Graham Construction has commenced work on providing new accommodation at Elms Village for Queen’s University, Belfast.

The 80 week project worth £12.4m involves the construction of 121 units arranged over five blocks varying in height from three to six storeys.

The load bearing brick and block work blocks with insitu flat concrete slabs have been designed to achieve an excellent BREEAM rating.

The units ranging in size from one to four beds when complete will be the eleventh phase of accommodation constructed at the Elms Village since 2000 and will provide first class purpose built accommodation for postgraduate and international students.

As part of the PPP project, DBFO1, GRAHAM Structural Repairs, working hand-in-hand with GRAHAM Highway Management Maintenance, recently completed waterproofing works to the M1 Sprucefield Bridge 5 weeks ahead of the 13-week programme.

Sprucefield is a major interchange on the M1 as it is the junction where traffic to and from the south leaves and joins the motorway – in fact almost half the country bound M1 traffic leaves the M1 at Sprucefield, bound for the south. It was the unique nature of traffic flows at this junction that prompted HMM to consider an alternative and radical traffic management scheme for the repairs to the southern deck of the bridge, which involved closing one lane of the M1 over the bridge. Through the use of detailed traffic flow analysis and with the support of Roads Service, this alternative traffic management arrangement was put in place, which resulted in a significant time saving, obviated the need for a complicated contra flow and freed all restrictions on Belfast-bound traffic.

Sprucefield is a good example of how partnership can work in practice for the benefit of all concerned, most notably the travelling public, who experienced 5 weeks fewer ‘cones on the road’ than they might have expected.

Pictured above:  Part of the newly refurbished Sprucefield Bridge.

GRAHAM has recently added to its portfolio of leisure and swimming pool projects being awarded the contract for the Active Life Style Centre, Oswald Park, Oswestry.

The contract consists of a leisure complex including both a 25m swimming pool and training pool plus fitness suite, various public areas and suite of management offices.

This contract is an important construction ‘milestone’ for GRAHAM as it will be the first to be managed from our newly opened Manchester office.

The construction of this leisure complex worth £7.5m was started in 2009 but stalled in January 2010 when the main contractor on the job faced financial difficulties.

GRAHAM won this project against strong competition and hope to move on-site in August 2010 with completion during Spring 2011.

Graham Facilities Management has been awarded a significant contract to provide comprehensive Facilities Management for the Richard Rose Federation comprising of two Academies, Central and Morton, both located in Carlisle, Cumbria.

The Academies offer students a wide range of high quality academic and vocational courses in an innovative learning environment, utilising state of the art technology and resources to provide an individual personalised learning experience for all.

Graham FM will provide a comprehensive solution to include planned and reactive building, mechanical and electrical maintenance services in addition to caretaking, cleaning, grounds maintenance, environmental services, and 24/7/365 Helpdesk service.

Both Academies are soon to benefit from newly constructed, state of the art facilities, with Central due to open a three storey building catering for 1500 students in January 2011, and Morton expected to follow during the summer of 2011, for which Graham FM will provide a comprehensive removal and decant service. Services will commence onsite at the existing facilities in the interim period.

Under the scope of the contract, Graham FM will also have the opportunity to accommodate the Carlisle Youth Zone (CYZ) which will be located adjacent to the soon to be ready Central Academy. The building is approximately 5,000 m² and will provide out-of-school hours facilities for children and young adults. Services for CYZ will comprise maintenance, cleaning, security, mail and porterage.

Decant starts in December 2010 with service commencement to Central Academy in January 2011. A further decant will take place in August 2011 with service commencement at Morton in September 2011.

Work has commenced on the new Whitehouse Primary School in Newtownabbey.

A sod cutting ceremony was held on Thursday 24 June 2010 to mark the beginning of the works at this site.  Bert McCulloch, Contracts Director, Keith Patrick, Project Director and Victor Hamilton, Project Manager were in attendance to represent the Company.

GRAHAM was recently awarded this £3.6m contract for the construction of a new build to replace the school which was destroyed by fire in July 2009.  The Project will comprise 14 classrooms, Assembly Hall, Dining Facilities and Nursery Unit along with extensive landscaping works.

The school is due to be complete by summer 2011.

Pictured above: Bert McCulloch, Contracts Director, Victor Hamilton, Project Manager (GRAHAM), Maurice Law, Project Manager (NEELB), Nigel Dodds, Local MLA, Alison Brown, Architect Knox & Clayton & David McConkey, Headmaster of Whitehouse Primary School at the recent Sod Cutting Ceremony.

The new £3.0m Centre for Sport and Exercise (CSE) at the University of Edinburgh Pleasance Campus has been successfully completed and handed over precisely on programme and with zero defects.

The new facility enhances an already world class venue for training and sports science with some 16,000 members and growing.

The new extension and refurbishment was carried out by the Graham Construction team on an extremely confined site within the one year programme, whilst also coping with the extra restrictions associated with exam times and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival who also use the venue.

It is the first construction project that GRAHAM has had the opportunity to undertake for the University of Edinburgh.

GRAHAM has been awarded the construction of a new Maplefields School in Corby, England valued at £12m for Northamptonshire County Council.

The School caters for pupils with learning and behavioural challenges and comprises two buildings – the main school building and a sports/vocational training building, in addition to external play areas and full synthetic pitch.

The Pre-Construction period of 4 weeks is about to commence with the construction work programmed to last for 66 weeks.

Pictured above: Artists Impression of the new school facility.

GRAHAM Construction has been awarded this high profile project by Northern Ireland Water (NIW). As part of its Water Resource Strategy, the project will form part of the Strategic Link between Castor Bay water treatment works and the Newry and Lough Ross Resource Zones and will assist NIW to fulfil their Regulatory obligations.

The project entails the design and construction of:

• Scarva Trunk Main - Approximately 11km of 700 & 600mm nominal internal diameter trunk main from Ballydugan Road, near Bleary, Lurgan, to Scarva Water Pumping Station, near Scarva

• Tullyhappy Trunk Main - Approximately 4km of 300mm nominal internal diameter trunk main from Jerretspass Water Pumping Station to a new Tullyhappy Service Reservoir

• Belleeks Trunk Main - Approximately 13km of 300mm nominal internal diameter trunk main from Tullyhappy SR to Belleeks WPS

• Camly & Annacloughmullin Trunk Mains - Approximately 2km of twin lay 250mm and 200mm nominal internal diameter mains from Belleeks WPS to Jonesborough Road connection

• Water Pumping Stations - refurbishment or new construction of 4 water pumping stations

• Service Reservoirs - refurbishment or new construction of 5 service reservoirs.

West Lothian Council officially opened the newly constructed Bathgate Leisure Centre on Friday 28 May 2010, encompassing a new competition swimming pool, external pitch, changing facilities and West Lothian Leisure Offices.

This project represents an exciting development for Bathgate and West Lothian involving a number of partners, including West Lothian Leisure, Sportscotland, Scottish Swimming, Swim West Lothian, the local swimming and sub-aqua clubs as well as council colleagues from Construction Services.

The opening ceremony took place at the new facilities in Balbardie Park where there was a short presentation to formally open the area.  Bert McCulloch (Contracts Director), Iain Loose (Business Development, Scotland) and Dyke Mackenzie (Business Development, Scotland) attended to represent GRAHAM.

Two recently completed Graham Construction projects received awards at the prestigious the 2010 Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) Design Awards ceremony held on Thursday 20 May 2010 in the newly refurbished Ulster Hall in Belfast.

The ‘Commendation’ Awards were received in the Conservation Category for the Ulster Hall and Belfast City Hall Refurbishment projects and are a tribute to the close working relationship and attention to detail developed by Gary Holmes & his team working with Architect, Consarc and client, Belfast City Council.

The RSUA Awards were initiated in 1998 to raise awareness of architecture and the built environment in the towns and cities across Northern Ireland and also to help raise the standard of architecture. They place great emphasis on recognising the role of both client & contractor in helping create good design.

Pupils from Irvine’s Loudoun-Montgomery Primary School made a little bit of local history on Friday 14 May 2010 when they revealed the name of Irvine’s iconic new bridge - Foulertoun Arches.  23 youngsters of Loudoun-Montgomery’s Primary 6/5 class unveiled the name of the bridge after they raced across the £3.5 million structure and burst through the tape to declare the bridge officially open.

The name Foulertoun Arches was one of almost 50 names suggested by the pupils of Loudoun-Montgomery Primary School for the new bridge. The reference to Arches is after the style of the bridge and the name Foulertoun is the ancient spelling of Fullarton – the local area where the bridge is located.

Each of the youngsters’ names will feature on a commemorative plaque to be erected at the bridge embankment on part of an old sandstone pillar ‘recycled’ from the original railway bridge across the River Irvine.

The pupils will all also receive a Special Award medal for their efforts, presented by North Ayrshire Council’s Depute Provost, Ian Clarkson, and will be treated to a Bridge Brunch back at the Council’s headquarters.

Loudoun-Montgomery Head Teacher, Janie Millar, said: “The P5/6 pupils are thrilled to have been involved, both in choosing the name of the new bridge and in the official opening ceremony.  This is an experience which will stay with these children for the rest of their lives.”

North Ayrshire Council Leader, David O’Neill, said: “The old Bailey-style bridge was supposed to be in place for four years and ended up being there for 38 years - it was in a terrible state and had to be replaced as a matter of urgency.

“The Council did come in for some criticism while the road was closed for the past year to build the replacement bridge but we’ve received many positive comments since the road re-opened and people are delighted with the quality of the eye-catching new structure and the other improvement works in the area.

Alan Bill, Managing Director of GRAHAM Construction said: “We are very pleased to have delivered this iconic bridge for North Ayrshire Council.  Following a very wet summer and one of the worst winters in recent history, it is testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff that the project was completed on programme.  Working in partnership with our supply chain partners, we have delivered a bridge that the people of Irvine can be proud of and its construction continues our strong tradition in completing iconic bridge structures throughout the UK and Ireland.”

Pictured above:  Pupils, teachers and guests cutting a cake to mark the opening of the new Foulertoun Arches.

Graham Facilities Management was recently awarded a multidiscipline repairs and maintenance contract for Durham Constabulary.

Graham FM will provide an extensive range of planned and reactive building, mechanical and electrical maintenance services in addition to grounds maintenance, environmental services, and 24/7/365 Helpdesk service for approx 41 properties within the Durham Estate. Durham Constabulary has a wide and varied estate portfolio ranging the length and breadth of the county, from Peterlee on the East Coast, Barnard Castle in the West and from Chester le Street in the North to Darlington in the South. Such properties include police stations, administration centres, training facilities and leisure centres (including swimming pool), encompassing sports pitches and recreational facilities.

Graham FM will provide a mobile maintenance engineering solution, drawing upon directly employed building fabric, mechanical and electrical maintenance engineers managed from our local helpdesk facility.

The contract award will create up to 10 new jobs in the area.  The contract is due to commence 1st August 2010.

GRAHAM is part of the South Eastern Education Partnership (SEEP) that has been confirmed as preferred bidder on the £35M Lagan College & Tor Bank Special School PPP Project in Belfast.

Lagan College is the first and largest integrated college in Northern Ireland catering for some 1200 pupils. The works will involve the construction of an extensive new build facility on the existing school site.

Torbank School currently caters for around 200 children with extreme specialist educational needs and under the project will relocate to a new build facility on a green field site a short distance from the existing site.

Graham Construction, supported by lead designers BDP will be responsible for the design and build of the new schools, while Graham FM will provide facilities management services.  Graham Investment Projects and our partner Bilfinger Berger Project Investments are shareholders and investors in SEEP.

The campaign to save Maryhill’s historic Burgh Halls took a major step forward 132 years to the day after the Halls were opened, Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil visited the ongoing £9.2 million restoration project, which will breathe new life into the iconic Halls and save them for the community. 

The Minister’s visit follows a contribution from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund of £1.8 million - the largest single piece of funding in the £9.2 million total.
Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust raised this remarkable sum to secure a bright future for the treasured halls and in doing so recapture the splendour of one of the city’s best loved buildings. Work began in November 2009 and will be completed in May 2011.

Maryhill Burgh Halls were the seat of municipal government in the days when Maryhill was a Burgh. They were built in 1878 and designed by renowned architect Duncan McNaughtan, but have lain derelict for the past eight years and are listed on the buildings at risk register. Once restored, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and courtyard garden.

While at Maryhill the Minister joined Ron Clarke, Operations Director, GRAHAM Construction, and signed a steel beam which forms part of structural steelwork which is ongoing at present.

Pictured above: Ron Clarke (Operations Director) Gary Holmes (Contracts Director) & John McHugh (Contracts Manager) with Minister Alex Neil during his recent visit to Maryhill Burgh Halls.

IRVINE’S new bridge was opened for business two days earlier than planned on Sunday, 18 April 2010.

Drivers can breathe a sigh of relief as their six mile detour to reach the less-than-a-mile Merryvale Roundabout is no more.

Pupils at Loudoun-Montgomery Primary School have been tasked with coming up with a name for the bridge to be revealed at the official opening next month.

It’s estimated that 16,000 vehicles a day will travel across the bridge.

The giant blue bridge, being hailed as “iconic” by North Ayrshire Council, weighs 162 tonnes and its distinctive arches stand tall at 15.3 metres.  The decking part of the new bridge is made of 147 tonnes of steel and 1300 cubic metres of concrete and the steel reinforcement within the concrete deck and foundations weighs an additional 215 tonnes.

Graham Environmental Services has proven a continued success with inclusion within Trafford Council’s Framework for the prevention and control of legionella.

The Trafford Council’s framework contract has been designed to ensure the Council’s full compliance with the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACOP L8), The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems.

The main scope of works under the contract will include the provision and maintenance of an electronic log book/monitoring system, the development and provision of legionella risk assessments for all water systems within Trafford Council’s properties and the maintenance of thermostatic mixing valves across the estate.

Graham Environmental Services will resource the contract by drawing on the skills and experience of the directly employed Environmental Services team.

Graham FM has added Ballymun Civic Centre to their already significant FM portfolio within the Greater Dublin Area.

The FM Contract went live on Monday 12th April 2010.  Graham FM will draw upon local facilities and maintenance teams to provide Ballymun Civic Centre with an extensive range of hard and soft FM services, supported by the 24/7/365 Helpdesk.

Ballymun Civic Centre is an impressive 12,000 m2 property, located at the site of the original Ballymun roundabout and which currently houses local council chambers, Dublin City Council administration centre, motor tax office, BRL Ltd, health board offices, health centre, and extensive office accommodation. Situated on the outskirts of Dublin, the centre is situated close to the M50 and just around the corner from the Graham Ireland office at Santry.

The contract is initially for a duration of 3 years.

Graham FM officially commenced provision of a total integrated facilities management solution for the South Eastern Regional College Lisburn Campus on Monday 12 April 2010 under PPP/PFI arrangement.

The new £25 million city centre campus encompasses approximately 18,000 sqm and provides a range of innovative and career focused programmes of study to over 6000 students and 300 client companies.  The new campus boasts a number of innovative facilities, including:

• Learning Centre
• Restaurant Facilities
• Hairdressing Salon
• Beauty Salon
• Wet trade workshops
• Fitness training resource

Graham FM has established a comprehensive facilities team.  Facilities and maintenance services are delivered onsite by a highly experienced operational team of caretakers, housekeepers, cleaners and multi skilled maintenance operatives. Graham FM is supported in the delivery of specialist services by the resources and capabilities of a quality assured, local supply chain partners.

Following Graham FM’s successful contract award to deliver building fabric maintenance services on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council last September, they have once more proved a success by gainining inclusion in the Council’s Framework for Building, Mechanical and Electrical Works.

Since the commencement of the Cambridgeshire contract in January of this year, Graham FM have already undertaken in excess of 400 jobs for the contract, which accommodates approximately 300 council properties including council offices, community and youth centres, libraries and a number of council owned residential properties, hostels and sheltered accommodations.

Through participation in the framework arrangement, Graham FM will be provided the opportunity to tender for building, mechanical and electrical works alongside a select number of preferred suppliers and thus providing ample opportunity for further expansion within the area.

Did you know?

‘Thanks to the tremendous effort of the entire GRAHAM Construction D&B team we have just received the formal ‘as designed’ BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) certificate confirming that our new head office has achieved an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. Licensed BREEAM assessor Alan Geddis commenting on the achievement said “I believe at 79.13% the rating achieved on the new GRAHAM Headquarters is one of the highest ever achieved in Northern Ireland and truly reflects the strong commitment of the GRAHAM Group and their designers to Sustainable Construction.”

BREEAM is the leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings. It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de facto measure used to describe a building’s environmental performance.

BREEAM provides clients, developers, designers and others with:

• market recognition for low environmental impact buildings
• assurance that best environmental practice is incorporated into a building
• inspiration to find innovative solutions that minimise the environmental impact
• a benchmark that is higher than regulation
• a tool to help reduce running costs, improve working and living environments
• a standard that demonstrates progress towards corporate and organisational environmental objectives

BREEAM addresses wide-ranging environmental and sustainability issues and enables developers and designers to prove the environmental credentials of their buildings to planners and clients. It:

• uses a straightforward scoring system that is transparent, easy to understand and supported by evidence-based research
• has a positive influence on the design, construction and management of buildings
• sets and maintains a robust technical standard with rigorous quality assurance and certification.

Work to install four huge beams as part of the M80 upgrade project has been completed.

The beams, which form the new Mollinsburn overbridge in North Lanarkshire, had been due to be put in place last week but the 1,200 tonne crane brought in to lift them developed a fault.

Work to lift the beams was carried out between 2000 GMT on Saturday 27 February and 0800 GMT on Sunday 28 February.

The A80 has reverted to a lane one closure northbound, with the southbound running as normal, to allow the removal of the crane and associated vehicles.

The £320m project to upgrade an 11 mile stretch of the M80 between Stepps and Haggs began last year and is due to be completed by 2011.

The £8.5m Kingsland Primary School in Peebles opened its doors to Staff and Pupils on Monday 22 February 2010.

Built by GRAHAM for the Scottish Borders Council, Kingsland Primary accommodates more than 400 staff and pupils and contains 15 classrooms and incorporates a nursery.

The school has a Scandinavian look and the classrooms are light and airy. Despite the fact that the structure is two storeys in places, 11 of its 15 classrooms have doors opening directly to the outside, emphasising the connection of the school to its semi-rural setting.

The frontal elevation of the school, which faces the road, is clad in dry stone walling, while the use of timber and white render lend a tactile, friendly quality to the building.

As the site of the school has a steep north to south fall running across it, the bulk of the school’s two-storey games hall is cut into the hill.

The final stage of the GRAHAM commitment to using local resources in order to meet the challenge of building the Peace Bridge came to its conclusion on Monday 8 February 2010 when 12 successful candidates took up their positions on this prestigious and historic project. 

Alan Bill, Managing Director, Graham Construction said:  “The successful individuals have not just obtained paid employment but also an opportunity to gain valuable skills and development that will launch them on a sustainable career path”.

As part of the recruitment process each candidate was given a Company induction by Sheelagh Dornan, Graduate Development Manager, GRAHAM and presented with their PPE. 

We wish them every success in their new status!

Pictured Above: Nuala Griffiths, Community Liaison Officer and Patrick McNaught, Storeman.

Graham Projects has recently completed the fit-out of 3 retail units at the new T1X extension at Dublin Airport.

The works at the Calvin Klein, LK Bennett and Boggi Milano units involved mechanical and electrical installations, partitions and ceiling works with feature walls, flooring works, painting and decorating works and assembly and installation of retail unitry and signage.

The completion of these units adds to the already long list of contracts successfully delivered at Dublin Airport.

Graham Environmental Services continues to prove a success in Scotland and has recently secured a Legionella Risk Assessment contract for Dumfries and Galloway NHS, successfully competing against established local and national environmental services providers.

Under the scope of the contract, Graham Environmental Services will undertake Risk Assessments for over 60 NHS properties in the Dumfries and Galloway region, drawing on a team of local Environmental Surveyors. The Contract follows on from the delivery of the legionella monitoring and control services currently provided to over 400 properties for Dumfries and Galloway Council and over 500 properties for the Scottish Borders Council.

The award of this contract is a milestone in the growth of the Graham Environmental Services division.

Work has begun on starter business units designed to create new jobs in St Ives.  Land allocated for the St Ives Enterprise Centre costing around £1 million, has been officially handed over to Graham Construction by Huntingdonshire District Council at the former council depot in Caxton Road.

The scheme will provide 8 commercial workspaces and 6 offices aimed at encouraging start-up business.  It will include measures to improve waste and energy efficiency with renewable energy resources as part of the council’s environmental strategy.  Measures include carbon emissions 40% below building regulation standards, use of rainwater for toilet flushing, climate control with natural daylight and ventilation, low energy lighting and a green sedum roof which helps to retain water and provide a wild habitat.

Councillor Andrew Hansard who has responsibilities for estates said:  “This scheme will create new employment opportunities in St Ives and we expect the units to be popular given their location and proximity to the guided bus”.

Mossley Mill, originally a flax spinning mill built in 1834 by a local cotton manufacturer, Edmund Grimshaw has recently undergone a £16m redevelopment by Graham Construction.

Split into two phases, the first phase entailed the complete refurbishment of the existing mill building. Structural stabilisation of the existing masonry façade was required during internal demolitions as was removal of sections of existing stonework to accommodate new feature curtain walling.  In addition to renewal of existing roof coverings and external stone work repairs internal demolition provided the opportunity to integrate a new lift shaft and access lift, spiral staircase and new lobby areas. 

The second phase comprised the construction of the new build Community Arts and Cultural Centre, including a new theatre.

It is hoped that this completed project will gain recognition as a centre for art and creativity, and will house a range of creative organisations.

Pictured above: The new theatre at Mossley Mill.

The iconic Samuel Beckett Bridge, built by GRAHAM Hollandia Joint Venture, was opened on 10th December by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello.  The gala ceremony saw the Dublin City Council Mayor drive over the 125m long cable-stayed bridge.  The opening was the culmination of 30 months of construction, resulting in the bridge being opened on time.

The €40m Samuel Beckett Bridge is the latest addition to Dublin’s impressive inventory of Liffey bridges. Located in the heart of Dublin’s docklands it provides a valuable new link between the north and south quays in the area. The iconic structure was commissioned by Dublin City Council and designed by the internationally acclaimed artist, architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava.

The concept for the bridge came from Calatrava’s glance at the harp on the back of an Irish coin, leading him to be inspired to design a bridge that reflected the shape of the national emblem. Its curved pylon produces a dramatic shape giving the appearance of a harp lying on its side. The structure is a magnificent paradox of slenderness and strength that embellishes the cityscape, particularly when it is illumi¬nated against the night sky. The cable stay bridge is unique in Ireland as it is capable of rotating through an angle of 90 degrees to accom¬modate occasional maritime traffic.

Alan Bill, Managing Director of John Graham (Dromore) Ltd and GRAHAM Projects Ltd said: “GRAHAM are delighted to be involved in this fascinating project. It gives us an opportunity to further add to our excellent and long established bridge building portfolio, by successfully completing this magnificent Calatrava project on programme and playing a major part in creating a landmark structure in Dublin City centre”.

Dublin City Council Engineer Michael Phillips believes the bridge’s design is something that will impress Dubliners and visitors. “The bridge is a stunning piece of design and engineering. It’s cable-stayed bridge – which gives it a graceful, almost weightless appearance. Its position across the Liffey at Dublin’s maritime gateway sends a confident, forward-looking statement about today’s Dublin”.

Its Origins

The construction of Samuel Beckett Bridge is part of an overall plan to remove through traffic from the City centre. The proposal had been developed, in accordance with central and local government policies, to improve the road network in the inner city east of O’Connell Street.

The bridge is intended to:

• facilitate the regeneration of the north and south docklands;
• provide an important pedestrian and cycle crossing facility;
• accommodate bus priority and a future Luas line across the Liffey;
• facilitate the implementation of the network of environmental traffic cells in Dublin City centre;
• improve traffic circulation, public transport and the pedestrian environment in the City centre.

The design brief for the bridge sought to achieve a landmark structure of unmistakable modernity of unique character.

The Construction Process

The project began with the construction of the reinforced concrete abutments on each quay wall, and the support pier in the River Liffey. A large sheet piled cofferdam was constructed in the river to enable the pier to be built. The main support pier and both abut¬ments at the quay walls rest on piles bored, up to twenty metres deep, creating a firm footing in the limestone rock under the river bed.

The steel bridge superstructure was fabricated off-site and transported fully assembled by barge. Construction began in Rotterdam, Holland in May 2007 and involved the assembly of 8 steel bridge sections to create a 123 metre deck span. A 46 metre high steel curved pylon was fabricated and connected to the deck and 25 forestay and 6 backstay cables were installed to create the main superstructure.

The superstructure, weighing approximately 2,500 tonnes, was trans¬ported to Dublin on a large barge in May 2009. The barge’s journey, from Rotterdam to Dublin, was carefully monitored throughout its 628 mile journey, which took approximately 8 days, during which this remarkable shipment was forced to shelter from high winds.

Once on-site, counter ballast, in the form of heavy weight concrete, was added to sections of the backspan to evenly balance the super¬structure before mounting it on the support pier. The superstructure was suspended above the main pier and engineers used the receding tide to lower it into position. The barge was then removed and the superstructure balanced with its centre of gravity over the support pier. Once in position the final ‘tuning’ ballast, in the form of steel blocks, was installed and the cable-stays were tensioned so that the super¬structure, now weighing 5,700 tonnes, was balanced precisely before it was rotated into its closed position.

A high specification, copper-roofed, control room building was constructed on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. This is linked, via ducts placed along the river bed, to the bridge’s hydraulic rotational mecha-nism housed in the main support pier.

Pictured above:  Dr Santiago Calatrava, Designer of the Bridge with Alan Bill, MD - Construction, GRAHAM and the Project Team.

Graham Farrans JV has been successful in their bid to secure work on one of the longest single roads projects ever undertaken in Northern Ireland. The A5 Western Transport Corridor (A5WTC) is one of five key transport corridor upgrades identified in the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland and will improve safety and journey time, as well as business, trade and tourist routes.

The scheme also represents a significant link in longer-term plans to improve connections between Dublin, Londonderry and Donegal. The Irish Government have pledged a contribution of £400m to help fund major roads programmes in Northern Ireland, including the A5WTC.

The proposed 86 kilometre long dual carriageway from Derry to Aughnacloy, estimated to cost between £650 million and £850 million is divided into 3 sections. Graham Farrans have been awarded Section 3 which comprises the construction of a 32km dual carriageway from just south-east of Omagh at Doogary by-passing to the east of Aughnacloy where it ties in to the existing A5 north of the border at Moy Bridge with a single carriageway link between the A28 and the existing A5.

The two phase project will commence with the JV assisting Roads Service and their agents, Mouchel in the development of the scheme, and taking the project through the Public Inquiry in 2011. We will input our value engineering and buildability expertise to ensure the scheme offers the best value for Roads Service and the public. Should the Public Inquiry be successful, the consortium will take over the design, and be responsible for the completion of design with construction running from 2012 through to completion in 2015. 

For more information on the A5 project go to http://www.a5wtc.com/

The Small Animal Hospital designed by Archial Architects has been awarded the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2009. From a shortlist of eleven projects the judges selected the Small Animal Hospital as a clear winner. 

The judge’s citation:

“The new Small Animal Hospital is located at the entrance to the grounds of Garscube Estate and forms part of the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. It provides state of the art services for animal owners and referring practitioners.

Internally the building is simply organised both horizontally and vertically with a clear division of public and private hospital space. The working hospital, set behind the gabion wall, is focussed around a central treatment hub which acts as the heart of the building. There are clear and unrestricted views towards day-care, intensive care, operation suites, diagnostics and oncology.

The building is set unobtrusively into its setting, a massive grassed roof creating a new hillside within the landscape. The building’s great triumph is the unique and ingenious way it integrates a very substantial medical facility within the parkland setting of Glasgow University’s Garscube Estate. However, the rooftop ‘lantern’ and the boldly defined entrance ensure that this superb building declares its presence and scale. This is a highly complex work of architecture which sets new standards in the design of buildings for veterinary medicine.”

Graham Construction handed over the £10.5M facility to the University of Glasgow in May 2009.

The results of the ARENA Network’s 11th Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey have been announced at the Harbour Commissioners’ Buildings in Belfast.

We are delighted to report that we have successfully maintained our standing in the platinum quintile. Only eight other organisations obtained this banding and GRAHAM are the only construction company to have achieved this banding two years in a row.

The survey is widely recognised as the principal measure of environmental engagement in Northern Ireland, and examines the leading 200 companies, 26 local authorities, five Health Trusts and the education sector. The survey aims to ensure environmental issues are on the Board agenda of the largest organisations and measures the extent to which these organisations are managing environmental issues.

Participants are invited to complete a self-assessment questionnaire, largely based on the Index of Corporate Environmental Engagement developed by Business in the Environment (ARENA’s counterpart in England). ARENA Network staff carry out verification visits and an independent review of the Survey is undertaken by Acona Ltd. The questionnaire is divided into three main sections: the first relating to environmental management, the second focusing on how participants measure and report their performance and the third section is assurance.

Pictured above:  Lianne Rafferty and Brendan Kelly of GRAHAM picking up the Platinum Award at the ARENA Network Awards Ceremony.

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, officially opened the new N52 Tullamore Bypass just nineteen months after the sod cutting ceremony. The €45M 14km single carriageway road was completed some 10 months ahead of schedule and within budget.

The work commenced in March 2008 with a contract completion date of August 2010. The project was completed by Co Down based contractor John Graham (Dromore) Limited and Tyrone contractor PT McWilliams working in joint venture. 1,350 men and women were working on the project completing 650,000 man hours without major injury.

The N52 Tullamore Bypass comprises 14km of single carriageway road commencing southwest of Mucklagh village and extending east and north of Tullamore before rejoining the existing N52 north of the town. The scheme links into the N80, Portlaoise road, east of the town at Clonminch.

The project involved the construction of seven roundabout junctions, five river crossings, a crossing over the Grand Canal, one railway crossing, two underpasses and two further bridges. The road was also constructed through a candidate of special area of conservation (cSAC).

The opening of the N52 Tullamore Bypass is a major infrastructure development for Tullamore, Co Offaly and the Midland Region.

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, TD said:

“This is another important step in the continuing improvement of our national road network. The reduction in traffic volumes, noise levels and air pollution will greatly improve the quality of life in Tullamore. The Bypass will also result in greater certainty of journey times, as well as reduced transport costs and greater efficiency in the transportation of goods. I have no doubt that it will have a very positive impact on this entire region.”

Speaking about the project, Leo Martin, Director of GRAHAM PT McWilliams JV said:

“The completion of the N52 Tullamore Bypass 10 months ahead of programme and on budget is an achievement that the GRAHAM PT McWilliams Joint Venture is immensely proud of. The delivery of this key national road scheme was only achieved through the hard work and the application of skills and experience of our dedicated site team, supplier and subcontractors who have worked tirelessly to get us to where we are today. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate them for their efforts. The design and construction of this project posed many challenges. However, our team adopted innovative solutions to meet each and every one. At all stages, the sustainability of the local environment of Tullamore and surroundings was considered, and we made every effort to adopt working practices which limited construction traffic on local roads whilst maintaining our excellent Health and Safety record.”

Pictured above: Staff from the GRAHAM PT McWilliams Joint Venture who attended the official opening of the N52 Tullamore Bypass on Friday 23 October 2009.

Graham Construction recently completed work at a new 21 classroom school built at Pond Park in Lisburn.  The old school building was demolished and site works completed, including the addition of new pitches.  Work commenced on-site in January 2008.

The new Primary School will be officially opened today, Friday 9 October 2009 by Mr Cecil Kirkwood. 

Ron Clarke, Operations Director – Construction, Bert McCulloch, Contracts Director and Keith Patrick, Project Manager will all attend the opening on behalf of GRAHAM.

The Ulster Hall refurbishment project has been awarded the 2009 CEF/Specify Award in the Restoration Category. The award was received at a Gala evening in the Culloden Hotel on Thursday 8 October.  This was the 10th Anniversary of the prestigious awards and over 400 people were in attendance.

The quality of build and high level of craftsmanship on the iconic Ulster Hall stood out ‘head and shoulders’ among other listed building finalist projects which included St. Malachy’s Church, Edenderry Mill Conversion and BTW Shiells’ Head Office. 

The Ulster Hall has been transformed into a modern, customer friendly, multi-purpose building, preserving one of Belfast`s most notable and irreplaceable architectural and cultural icons. The Grade B listed building was completed against a background of a very tight urban site and is one of the largest restoration projects undertaken in recent years in Northern Ireland.  Great care was taken to honour and respect the Hall’s glorious past, while gently nudging her into the 21st Century. The focus for the refurbishment was on improving facilities while retaining a link with the venue’s heritage, for example, the Ulster Hall houses one of the oldest examples of a functioning classic English pipe organ, The Mullholland Grand Organ.  Specialist care was taken to protect the organ, as it remained on site throughout construction works.  Much of the original décor was also restored so that the special atmosphere was retained. 

Gary Holmes, Contracts Director for Graham Construction was “Delighted at winning this highly prestigious award for such a world famous venue, and one which I was personally proud to have worked on.” He added “embracing the challenge of modernising the Belfast landmark to comply with health and safety as well as disability legislation, while not interfering with its history proved highly complex, with a simply breathtaking and award winning result”.

Dawson Stelfox, Architect, Consarc Design Group said “The Ulster Hall is one of the great cultural institutions of Belfast, bearing witness to every type of public event over its long life. This careful restoration and subtle modernisation has made it fit for purpose for the 21st century whilst restoring and enhancing its unique historic character.”

Speaking at the ceremony CEF Managing Director, John Armstrong, said “We commend our judges and sponsors whose commitment to excellence has allowed the Federation to develop the Awards into one of the most prestigious competitions in Northern Ireland. “

GRAHAM is proud to have successfully undertaken a wide range of historic and listed building restoration projects across NI and further afield and appreciate the importance of retaining intrinsic character and individual integrity of our built heritage.

During September 2009, Graham FM was awarded a contract to deliver building fabric maintenance services on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council. The contract is due to commence in January 2010, run for a minimum of 3 years and will operate from our St Neot’s office. The contract will service around 300 council properties including council offices, community and youth centres, libraries and a number of council owned residential properties, hostels and sheltered accommodation.  It is likely to deal with around 2000 calls annually.

The contract will see Graham FM employ at least 5 additional full time personnel and will greatly increase the profile of GRAHAM with 4 branded mobile response vehicles operating in the region. A 24/7/365 Helpdesk will also be provided as part of the service.

Gareth Smyth, Graham FM’s Contract Director, said, “We are delighted with the award of this contact, which is our first venture in the Cambridgeshire area.  Thanks to Alan Woods and the St Neots team who assisted with local support and knowledge during the tender process.”

Graham FM currently maintains and supports a range of clients across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and England.

GRAHAM commenced work on Edinburgh’s newest care home on Wednesday 30 September 2009.  The sod cutting event was attended by Michael Graham, Executive Chairman and Bert McCulloch, Contracts Director, GRAHAM.

Kingsinch Care Home is the fourth to be built by The City Edinburgh Council who hope to provide accommodation which is more suitable to the needs of older people to give them a better standard of living and a better quality of life.

Contracts Director Bert McCulloch, GRAHAM said:  ‘We are delighted to continue our association and relationship with City of Edinburgh Council through this project and assist in them in delivering improved care and support facilities to the local community as part of Edinburgh’s Live Well in Later Life strategy.

Kings Inch Care Home, one of a series built for City of Edinburgh, also gives us a further opportunity to reinforce our commitment to providing continued local employment, supporting business commerce through our local supply chain’.

The 60 bed care home is due to open in spring 2011 and will cost around £8m to build.

Pictured above (L-R):  Alan Fullarton, Thomas & Adamson Project Manager, Councillor Paul Edie, Convener of the Health and Social Care Committee, Edinburgh City Council who cut the first sod and Michael Graham, Executive Chairman, GRAHAM.

Graham Construction has completed and handed over the first phase of the Banbridge Academy project.

The building was officially handed over at a ceremony on 30 September 2009.  Alan Bill, MD – Construction, Gerard O’Hare, Site Manager and David McGinnis, Site Engineer attended on behalf of GRAHAM.

Glenda Hall, Project Manager, McAdam Design and Mr Pollock, Principal at Banbridge Academy, both praised GRAHAM for the manner in which phase 1 had been approached and for the commitment that had been shown to ensure the safety of the school population during the construction phase which commenced on 8 December 2008.  Both also commented on the exceptional standard of workmanship that was evident in the new building, showing great pleasure with the end result.

Phase 2 of the project is due to be completed in August 2010.

Others who attended the handover ceremony included Ronnie Gregg, Head of Department, SELB, Allan Munro, Lead Architect, JCP Consulting, Ivan Humphreys, Electrical, Karl Hegarty, Mechanical, Banbridge Academy Vice-Principals, Mr Fergie Cosgrove and Mr David McFarland and Mrs Margret Wright, Board of Governors, Banbridge Academy.

Graham Construction sponsored an Energy Efficiency & Accessibility in Historic Building one day conference in the Ulster Hall, Belfast on 29 September 2009.

The conference focused on practical ways to improve energy efficiency and accessibility in historic buildings while retaining their character and integrity.

GRAHAM has successfully undertaken a wide range of refurbishment and restoration projects involving historic buildings within Northern Ireland and further afield and believe that restoration and refurbishment of historic buildings is more than simply ensuring their preservation – it is an opportunity to ensure they play and continue to play, a relevant, practical and interactive role in the wider community within a 21st century environment.

The conference featured a number of different speakers from a variety of different backgrounds.  Amongst those taking part were:  Joseph Birt, South Eastern Group Building Control, Roger Curtis, Historic Scotland, Dr Paul Baker, Glasgow Caledonian University, Liam Dornan, Belfast Building Control , Dr Tim Yates, British Research Establishment, Trevor Martin, Head of Belfast Building Control, Dawson Stelfox, Consarc Design Group, Michael Coulter, Director of Built Heritage NI Environmental Agency and Lisa Foster, Environmental Solicitor.

Pictured above:  Lee Weir, Bid Manager representing GRAHAM with a number of those who took part in the conference.

GRAHAM has officially handed the City Hall back to Belfast City Council following its two year closure for extensive refurbishment.

The £11 million project involved the replacement of heating, mechanical and electrical systems as well as asbestos removal, re-roofing, drainage improvements, and the installation of computer network systems.

To celebrate the reopening of the city landmark, a full programme of public celebrations will begin on 17 October running through until Halloween.  The packed programme includes music, fashion, multi cultural events, tours, exhibitions, talks, theatre and activities specifically for babies, young people and senior citizens.

Pictued above (L to R): Dawson Stelfox, Architect, Lord Mayor, Councillor Naomi Long, Belfast City Council’s Chief Executive, Peter McNaney and Michael Graham, Executive Chairman, GRAHAM.

As a new term begins for St Colman’s Primary School, the pupils are making full use of the Graham FM maintained facilities.

Graham FM is increasingly aware of the importance of promoting curriculum enriching activities within educational environments, and the value which these activities bring to pupil development. As such, the team was more than happy to support the management and teaching staff of St Colman’s to promote environmental science and healthy living & eating.

The scheme provides St Colman’s pupils with the opportunity to gain a firsthand understanding of where fresh produce comes from, providing them with the opportunity to grow fruit and vegetables from seeds, and to care for the plants as they grow. The pupils will also be given the opportunity to harvest the produce, and to see the food being prepared within the school cafeteria before getting the chance to sample the results of their labour!

As part of the initiative, St Colman’s is making full use of both the onsite greenhouse and of the landscaped raised planting beds within the courtyard area to grow an extensive range of produce including potatoes, carrots, tomatoes strawberries and a wide range of herbs.

St Colman’s have occupied the premises at Black Road since January 2009, and will remain in situ for an approximate period of 20 months until the completion of their new school facility at Lambeg.

Pictured above:  St. Colman’s Primary School Principal, Gerry McVeigh tastes the fruit of his pupils labour!

Graham Construction recently handed over the completed North Block, King Street project which involved the internal and external refurbishment of a six storey listed building on a busy city centre site.

Works included the replacement of a roof with salvaged Scottish slate, repairs to external Locharbriggs stonework and replacement of windows, all under guidance of Scottish Heritage.  The level of the existing basement was deepened and internal works such as M&E installation, decoration, plaster repairs and joinery works were also completed. 

The team used alternative building methodologies such as silent piling to ensure no disruption to neighbouring buildings and occupants.  Noise, vibration and dust levels were monitored at all times.

The new £3m waste water pumping station at Huguenot Drive in Lisburn has been unveiled by Northern Ireland Water.  The pumping station currently serves around 70% of the Lisburn City population and supplements the original station built in 1975. 

Key work carried out by GRAHAM includes construction of a new ‘foul’ pumping station which will provide an enhanced quality of service to Northern Ireland Water customers in Lisburn and installation of a new generator to deal with ‘emergency’ scenarios. 

Close to the River Lagan the area was redeveloped in conjunction with the Lisburn City Council’s major environmental improvement scheme due to commence in the Autumn which aims to improve river quality, meet environmental standards and hopefully reduce maintenance costs.

Work commenced at the pumping station in June 2008 and was recently completed in July 2009 with an estimated value of £2m.

Pictured above far right:  Jimmy McClenaghan, Contracts Manager, Graham Construction along with NI Water and Lisburn City Council Representatives at the unveiling of the new pumping station.

The conversion of the Historic Ormeau Bakery Site is now complete. 

The Bakery has been converted into 156 luxury 1 and 2 bedroom turnkey apartments with on site car parking and residents gymnasium.

Work began onsite in November 2006 involving extensive demolition of the existing internal structure to create enclosed landscaped courtyard gardens which were designed by Dairmuid Gavin.

The project had many difficulties to overcome, particularly in the structural stage where connection of old to new created many complex problems, including strengthening of existing floors and removal of a number of individual columns with extensive temporary propping required and underpinning of others.

With the site fully bounded by the main arterial Ormeau Road and residential areas to the sides and rear, careful co-ordination and planning for removal of demolition materials and of the delivery of 400 tonnes of reinforcing, 700 tonnes of structural steel, 3400m3 of concrete, 90,000 brick and ½ million blocks to ensure minimum disruption to residents and traffic was vital.

The façade of the building is a mixture of stone render, brick work and zinc panels integrating old with new.  Internally the corridors were carpeted by Ulster carpet Mills and the front Foyer is finished in Timber paneling and tiles to create a period feature.

GRAHAM has started work on a new £18million Health and Social Care Centre for Barrhead.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Harry Burns, who was born in the town, was on site to see the bulldozers move in.

The joint development between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and East Renfrewshire Council will bring local health and social work services together under one roof for the first time.

Mr Burns said: “It is always good news when a new healthcare facility is being built, but I am particularly delighted by this project, having been born and brought up in Barrhead.
I am extremely pleased my fellow residents will benefit from this new, state-of-the-art facility.”

The new mixed-use centre will provide a wide range of local health and social care services including GP and dental practices, minor surgery, physiotherapy, footcare services, health visitor and district nursing teams, social work and home care services.  It will also provide accommodation for older people’s daycare.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Chairman Andrew Robertson said: “The new centre will make it easier and quicker for local people to access the services they require, regardless of whether these are provided by the NHS or council staff.  The development will undoubtedly be of huge benefit to the people of Barrhead and I am delighted to witness building work begin.”

Douglas Yates, Chairman of the East Renfrewshire Community Health and Care Partnership, said the centre would ensure good health care is accessible and available to all.  He added: “The centre has a vital role to play in promoting healthy living, fighting health inequalities and helping build a strong community.”

The new Barrhead health and care centre is being built 150 metres from the current centre on the site of the former Carlibar primary school on Main Street.

Tony Buchanan, the council’s convener for economic development and regeneration, said: “This is proof positive that our drive to regenerate the town is fast becoming a bricks and mortar reality as the health centre is the first building to be built as part of that project.

“By investing in health, we are investing in the future of our residents who are the heart of all we are doing in Barrhead, and seeing work start on site will show that we really mean business as we put the regeneration jigsaw into place.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde funded £15m of the cost of the new centre with the remainder being provided by the Council.

Pictured above far left:  Michael Graham, Executive Chairman, GRAHAM, attending the sod-cutting for the new Barrhead Health Centre.

Graham Projects successfully completed the fit-out of a new Fat Face retail store at the new T1X extension at Dublin Airport.

The works involved mechanical and electrical installations, partitions and ceiling works, carpentry works, flooring works, painting and decorating and bespoke joinery works.

The job also involved the assembly and installation of retail unitry and signage.

This is another successful contract to add to the already impressive GRAHAM Airport Retail portfolio.

3 young trainees have secured jobs at Graham Construction with the help of the North Lanarkshire Council.  Craig Bell, Kevin Dollochin and Tracey Frame began full time employment at the Coltness High School Site on Monday 3 August 2009. 

The 3 trainees are the first to benefit from GRAHAM’s plan to provide employment opportunities for local people on a series of refurbishment and construction projects over the next 3 years.
North Lanarkshire Council’s Employer Engagement Team provided GRAHAM with support to find people with the right mix of skills and experience for the positions. 

GRAHAM has pledged to provide work for 2 more apprentices later in the year.  Additional plans are also underway to employ 3 semi-skilled staff as the construction projects develop.

Pictured above:  Sheelagh Dornan, Graduate Development Manager, GRAHAM, with Trainees Tracy Frame, Greg Bell, Darren Wilson, Kevin Dollochin and Maureen McConachie, Head of Regeneration Services, North Lanarkshire Council.

Graham Construction have been awarded another two schools under the North Lanarkshire Council, Schools & Centres 21 Framework and have just commenced the pre-construction stage finalising design and cost planning.

Within this £20.9m second tranche of schools awarded are Coltness/Lammermoor Primary and Greenhill/Drumpark ASN Primary.

Coltness/Lammermoor Primary is a new build primary school on an existing primary school site in Wishaw will provide amalgamated accommodation for the existing separate schools of Coltness Primary and Lammermoor Primary. The proposed new school is 4142 sq.m over 2 storeys and includes general primary teaching for 350 pupils, a nursery for 70 children and an integrated community centre.

Greenhill/Drumpark ASN Primary involves the co-location of Greenhill Primary and Drumpark ASN (special needs) Primary and Nursery on a new shared campus in Coatbridge. The proposed new shared campus school will be located within an existing Grade ‘C’ listed Victorian sandstone building of what once was Coatbridge High School. The refurbishment contract will comprise a full internal re-fit, extension and external works on the existing site. The new school is 6052sq.m and will provide facilities for 180 primary pupils, 90 special needs pupils and 10 special needs nursery pupils.

Graham Construction together with Archial Architects have gone underground with a striking design for a new £10.5 million pioneering world-class centre for veterinary medicine situated at the entrance to the grounds of the Garscube Estate, Glasgow.

Part of the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the new Small Animal Hospital provides state of the art services for animal owners and referring practitioners throughout Scotland and Northern England, including the most advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical techniques.

One of the chief concerns when conceiving the design for this facility was how to create a large hospital building without ruining the beautiful green space for which the Garscube Estate is renowned. Essentially, the solution involved lifting up the ground, peeling off the grass and placing the new building underneath.

Since various aspects of the new facility did not require natural light - much of its 4500 sq m involves internal spaces such as the treatment area, oncology and diagnostics - this design solution was able to meet the needs of the hospital whilst maintaining the integrity of the location. The apex lighting control system is controlled by a single control room to manage the energy needs centrally.  Energy can then be monitored and measured with targets set to reduce.  Movement sensors, installed in each of the facility’s rooms, track movements and shuts down energy demand after 30 minutes of no movement.

In order to let daylight in to public areas, an innovative ‘crystal’ glass cupola, lit with different colours at night, sits within the building’s sloping grass roof.

Whilst the innovative design affords medical staff unrestricted views out over the grassy bank, the building’s public space comprises a waiting area, reception island and café beneath the glass cupola where staff and visitors can see out onto the roof. Behind this public space is a social space with access out onto the grass roof, which anyone can walk across.  The greenroof comprises a mix of grass and wildflower species that will attract and enhance local biodiversity and increase the outdoor experience of this innovative and sustainable feature. 

Contracts Manager, James Mulroy, expressed his delight in being involved in such a state of the art facility that is leading the way in global veterinary research.  He stressed the pride felt by the whole team with the prestigious finished product. The client is overjoyed with the facility that stands out as a real flagship building that blends in with the unspoilt and rural 92 acre surrounding parkland.

The natural look of the new Small Animal Hospital is completed with stone-filled gabion baskets, lending the building a deliberately solid and heavy base, emphasising the driving idea of roof and ground.

At the handover meeting, Professor Stuart Carmichael and Dr Calum Paterson of the University confirmed how delighted they were with the new facility and thanked Graham Construction – in particular the Site Manager involved for the hard work and quality of the building being delivered.

Graham Construction recently handed over the completed Longstone Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) School in Scotland.

Works at Longstone consisted of a special needs school building - part single and part two-storey, a separate gym building and adjoining all-weather astro pitch.

The school and gym buildings are of a highly contemporary design, with both being erected using a combination of traditional steel frame and timber kit techniques. Trespa rain screen cladding and western red cedarwood cladding were used extensively.  The internal features of both of the buildings include soft play and sensory rooms make them ideal learning spaces for kids with mild learning disabilities.

The total value of this job was £6.9m, with a construction period of 18 months.

South Eastern Regional College’s Newcastle campus was officially opened on Thursday 25th June by the Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey allowing Graham Facilities Management to commence operations on the Newcastle campus.

Graham Investment Projects has embarked upon a 25-year partnership with SERC through its shareholding in East Down Education Partnership, which is responsible for the design, build, finance and operation of 3 campuses of SERC’s estate. Phase 1 at Downpatrick has also opened its doors to students.

Back in April 2009, the Action Cancer bus attended our site at Banbridge Academy in an effort to get staff to take their health seriously and have regular health checks.

Due to the success of this visit, the Action Cancer bus recently visited our Head Office in Dromore where the service was open to all monthly and weekly paid staff.  Health Checks on offer included cholesterol, BMI, lung capacity, facial skin analysis and blood pressure.  Digital Mammography was also available for female staff.

The Action Cancer bus will also attend a number of other GRAHAM sites in the incoming weeks including the new Headquarters at Hillsborough and Belfast City Hall.

Although the Action Cancer bus only operates in Northern Ireland at present, it is hoped to arrange something similar in each of the regions in the near future through similar projects.

Pictued above:  Some of the GRAHAM employees, along with Action Cancer staff, who used the Big Bus during its recent visit.

GRAHAM picked up the Highly Commended ‘Right Place to Work’ Irish News Workplace & Employment award 2009 at the awards ceremony on Thursday 18 June 2009. 

A capacity crowd packed into the Ramada Hotel for the gala black-tie dinner, where among other guest speakers, Minister for Employment & Learning, Sir Reg Empey congratulated all the winners for their success in placing a firm emphasis on individuals and their positive contribution to the Northern Ireland workplace. Supporting the competition from its inception three years ago – he said it was “wonderful” to see the Workplace & Employment Awards going from strength to strength. “More businesses and organisations recognise the need to up skill their existing workforce so they can make the most of new opportunities,” he said. 

Mark Prentice, General Manager, Firmus Energy, presented the ‘Right Place to Work’ award in the large organisation category to Christelle Martin, Internal Communications Manager, GRAHAM.  The award was achieved for the company’s training and development opportunities for staff, commitment to local charities and community groups, supporting the use Fairtrade products and its overall response to environmental issues.

Others shortlisted in the large organisation category included Ikea Belfast, Henderson Group, Northern Bank and Sainsbury’s Supermarkets.

Pictured above: Christelle Martin, Internal Communications Manager, GRAHAM, receives the Highly Commended ‘Right Place to Work’ Award from Mark Prentice, General Manager, Firmus Energy.

Eyemouth High School and Berwickshire High School, in the Scottish Borders, were officially opened on 12 and 19 June respectively.

A number of GRAHAM representatives attended the opening ceremonies for both schools.

The Council, staff and students alike were delighted with their new facilities, which not only act as a school during the day but also as a community hub outside school hours, as many of the top class facilities are available for community use.

The opening ceremonies were very much a celebration for the users of the new facilities, so guests were regaled with student pipers prior to the unveiling of the commemorative plaque as well as more music just after the unveiling ceremony. Activities carried on throughout the day and were rounded off by a ceilidh for students and their families in the evening.

Scottish Borders Council’s Three High Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) project was procured under the Government’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and cost over £70m to design and build. GRAHAM has been involved in the project as main contractor and co-investor since 2004, with an ongoing interest in the project for the next 25 years.  Earlston – the final of the Three High Schools will be handed over later this year.

John Graham (Dromore) has been awarded a contract for the replacement of the existing safety barriers in the central reserve of the M1 Motorway between Blacks Road and Saintfield Road. 

The £1.7m contract will see the existing steel barriers replaced with a slip formed concrete step barrier. 

Another high profile contract on Northern Ireland’s busiest stretch of motorway, this contract requires considerable traffic management to ensure two lanes of traffic are kept open in each direction at peak times.

On Wednesday 6th May 2009, GRAHAM received an award from Action Renewables for the Most Sustainable Building Project Ireland, sponsored by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.  Action Renewables is the leading organisation in NI in the promotion and development of renewable energy.

The award, presented by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP MLA, for our flagship New Head Office, Hillsborough, bears testimony of our ability, not only to achieve sustainable best practice, but also to be leaders in our field in these tough economic times.

Addressing around 70 attendees of business leaders, the Deputy First Minister stressed that renewable energy has a vital role to play in the local economy through the current economic crises.  He said that the “Companies and economies that respond positively to the challenge of transforming to the low-carbon model will be the ones who reap the benefits.”

Not yet complete, our new Head Office has already achieved the highest BREEAM rating of Excellent (the international environmental model assessment) for such a development.  Notable sustainability features for which the award was won include a Biomass wood pellet heat source, rainwater harvesting, low carbon concrete, orientation to maximize solar gain, natural ventilation and ecological improvement of the site.

Pictured above: Jacqueline Gibson, along with other award winners, collecting the ‘Most Sustainable Building Project Ireland’ Award for GRAHAM.

The Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Steven Purcell, formally opened the Broomielaw and Tradeston Public Realm and Quay Walls, on the River Clyde in Glasgow on Thursday 14 May 2009. Work to the Broomielaw Quay, which historically in 1812 saw the first European commercial steamer service depart in the form of the world famous Henry Bell’s Comet included the stabilisation of 400m of the Broomielaw Quay wall, the replacement of 250m of the Tradeston quay wall , the creation Linear Parks on both sides of the river with associated street lighting, guardrails, bollards, street furniture, road works and footpaths.

Following a 9 day sea journey from Rotterdam, the steel superstructure for our Samuel Beckett Bridge over the River Liffey arrived in Dublin on Wednesday 13th May.

The bridge is being constructed by in joint venture with Hollandia, a specialist steelwork company from Holland.

The bridge left Rotterdam on a barge on Monday 4th May, charted its way across the English Channel and the Irish Sea.  It then travelled through the Eastlink Toll Bridge during high tide on 13th May.

Due to open in early 2010 following finishing and commissioning works, it will link Guild Street on the northside of the City with Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on the southside - west of Cardiff Lane / Macken Street.

The 123-metre structure weighs 2300 tons, and is 28m wide and 45 metres in height. It will have 4 lanes with cycle tracks and footpaths on either side and will have the capability of opening through an angle of 90 degrees by rotating about a circular concrete pier.

GRAHAM have been on site in central Dublin for the past year constructing the civil and marine works necessary to support the bridge.  As part of the civil and marine works, the reinforced concrete support pier has been cast in the River Liffey along with abutments behind the quay walls. The abutments and pier rest on piles up to 20 metres in length, which were bored into the limestone rock underneath the riverbed.

Dr. Santiago Calatrava Valls, one of the world’s great architects and engineers, designed the Samuel Beckett Bridge.

Graham FM has continued its successful expansion in the Republic of Ireland, recently adding the maintenance of two of Fáilte Ireland’s prestigious Dublin City Centre sites to its existing FM portfolio in the city, expanding Graham FM’s growing position within the Republic.

Fáilte Ireland is the Republic of Ireland’s National Tourism Development Authority established to guide and promote tourism as a leading component of the Irish economy, with over 30 regional offices and information centre’s throughout the island of Ireland.

Drawing upon our local facilities and maintenance team, based at our Forfás commission, Graham FM provide an extensive range of mechanical, electrical and building maintenance services to Fáilte Ireland’s Amiens and Baggot Street facilities in the heart of Dublin, using a dedicated Graham FM site based maintenance operative.

The contract also offers the opportunity to provide project management for specialist projects and refurbishment works to various branches throughout Ireland as required. Projects to date include the provision of electrical repairs and refurbishment works as a result of flood damage at Fáilte’s Castle St Office, Belfast.

The contract is for a duration of 3 years.

The new control centre at Dublin Airport was completed and handed over on 27 April 2009, one week ahead of schedule.

Graham Projects Ltd undertook the fit-out of the existing shell and core structure to facilitate the new centre. 

The centre was officially opened by the Airport Director, Bob Hillard, on 29 April 2009 who was impressed by the fantastic job which had been done.  The milestone new centre which is located on Level 5 of the terminal building will become the operational focal point of the airport in the incoming months.

The £16.9M GRAHAM Construction Project at Banbridge Academy was recently announced as a Constructing Excellence Demonstration Project.  The announcement made by Finance minister, Nigel Dodds, at a ceremony the Belfast Harbour Commissioners Office revealed that the project had been selected by ‘Constructing Excellence in Northern Ireland’ for Health & Safety.

Demonstration Projects are ‘Live construction projects’ which are innovating or are applying an element of best practice that will ultimately lead to a step-change in project performance for the participating organisations.

CEni will now carry out monthly site visits to discuss progression of the project, design team and client.  They will also collect and analyse performance measurement data and information on agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), prepare a quarterly report on the development the Project that will be published on the CEni website and complete an in-depth case study on completion of the project.

Pictured above:  (L-R) Ron Clarke, Operations Director (Building); Finance Minister Nigel Dodds; Michael Graham, Executive Chairman; and Andrew Cooke, Environmental Quality & Safety Director.

GRAHAM has been awarded an £8.7M contract to design and construct a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Foyle in Derry / Londonderry.  The new bridge is part of a programme of regeneration for the area and will connect the historic city centre on the west bank of the Foyle with a proposed mixed-use development on the site of the disused Ebrington Army Barracks on the east bank.

The launch of the Peace Bridge took place on Wednesday 9 April 2009 where Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA, and Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, unveiled the winning design for the new foot and Cycle Bridge over the River Foyle.

The tender competition involved contractor-led teams developing conceptual proposals for the bridge which satisfied the client’s aspiration for an iconic structure which will act as a central focus to unify the two historically divided parts of the city.  It was a requirement that the proposed bridge would not dominate the other historic features of the City, such as the nearby city walls and the adjacent Guild Hall.  GRAHAM in conjunction with bridge architects Wilkinson Eyre and structural engineer Faber Maunsell developed the winning proposal.  The project has been taken forward by Ilex Urban Regeneration Company as part of their Regeneration Plan for the city and will receive £13.3million in funding from the European PEACE III Programme.

The bridge will be the biggest single regeneration project in Derry City since the Foyle Bridge over thirty years ago.  The proposed structure is a 315m long curved self-anchored suspension bridge.  It consists of three continuous spans of 67m, 101m and 67m over the river with two further approach spans linking the bridge to the central area of the Ebrington development.  The 4m wide bridge deck is supported from 30m high inclined masts located within the channel of the river. It is anticipated that this new crossing of the River Foyle will in time become a defining landmark for the city. 

Speaking at the event to mark the unveiling, the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: “This bridge can be a significant catalyst for change. It will transform our beautiful city and help transform the local community in the widest sense.

Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, who is responsible for urban regeneration said: “This is a momentous day for Derry. The bridge will be a powerful lasting symbol of the moment a divided people started to reach out to each other.

“My Department is at the forefront of regeneration in Northern Ireland and this Peace Bridge is another example of how physical regeneration can deliver a shared future that everyone can sign up for.”

GRAHAM, in conjunction with their design team will develop their design and obtain planning permission for the proposed structure before commencing construction in Autumn 2009.  The bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010.

Widely reported and billed as the opening of the year, the Ulster Hall reopened on Friday 6th March 2009 with a concert by the Ulster Orchestra in the presence of a capacity audience.

The £8.5m refurbishment scheme included refitting and redecorating the ornate Grand Hall, and a five-storey extension at the rear which provides modern dressing-rooms, education suites for schools and community groups, and new meeting facilities.

A special feature has been the restoration of Joseph Carey’s paintings from 1902 which illustrates the history and mythology of Belfast.

The refurbishment included a new interpretive history display, and a new cafe area.

One of the many plaudits came from the Ulster Orchestra Chief Executive David Byers who was upbeat about the new venue “it’s wonderful, it’s light, airy and really refreshing, it’s better than ever, a fabulous site.”

The three-year £104m Westlink upgrade was officially opened on Wednesday 4 March 2009 by Roads Minister Conor Murphy, five months ahead of schedule.

The road is already in use and the improvements have drastically cut congestion on the major artery through Belfast.

Speaking at the launch at the Europa Hotel, he said: “The construction of two new underpasses at Broadway and Grosvenor Road junctions will ensure shorter and more reliable journey times, which will benefit all road users, including public transport, the haulage industry, as well as private car users.

“Given the complexity of this project and the difficulties that the construction team faced I welcome the early completion of this project some five months ahead of programme.

“It is also important to acknowledge the contractor’s excellent safety record on this major scheme, which has been delivered without any serious accidents.”

Mr Murphy said although road users had experienced some delays during construction, the widely predicted traffic congestion had never materialised.

Leo Martin, spokesman for HMC said: “The construction of the underpasses, and the on-line widening, were particularly challenging but made to look effortless by a team of dedicated staff and subcontractors who worked tirelessly throughout the last three years to get us to where we are today.”

Picture above (L-R):- Andrew Bill, HMG, Conor Murphy, Roads Minister, Martin Pugh, HMG, Leo Martin, HMC & Eamon Sweeney, HMC.

GRAHAM is part of a consortium which has won a £320m DBFO project in Scotland.

Dunmurry based Farrans Construction and GRAHAM are part of The Highway Management (Scotland) Ltd consortium, also comprising Bilfinger Berger, which has reached financial close on Transport Scotland’s M80 Stepps to Haggs project.  The contract, secured by the Highway Management Group, is one of the largest Scottish construction projects to date. The project involves the construction of 18km of dual two/three lane motorway with associated slip roads and infrastructure from Stepps in North Lanarkshire to Haggs in Falkirk.

Farrans Joint Managing Director, Eamonn Sweeney said “This is one of the largest road projects ever to be let in Scotland and the involvement of two of Northern Ireland’s premier contractors is yet another example of the level of expertise available in the Province to construct projects of international standards.”

Mr Sweeney continued: “This is without a doubt a very difficult time for the whole industry, and therefore we are very pleased that by winning a contract of this scale, we have been able to secure in excess of 100 Northern Ireland construction jobs.”

Leo Martin, Operations Director (Civils), GRAHAM, reinforced that sentiment by adding ‘’Following on from the success of the Westlink project, this is an excellent opportunity for GRAHAM and Farrans to continue their close partnership with Bilfinger Berger, to pool our knowledge and resources, and to demonstrate that we in Northern Ireland possess skills and expertise that are as good as any in the business.’’

Martin Pugh, Managing Director at Bilfinger commented:
“Tremendous effort has been demonstrated by all those involved, to achieve financial close in challenging times is something we can all be proud of.  I would like to thank the team for their tenacity and hard work.  HMG is providing a high quality solution for Transport Scotland, which incorporates innovation in design and delivery solutions, including phasing of the works to allow each section of the motorway to open as early as possible.  We are very much looking forward to working further with Transport Scotland in the coming years.”

Transport Minister for Scotland, Stewart Stevenson said:
“The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that an efficient transport system is essential for enhancing productivity and delivering faster, more sustainable growth.  This project is another example of how our continuing investment is helping the hard pressed construction sector, creating hundreds of construction jobs.  It will also complete the missing gap between Stirling and Glasgow bringing real benefits to the surrounding communities and across the central belt as a whole.”

The 18km motorway project includes:
 8km new dual two-lane carriageway and hard shoulders between Stepps and Mollinsburn.
 2.7km on the existing A80 road upgraded to dual three-lane motorway between Mollinsburn and Auchenkilns.
 7.3km on the existing A80 upgraded to dual two-lane motorway between Auchenkilns to Haggs with hard shoulders and climbing lanes.

The scheme will provide a significant reduction in congestion for road users when it opens in terms of improved journey times and reliability.  In the opening year, the decrease in travel time will amount to approximately 40% between Stepps and Haggs during peak periods which equates to savings of up to 15 minutes.  Beyond this, the scheme will continue to offer greater operational benefits than if it is not constructed.  For example, risk of accidents will be reduced; creation of jobs and accessibility to freight deliveries will be improved.

Early preparatory works have already started along the route and construction will begin immediately for the motorway to be fully opened in 2011.

Pictured above at the Stockmans Lane flyover are (L-R) HMC Directors, Eamon Sweeney and Leo Martin

Department for Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie MLA, has announced that the Lagan Weir is to undergo its first major refurbishment since it was built in 1994.

Speaking about the announcement, the Minister said: “This major refurbishment project will protect the Department’s investment in the weir which has been a catalyst for over £1billion investment along the riverfront. It has helped to transform this part of Belfast making it a focal point within the city.

“Furthermore this £2million project will have a positive impact on Northern Ireland’s construction industry and the wider economy. It is a very welcome shot in the arm for the industry at this difficult time.”

The contract will involve the refurbishment of the weir’s hydraulic rams which control the massive 32 tonne fish belly gates that rise and lower to control the water levels upstream of the weir.

The project, which commenced in January, is due to finish in August 2010.

Pictured above: Department for Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie MLA visiting the Lagan Weir site with Philip Brown, Chief Engineer, Graham

Graham leads the way in the sustainability arena by becoming the first construction company in Northern Ireland to commit to the UK Government’s latest target of Halving Waste to Landfill by 2012.
Over the next three years, Graham will be supported by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), who launched this target in October.
This initiative supports the Strategy for Sustainable Construction in England, the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Scotland policy and construction waste reduction policies in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Dr Ian Garner, WRAP’s manager for Northern Ireland, said: “Reducing construction waste is a key focus for the construction industry across the UK and many companies have stressed that reducing waste to landfill is a high priority’’. 

‘’The Northern Ireland Government estimates that over one million tonnes of construction waste annually are being disposed of to landfill.  With this in mind, I congratulate Graham on being the first company in Northern Ireland to sign up to the initiative’’.
Graham has commited to playing a part in halving the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste going to landfill by 2012. We have also committed to adopting and implementing standards for good practice in reducing waste and recycling.

Pictured at the Huguenot Pumping Station project, Lisburn, are (L-R), Lianne Rafferty, Environmental Advisor, (Graham), Dr Ian Garner, Northern Ireland Manager, (WRAP), Jacqueline Gibson, Sustainability Coordinator and Sean Deal, Site Manager, (both Graham). Sean is responsible for overseeing waste segration and recycling on site.

In October, Graham FM was successful in securing a prestigious £2m Planned and Reactive Maintenance Service Contract for Student Plus Facilities at Queens University, Belfast.
The contract will provide 24/7/365 building fabric, mechanical, electrical and Helpdesk services for all buildings within the Student Estate which include the Elms Student Village housing over 1,800 students, Queens Sport, incorporating the P.E. Centre, Swimming Pool and the Dub Sporting Facilities and the Students Union Building with crèche facilities and student services.
The contract will commence on 1st December for a period of 4 years. 

Pictured at Queens University are, (L-R), Kathryn Duddy Assistant Facilities Manager, Gwen Finlay, Facilities Manager, (both Elms Village) and Graeme Douglas Business Development Manager, (Graham FM).

Pupils at Linlithgow Academy are celebrating the opening of their superb new sports facilities. 
The £5.27 million facility, built by Graham, has transformed Physical Education in the school with four badminton sized games halls, a fitness suite, changing rooms, and a classroom.  Work was also completed on the renovation of the existing facilities to include a dance studio. This project is one of a number of sports related projects that Graham is currently undertaking in the area. The company is currently refurbishing the pool at Bathgate Leisure Centre and will undertake a major project at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh next summer.
MSP for Lothians, Fiona Hyslop, who performed the official opening, said: “I am delighted to have been asked to open such an outstanding new sports facility for Linlithgow Academy.  Physical Education in schools plays a vital part of the curriculum, boosting the students’ health and fitness. I am so pleased that the pupils of Linlithgow Academy can enjoy first class facilities that will no doubt result in first class sporting talent.”
Stewart Harris, Chief Executive, sportscotland said: “sportscotland is delighted to have supported the new sports facilities at Linlithgow Academy with an investment of £500,000 from our Building for Sport programme.  This investment demonstrates our commitment to help provide good quality, accessible facilities, which we see as vital if sport is to thrive in Scotland.”

Pictured at the official opening are