Adam Baxter brings energy and enthusiasm to the built environment. He comes from a family that has been in the construction industry for generations and brings hands-on experience to his project management role in Christchurch. Adam has fully immersed himself in the construction industry through education and his involvement at the Building Institute Aotearoa.
Adam has been working on the delivery of a residential superlot in central Christchurch. He leads a diverse and integrated team of professionals and manages the environment, rhythm and resources to ensure an efficient and safe outcome on the project.
Growing up with family in the construction industry gave Adam firsthand insight into a career in the built environment. He adds that his generation of Cantabrians answered the call to rally and rebuild after the earthquakes, which provided a clear pathway into employment in the built environment. A key factor in shaping Adam’s career path was his conscientious work ethic, which was nurtured through a carpentry apprenticeship. “I worked for a brilliant company, and I have had exposure to many gracious mentors. I have found that continuous improvement through both experience and tertiary education has been an effective path for me to grow in competency as a professional,” says Adam.
As well as being a project manager, Adam is a licensed building practitioner with foreman, leading hand and site management experience. Adam has also interviewed a range of people in the built industry on the Institute’s Tall Stories podcast. He has a Bachelor of Construction Management (Construction Management) and a Diploma in Quantity Surveying from the Ara Institute of Canterbury, and received the highest achiever award in 2017/2018 for his Construction Supervisor (Construction Management) qualification.
His involvement at the Institute began as a Young Professional Advisor (YPA) member. He was the YPA Committee Chair from 2021 to 2023. Adam became a Southern Region Committee Member in 2020 and is currently the Committee chair. He says that being involved in the Institute has helped him immeasurably. “The Institute has provided me with the opportunity to learn and contribute to governance and develop leadership acumen ahead of my career progression. Exposure to established construction leaders has really benefited my understanding of the built environment and the characteristics required to hold positions of responsibility in our industry.”
Adam adds that what he values about the Institute is, without a doubt, the opportunity to connect. “The Institute provides a platform to interact with, learn from and build relationships with a diverse range of built environment professionals who are focused on high performance and, in my experience, more than willing to encourage and share with like-minded folk, regardless of your status and time in the industry.”
Working in the built environment requires a team effort, says Adam, adding that no one does anything by themselves in the industry. He is proud of the team effort in delivering a 5-storey apartment block on the biggest superlot in central Christchurch. “We adopted a top-down approach to the internal works on the building, and utilised a TAKT production schedule, resulting in a quality building delivered on time with the best culture I have been a part of in a project environment. It took a lot of planning, consistency of approach and buy-in from the trades, which was not without challenges, but the result was the greatest level of schedule assurance I have ever experienced,” says Adam.
Adam says that one thing that might surprise people about working in the built environment is the fantastic sense of humour that you encounter through the wonderful characters you meet on construction sites. “Not a day has passed that I don’t share a few laughs with some great people.” His advice to anyone who has just started their career in the built environment is to join the Building Institute of Aotearoa immediately! “Explore what the Institute has to offer and work relentlessly on building relationships. If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career, you will find it in the built environment.” He says that the BE Career Streams Guide is a great place to start, as it showcases how fluid and diverse the industry is.
When Adam isn’t working, he loves spending time outdoors with his family in the garden or hiking in the backcountry. “Nature provides a great balance to a working life in the built environment.”
