The Builder of the Year 2014 is Ahto Aruväli, Project Manager of AS Merko Ehitus Eesti

Estonian Association of Construction Entrepreneurs awarded Ahto Aruväli, the Project Manager of AS Merko Ehitus Eesti with the Builder of the Year 2014 award for the construction of Tondiraba Ice Arena.

“The construction of Tondiraba Ice Rink features splendid management of the site team by Ahto Aruväli. Aruväli’s professional project management ensured that the aesthetically pleasing building, with complicated engineering under the hood and multifunctional uses was built on schedule in 14 months. Ahto was capable of providing effective leadership of the collaboration between the customer, supervision entity, architect, structural engineers, subcontractors and employees,” said Indrek Peterson, the managing director of the Estonian Association of Construction Entrepreneurs and the chairman of the jury for the Builder of the Year award 2014.

Tondiraba Ice Arena is a complicated structure, full of special solutions, from the 4,500 reinforced concrete elements, 2,000 square metre seamless concrete floor to the imposing 62-metre span wooden girders.

There were 18 nominees, including AS Merko Ehitus Eesti Project Manager Peeter Laidma for the construction of Vääna-Jõesuu water supply and sewerage piping and AS Merko Ehitus Eesti Project Manager Tiit Joosti for the construction of Ülemiste traffic junction.

The goal of the Builder of the Year competition 2014 announced by the Estonian Association of Construction Entrepreneurs was to select the construction project manager whose work has been recognized by the contracting entity as well as by the architect, structural engineer and person in charge of construction supervision. The aim of the initiative is to promote the profession and recognize the best in the field. The competition was held for the sixth time this year.

Previous winners of the Builder of the Year award:
AS Merko Ehitus Eesti Project Director Tarmo Pohlak (2009) – Tallink office building
AS Merko Ehitus Eesti Project Director Tiit Joosti (2010) Ämari Air Base
Arvo Kirotus (2011) – Wastewater Treatment Plant biofilter construction
Today´s AS Merko Ehitus Eesti Manager of General Construction, then working in Skanska Keit Paal (2012) – Tallinn University NOVA building
Aivo Pedak (2013) – Viljandi Gymnasium building