2008 Winners
Celebrating Construction
Winners of the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) awards were announced by Joanne Malin of ITVs Central News and George Marsh WMCCE Chairman at Celebrating Construction 2008.
The overall winner was David Bucknall, Chairman, Rider Levett Bucknall, who was honoured with the award for a 'Major Contribution to Excellence and Quality'.
More than 900 representatives of the Construction Industry in the West Midlands and elsewhere came together on 25th April at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham, for Celebrating Construction 2008, the annual event organised by West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) in collaboration with Birmingham City Council and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
This year's Major Contribution to Excellence and Quality Award was made, not to a project and not to a company, but to an individual who has consistently shown leadership across a whole range of aspects of the West Midlands construction industry for the last 45 years, David Bucknall. In the 1960s, David led the transformation of Bucknall Austin from a small local QS into a successful PLC. He then retired on the sale to Citex in 1998, returning in 2003 to head up the purchase of the business from administration. He was part of the team leading the firm back into the marketplace, co-ordinating in 2007 the merger with Rider Hunt and Levett and Bailey to create the Rider Levett Bucknall global practice.
As a leader in Regeneration, David demonstrated in the 1980s real commitment to regional regeneration when his company purchased a derelict 20,000 sq ft canal-side factory in Scotland Street on the West Side of Birmingham. This was converted into open plan workspace. The project won the RICS Regeneration Award and acted as a catalyst for the now burgeoning Convention Quarter. His company is now seeking to play a similar role in Birmingham East Side.
In total, there were six Constructing Excellence Awards, Leadership in People Development, Integration and Collaborative Working, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Innovation and Major Contribution to Excellence.
George Marsh, WMCCE Chairman said: "These awards reward and recognise outstanding firms across the region. This year entries were of an extremely high standard and I congratulate all the winners and finalists".
Leadership in People Development Award
Joint winners of the leadership in people development category were Aspire Housing and J & S Seddon for their equally impressive commitment to staff training.
Integration and Collaborative Working Award
The winner was Sandwell Decent Homes Partnership, consisting of Taylor Woodrow Construction, Lovell, Wates Living Space, Connaught Partnerships, Sandwell MBC Urban Design, Rider Levett Bucknall and Thomas Vale Construction is delivering groundbreaking results on its Decent Homes programme thanks to a market leading approach to collaboration.
Health and Safety Award
Thomas Vale won the health and safety award for the work carried out at Coppice and Langley School in Sutton Coldfield.
Sustainability Award
The winner of the sustainability award was Birmingham Construction Partnership made up of three main contractors GF Tomlinson Ltd, Thomas Vale Construction and Wates Construction.
Innovation
Oswestry-based Elements Europe received the award for innovation for the development and launch of a revolutionary 'structurally integrated' Pod concept called SoloPod ST.
Major Contributor to Excellence and Quality
The overall winner was David Bucknall, Chairman, Rider Levett Bucknall, who was honoured with the award for a 'Major Contribution to Excellence and Quality'.