Kate Novakova believes she was meant to build her future in construction. Born and educated in Prague, the Quality Engineer comes from a family of engineers. Moving to Christchurch in 2013, her skills were greatly needed in supporting the tremendous rebuild of the region following the 2011 earthquakes.
While fortunate to work on some of New Zealand’s largest and most transformational projects – including the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct and Christchurch Convention and Exhibition Centre – Kate says the New Dunedin Hospital Inpatient Building is especially close to her heart.
“It's such a big deal to me, both professionally and personally. Living in Dunedin with my young family, I have met many families through school and daycare who have shared how important a new hospital is for the people in Dunedin and the wider Southern district.
“This project represents hope and progress. Being part of something that will improve lives in such a big way is incredibly important and meaningful to me.”
With substructure works now well underway, CPB Contractors is focused on finalising the set up phase, with Kate and the construction team responsible for verifying that all quality plans and necessary documentation are fully established and that they meet project standards.
“These early stages are critical in laying the foundations for construction of the new Inpatient Building. My role involves overseeing subcontractor activities to deliver full compliance with specifications and contract terms. For example, ensuring correct inspections are in place for construction monitoring, with the right consultants involved to meet the specifications.
“There is a lot of reporting involved in this phase, particularly related to onboarding each subcontractor, including how we assess and engage with them, progress through management for approval and then inducting them into the project, ensuring compliance at all levels.”
And Kate understands the heightened anticipation from the community to see this project up and running.
“Following a lengthy Early Contractor Engagement E phase, our team is excited to be progressing through this stage of the project. We’re really enjoying that we can now turn our focus to building this important piece of infrastructure and delivering it to the highest standard for the community.”
Kate looks forward to every stage and element when building a project of the size and scale of the New Dunedin Hospital, she especially values the diversity of people involved in construction and the strong relationships built along the way.
“With early works now well underway, there is an incredible amount of concrete required, which I personally find very exciting. At the same time, this stage requires a large number of inspections to ensure the utmost quality to set the standard for every aspect of the structure’s build over the next five years.”
A mother to two young kids and with her own mother an engineer, Kate loves construction and revels in the challenge of working towards the final completion date.
“It is stressful at times, and it is hard work, but the greatest satisfaction absolutely comes from the moment a project is complete. After years of hard work, my personal pride is magnified when I can point to a building, a bridge or road and tell my kids that their mummy helped build it.”