Construction Project Overview
The project involves the construction of a new two-storey school building for the Gallery Trust in Oxfordshire. Situated on a greenfield site, previously farmers’ fields, the location requires extensive road widening and junction improvements, which have already been completed. Galliford Try Building Southern has been awarded a Considerate Constructors Scheme Gold National Site Award for the incredible standards upheld during the project in 2023. The project team’s commitment to benefitting the community, environment, and workforce has been remarkable throughout this period.
Project Highlights
The excellent levels of performance across all sections of the Scheme’s Considerate Constructors code were meticulously maintained during 2023. The team was always on the lookout for ways that they could drive continuous improvement on the construction site. A lot of energy had been put into engaging with educational establishments to promote construction as a career, with several visits of students to the project site. The range of community activities was particularly comprehensive and highly commendable. It was a very good initiative to develop a format of the stand-downs that took place which brought in suppliers to give workplace demonstrations, helping to ensure great teamwork and clear communication. The site also operated a great initiative to recognise the supply chain and its workforce efforts in delivering the project goals, by having details and achievements actively recorded.
Innovations & Best Practices
The project team has excelled in promoting industry best practices. Their educational work with schools, using tools like the Makaton language programme and assistance dog ‘Buddy’, effectively conveyed the value of the construction industry while supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Respecting the Community
The team was outstanding in its approach to community engagement and promoting construction careers. It prioritised keeping the school and community informed about progress through high-quality newsletters and regular neighbourhood updates. The site maintained and updated public noticeboards with CCS materials, demonstrating their commitment to transparency.
Caring for the Environment
Environmental performance has been continually measured against KPIs, reflecting the company’s roadmap to achieve NetZero by 2035. A rigorous procurement process aimed to minimise single-use plastics on-site. Environmental risk management was exceptional, and workers participated in volunteer days to improve the natural environment.
Valuing the Workforce
The team’s behavioural-based approach to safety management was commendable. The team has created a culture of continuous improvement at the site and they ensured that the workforce understood the benefits of regular health checks. The site team’s proactive approach to e-learning and CCS courses demonstrated their dedication to enhancing staff knowledge and skills.
Congratulations to the team for these outstanding performance levels.