Meet the Team – Gabriel Constante
The latest instalment in our Meet the Team series sees us put Gabriel Constante, our Graduate Mechanical Engineer, under the spotlight to discover what makes him tick.
CB: What led you to become an engineer?
GC: Understanding how buildings work has always fascinated me.
CB: How would you describe your current role and responsibilities?
GC: My role is to design both commercial and residential buildings mechanically.
CB: What do you enjoy about your role within Cudd Bentley?
GC: I enjoy the variety of projects being worked on within Cudd Bentley. Every day is different, making working here an enjoyable experience as we solve varying design problems. I have been impressed with how the company has confidence in Graduate Engineers, such as myself, to work on the more complex tasks.
CB: Briefly describe your career path which led to your current position?
GC: I began with on-site work experience and was introduced to consultancies.
CB: Describe the most challenging engineering project you’ve worked on?
GC: The Savoy Hotel, significant coordination was necessary to design around the existing conditions of the building. We carried out many surveys to ascertain the locations of all existing services and equipment.
CB: What’s something that has surprised you about your chosen career path?
GC: The social aspect of the job surprised me. I enjoy interacting with clients and the wider team at Cudd Bentley.
CB: What’s your most significant contribution as an engineer?
GC: While designing, I fully coordinate with the design team.
CB: What advice would you give potential clients to maximise the help you can give them?
GC: I would suggest that all clients fill out our request for information schedules. Contacting us by phone to discuss complicated project details can also be highly beneficial instead of a raft of complex back-and-forth emails.
CB: Is there a particular project that comes to mind as an example in which you were able to cut costs or improve efficiencies for the client?
GC: The Savoy hotel project that I was involved in is a great example that springs to mind. When replacing the VRF (variable refrigerant flow) system, we decided to be consistent with the previous manufacturer, which allowed us to reuse the pipework with a warranty instead of obtaining new equipment without warranties.
CB: What challenges do you see facing the engineering industry?
GC: I expect to see more refurbishment projects rising as obtainable free land increases in price, and refurbishments have lesser costs when bringing buildings to the market.
CB: Who would you most like to swap places with for the day?
GC: Lord Sugar, You’re fired!
CB: What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever received?
GC: Even if you know something, let other people explain their understanding. This way, you can interpret and build knowledge.
CB: What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?
GC: Gym Going – I could easily talk about this without preparation and often do!
CB: What is your favourite thing to do when you’re not working?
GC: As you can tell from my previous answer, I am an avid gym goer and spend a considerable amount of my free time there.
CB: What’s the Last book you read?
GC: The last book I read was An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley.