Buildings

Archaeologists from the University have just commenced excavation of a major settlement at the Addenbrooke's site. Of later Iron Age and Early Roman date, it spans the Roman Conquest of the mid 1st century AD and will provide crucial insights concerning the burial rites, settlement architecture and agricultural regimes - the daily life - of its inhabitants during the centuries spanning the invasion. Although it is as yet early days in the excavation, already a cemetery, pottery kilns and a number of post-built houses have been identified amid the myriad of ditches that cris-cross the site. Taking place in full accordance with current planning policies, the excavation of this very large site - one of the largest ever to occur in the Cambridge area - is set to revolutionize our understanding of just what Romanization and, earlier, Continental influence meant in the lives of the region's populace.

Cambridge University is 'Client of the Year'

The University was named 'Client of the Year' in October, at an awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. The annual awards are organised by Contract Journal Magazine, the construction business weekly journal, and are recognised as one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. David Adamson, Director of EM said: "Being nominated for such an award is an accolade in itself, but to win is a marvellous tribute to all the hard work that EM staff have carried out over the last 12 months. "What makes it even more of an honour is that the award has come from our peers in the industry. This is echoed by the recent accolade of being placed sixth out of 50 in the RIBA Journal's survey of the UK's top clients."

The University is currently undertaking the largest building programme in its 800 year history. With a range of buildings from teaching and research facilities to multi-story car parks and residential areas, the Estate Management continues to manage a range of high-quality, value-for-money projects for the University.

The procurement programme has grown steadily over three years from £80M to the current level of £550M, meeting urgent needs for more research and teaching space. Buildings completed since October 2000 have provided 50,000m2 for departments throughout the University and nearly £210M of capital expenditure is planned during this year and next. Alongside the procurement of specific projects, EM is committed to influencing the way in which the construction industry develops. Members of the EM team collaborate with regional and national bodies working on themes such as recruitment of youngsters into the industry, reducing the number of errors made in any project and risk sharing with designers.

The judges commented that the University "gives the impression of a client on the move, always thinking of ways to improve; and that its performance in handling its varied portfolio of 300-plus buildings could well become a benchmark in itself for other clients to follow."