Derby man scoops highest honour in construction industry for Derby Council House
Hemel Hempstead, 5 November 2013 - Derby’s Steve Roome – the construction manager behind the new Derby Council House – has been crowned as Britain’s Construction Manager of the Year for his work on the project. He won the award – the most prestigious within the construction industry – at a glittering ceremony hosted by industry body the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) late last week, and received his gold medal and plaque from TV presenter Sian Williams.
Steve Roome, who is currently overseeing the £23 million refurbishment of the Birmingham National Indoor Arena for the NEC Group, received gold for his work on Derby Council House, his previous project. He beat 92 other finalists on the night to the honour of being Britain’s most celebrated construction professional, and the managers behind such high profile projects as The Shard.
‘It is such an honour for me, and for the team at BAM. All the managers who were there have successful ways of working. I think I stood out because this was by far the toughest job I’ve ever done, and it was so technically demanding. The Council House involved integrating a new structure within an existing one, and retaining the existing façade.’
Steve has worked all over Britain, but it gave him special pleasure to deliver his crowning success so close to his roots. He was born in Mickleover, and still lives in Derby today. ‘Being a local lad made the project memorable for me, and it sharpens your sense of giving the client value for money. Derby City Council had a dream for this scheme, and I was proud to be part of it.’
Steve also worked on Derby Magistrates Court completed around a decade ago. His work on Birmingham’s Joseph Chamberlain College helped it win the prime minister’s best public building award in 2011. He has also worked on the refurbishment of the Birmingham Hippodrome, and the British Library, since he joined BAM as a graduate trainee in 1987. ‘I’ve been with BAM for 25 years, so it’s a very fitting point in my career to achieve something of this magnitude. It also reflects the quality of the teams I’ve worked with; in fact, through projects like Derby Council House, the company has become synonymous with quality.’
BAM’s people won four awards in different categories, making it the most successful contractor this year. In Derbyshire it is also behind the current remodelling of East Midlands Airport and the new Lees Brook School.
http://www.cmya.co.uk/stephen-roome
Further information: Mark Slattery, press and media manager, BAM Construct UK Ltd, 01442 238415.