No two days are ever the same for our Senior Project Surveyor.
What does an average day include for you?
"I have two different types of days, office days and site days. Office days have a prompt start at 8.30am. A typical office day will involve, writing up reports from previous site visits for TM44, DECs, EPCs, for example, and dealing with administrative tasks such as arranging future site visits. Being in the office allows me to assist and help the junior members of the team also, which is great.
My site days start earlier as I have to drive to different locations mainly covering the north east. However, I do have national level clients and can spend weeks away at a time. On site arrival, the first thing I do is introduce myself to the facilities and maintenance departments, and ask all the relevant questions so I can start the required surveys. These involve taking photos and recording as much information as possible. All surveys are non-invasive, however they do sometimes provide challenges with units being at height, so there are safety concerns also to consider."
What’s the first thing you do when you start work?
"Prepare myself a drink! Hydration is key to a good start! I then plan for the day ahead. If I’m on a site day I will check journey times, traffic, roadworks etc and if I've got a long journey ahead of me, I will plan stops if breaks are needed. I also need to check the weather as lots of sites require roof access, which sometimes will need to be rescheduled if there are any adverse weather conditions."
What’s it like working in technical?
"Working in the Technical Team at Green Zone Surveys has been very rewarding. I’ve watched the team grow from three to four members and now we are up to seven! This time last year I was working on smaller sites and now I’m looking after multi sites and more complex projects which is extremely engaging."
What’s the best thing about working for Green Zone Surveys?
"No two days are really the same, as I’m switching between office days and site days. There is also lots of variety as every project differs. Even my office days change from day to day, as they include training and helping other junior members on the team. It isn’t monotonous at all."
What kind of skills do you need to have?
"You need good analytical and report writing skills. You may be on site working with incomplete or irrelevant data, so you have to learn how to sift out what is needed to complete the survey and to provide accurate estimations. When writing the reports up, you need to be clear, concise and considerate, so that anyone reading the report can fully understand the recommendations and advice provided."
What kind of person do you need to be?
"You need a good balance of being able to work independently and being able to work as part of a team. You can work solo on sites for weeks alone and then on some of the larger projects you’ll be working alongside other assessors. You need to have the ability to be reconnect with each other, so when it comes to writing the report it will follow the same structure and we can be in sync with one another."
Have you learned anything new since joining Green Zone Surveys?
"I’ve learned a few interesting things regarding a building’s history. Just by looking at the materials used and style, I can gauge roughly how old it is, simply by looking at it. Surprisingly, some old buildings are more energy efficient than those of buildings constructed 20 years ago, due to the old style of using thick brick and stonework used."
Overall, what can you take away from your role?
"Sometimes it can seem like there isn’t much we can do in terms of environmental issues. However, during my time at Green Zone Surveys, I have learned that that small changes can make a big impact. For example, turning sockets and light switches off at the end of the day, or making sure all windows are fully closed. Not only does this help save on energy bills, but it helps reduce a company's environmental impact too."
What advice would you give to our clients?
"Every single property (residential or commercial) is listed on the government register and is readily available for viewing to check your compliance status and certification renewal dates."
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