ISG’s Mark Gibson has been shortlisted for the prestigious Construction Manager of the Year awards, led by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
The CIOB’s UK awards celebrate those who go above and beyond to deliver buildings that make a positive impact on the lives of the people who use them. The award ceremony will be held on 29 September 2021 at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Mark Gibson, Senior Site Manager, was shortlisted in the ‘Public and Leisure’ category for the pivotal role he played in the delivery of a new, state-of-the-art fire station in Chester for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS).
Mark applied his extensive knowledge of the sector, along with his experience of complex temporary facilities, to ensure success on a project procured via and delivered through the North West Construction Hub (NWCH) framework. Leading from the front, despite the ongoing pandemic, Mark and his team have delivered a better working environment for CFRS staff and enhanced facilities for community engagement, better suited to the practical needs of a modern fire service.
The new station features state-of-the-art facilities including a new training tower, breathing apparatus building and road traffic collision training area. It will be more cost-effective to run and also boasts impressive sustainability standards – it is one of the first carbon negative fire stations in the country, using less energy than it produces through renewable energy sources. The surplus is then exported back to the national grid.
“ISG has worked effectively in collaboration with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to deliver an exceptional new fire station in Chester. The design will serve as a blueprint for the future development of other stations in our estate. I must commend the innovative measures employed by ISG to achieve our zero-carbon target for the station. The project was effectively managed throughout by ISG and its on-time completion is noteworthy given the challenges presented by Covid-19 during the build.” Chief Fire Officer Mark Cashin
ISG and CFRS have a long history of delivering ground-breaking facilities through the NWCH, including Lymm Response Hub and Safety Central, which brings safety and life skills topics to life through sensory tours, helping people to stay safe in their own homes. More recently, we delivered Winsford Fire Training Centre, featuring facilities that immerse firefighters in real-life operational situations making them better equipped to keep the communities of Cheshire and surrounding areas safe.
Throughout delivery of all the CFRS projects, ISG supported local communities and delivered lasting benefits for the residents of Chester, Lymm and Winsford. Activities included the creation of jobs for local people, new and sustained apprentices, and community initiatives such as supporting the Chester Postcode Gardener project which provides volunteering opportunities to people with mental health conditions to transform green space.
Mark is particularly passionate about supporting young people, and in addition to delivering the new fire station, Mark encouraged and mentored two high school students to achieve their green Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards. As a result, one of the young men has been employed as a local apprentice with an electrical engineering company. For further information on this story and the social value created across the projects, please visit the case studies on the NWCH website, HERE.
Congratulations to Mark and good luck for the awards event in September.