Building
Control and Standards
CIOB - Award Construction Manager of the Year
Simon Byford from Kinross has been named Britain’s
Construction Manager of the Year by the Chartered Institute of
Building (CIOB) for the £17million refurbishment of HBOS’
headquarters building at The Mound in Edinburgh.
Simon, who is a project manager for Sir Robert McAlpine
commented, “It was a daunting prospect to take what was a very
fine historic building, undertake major intrusive surgery, and
then restore it to its former glory. The opportunity to work on
such a building happens rarely.
“I was extremely fortunate and proud to have worked with such a
great team and have responsibility for delivering this
magnificent project.”
The Mound is an ‘A’ listed building originally completed in 1806
and designed by gifted Edinburgh architect David Bryce. The
building has served as HQ for the Bank of Scotland until 2001
when it became the corporate headquarters of HBOS, formed from
the merger between Halifax and the Bank of Scotland. The Mound
shares the skyline with Edinburgh Castle and enjoys iconic
status within the heart of the city overlooking Princes Street.
Given the logistical issues around the sites topography and the
building’s location in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town,
together with the legacy of sundry alteration works carried out
over the years, the challenges facing Simon were considerable.
HBOS’ principal priority was the efficient delivery of a
refurbished building equipped to function as a 21st century
corporate headquarters, whilst maintaining its architectural
integrity, with a target re-opening date of mid-2006, 200 years
after its original opening.
Chris Blythe CIOB chief executive said, “It wasn't just Simon's
quiet assertiveness and complete control that brought this
project through. It was also his innovative approach to
technical problems that won the confidence of the client that
extra budget, and programme, were needed to carry out the
stunning internal transformation it sought in its iconic
building. Simon now joins the industry’s elite - an outstanding
group of construction managers who have previously won the
title.”
The CIOB has been running CMYA for almost thirty years; it is
the only industry event to celebrate the individual achievement
and excellence of managers in construction, rather than the
projects, processes or design.
The awards are widely recognised as a benchmark for the industry
and the premier accolade for management in the built
environment. To be held in such esteem requires a judging
process of the highest standard. It takes thirty judges six
months of meticulous site visits and interviews (including the
nominee, client and contractors) before the overall winner can
be decided upon. This year’s competition had almost 100
finalists and was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Email:
stownsend@ciob.org.uk