Seamans’ new trainee site manager has become the company’s first Passivhaus champion.

Ryan Austin, 24, joined the company in July having completed an apprenticeship at a company in Essex.

He is currently working at Seaman’s Duck End Barns site in Cambridgeshire.

The project is the first full Passivhaus project the company has worked on, a building approach and standard that maximises energy efficiency.

He said: “My role will be to ensure all subcontractors are aware of the Passivhaus standard and that everything is up to that level.

“I will make sure everything is airtight and that all subcontractors and staff are aware of the high standard of work we require.

“It is nice to have that added responsibility as well as my role as trainee site manager.”

Ryan began his career as a labourer around six years ago.

“I did a bricklaying apprenticeship at a company in Manningtree,” he said, “that was my way into the trade.

“Once I had completed my apprenticeship, I was interested in getting into site management – and Seamans were keen to train me up.

“I’m loving my time at Seamans, especially the extra responsibility they have given me.

“I am delighted to take on the role, it shows the company have confidence in me.”

You could say Ryan takes his work home with him – as most of his spare time when not on site goes into renovating his own home.

“I have been working on it for just over a year now,” he said, “I‘m getting there!

“It’s a Victorian terrace and was about 20 years out of date when I got it.

“It needed a lot of replastering, filling and painting but it’s nearing completion now – just the last finishing touches.”

For more on Seamans projects, see here.