Kovara Projects Ltd emerged as the big winner at the recent Kalzip Annual Teamkal Conference and Awards Ceremony held at De Vere Carden Park Hotel near Chester by scooping the Teamkal Contractor of the Year 2014 award.
Kovara’s Projects Director, Lee Homewood and Managing Director, Peter Lucey, were delighted after receiving the prestigious award from Jan Timmerman, Managing Director of Euramax Europe, this year’s Teamkal Conference Platinum Sponsor and Kalzip’s Managing Director, Dr Joerg Schwall.
Peter Lucey says: “I was delighted, surprised and very proud that Kovara Projects was considered worthy of receiving this tremendous accolade for the work we all did on Kalzip projects over this last year. Since joining the network in 2009, the company has embraced the Teamkal ethos with enthusiasm and I’m aware of the stiff competition that we were facing from the other competing members.”
The company achieved further success by picking up highly commended Technical Excellence & Design and Best Kalzip Project Under 1500 sqm awards for Rochdale Transport Interchange and highly commended award for ‘Best Kalzip Project Over 1500 sqm’ for Somerstown Community Hub, Portsmouth.
Designed by Aedas and built by Kier Construction for Rochdale Borough Council, the Rochdale Transport Interchange is part of a wider redevelopment scheme for the town centre and will link directly with the new Metrolink extension. The well insulated roof system utilises a Kalzip structural steel decking together with a combination of straight and tapered Kalzip aluminium standing seam sheets which naturally curves in both directions to form the three main stepped and sloping outer roof features that shelter a delightfully open and functional interior.
BAM designed and built the iconic Somerstown Community Hub for Portsmouth City Council to help kick start the regeneration of the area. The upper floors of the 3-storey building are encased in an impressive squashed tubular structure which has a Kalzip perforated steel liner for improved acoustic performance and an outer cladding formed by a combination of naturally curved and site-manufactured smooth curved Kalzip aluminium standing seam sheets - the radii of these curved Kalzip cladding sheets vary but at their extremities, they are the tightest achievable.
Installing the Kalzip cladding on the Hub’s restricted site was made even more difficult for Kovara because the tubular body of the building spans above a main dual carriageway giving local residents on both sides equal access to a host of facilities including a community centre, youth centre, primary care trust, dental surgery, local housing office and a pedestrian link bridge. The building has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.
“The hard work and technical ability shown by the Kovara team throughout the design and installation of these complex projects is full testament to the company’s dedication and commitment to the Teamkal network,” says Dr Joerg Schwall.
