless steel cleaning rail at height within the atrium of one block in favour of an alternative maintenance regime generated savings and programming benefits. And on several occasions door frames were removed and the fitters subjected to forthright discussions about the quality required.
Value: £47.3m