Our people

Karl Plunkett

Managing Director and founder of one of Broome's first residential building companies

Karl Plunkett, owner and Managing Director of AEC, has over 25 years of experience in development and construction in the North West of Western Australia. He has been the visionary and momentum behind many significant developments in the North West, including Derby's first planned residential estate, Ashley Grove, and Eco Beach Retreat (130km south of Broome), which has won a host of tourism awards including the "Unique Accommodation" award at the prestigious Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2010. Karl has a passion for helping people realise their dreams and has been a driving force in bringing ecologically sustainable design (ESD) features into Kimberley buildings. He even practices 'Catch and Release' fishing once he has caught enough for dinner!

Peter Gibbons

Head of Property Advisory

Peter has over 20 years of experience in property development, financing, and delivering turn-key residential building solutions. His background is in property investment banking, having held senior positions with Macquarie Bank, Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank, including Head of Structured Property Finance. He has three property based University qualifications and an exceptional ability to package and fund profitable property developments. Pete heads up the consultancy side of AEC, offering clients advice on the full scope of property development services, from site identification through construction of buildings and even management of completed investment properties. Outside of work he holds board positions on not-for-profit organisations, and enjoys family time and exploring the North West.

Greg Snow

Chief Estimator

Greg Snow has extensive experience in the world of estimating and purchasing. He provides costs and manages budgets for all of Australian Eco Constructions' residential building projects and commercial projects. Greg began his career as a tradesman building steel wall frames, and as a sheet metal worker before steadily progressing to management level. He brings extensive knowledge and understanding of the entire building process from the ground level up. He enjoys the challenge of working closely with our clients to always come in on budget or surprise - even below budget! When he's not doing up old cars, that is!

Adam Lucas

Project Manager

Adam joined the AEC team in 2008 having previously worked for the iconic Western Australian building companies - Zorzi Builders and the Alcock Brown-Neaves Group. He also worked for the Department of Housing and Works as a project manager, where he developed experience in managing a range of regional residential building projects, including public housing and Government Regional Officers' housing. With a broad and intimate understanding of northern and remote housing and construction across the private, public and government sectors, Adam brings a unique skillset to the Eco Constructions team. When not at work, Adam enjoys simple, quality family time.

Lachlan Graves

Site Supervisor, Broome

Lachlan comes from the grass roots level of residential building with extensive experience as a carpenter and joiner. He has been with AEC since 2000 and is our chief site supervisor in Broome. AEC's credible reputation for quality workmanship is a testament to Lachlan's keen eye for detail. He has extensive experience managing in excess of 50 personnel and coordinating building projects that have stringent time constraints. Each time he manages a successful outcome without compromising on quality.

When not on a building site, Lachlan enjoys spending time in the Kimberley bush with his family. Fishing is his passion and if he isn't chasing that elusive "big fish", he is diving, quad-biking or boating......lapping up the great North West life.

Mal Brennan

Site Supervisor, Derby

Mal brings extensive building and management experience to the team. He has been sub-contracting to AEC for 10 years and building in the Kimberley for over 20 years. At the beginning of 2011 he was appointed to site supervisor in Derby to oversee all our Derby building projects. When not at work, Mal, like most North West residents, enjoys the great outdoors.

Craig Waters

Occupational Health and Safety

Craig manages the Occupational Health and Safety side of AEC. He is responsible for inspecting and evaluating our workplace environments, equipment and practices to make sure our employees are working safely and in compliance with building site safety standards and government regulations. Prior to AEC, Craig worked for REED Constructions in the role of OH&S Coordinator/Site Supervisor for the construction of the new air traffic control tower at Broome International Airport. Being a government funded program, the Air Traffic Control Tower project required federal safety compliance. Outside of work, Craig enjoys camping, fishing and restoring old cars.

Neil McCartan

Purchasing and Scheduling

Neil has over 20 years of experience working in the North West building industry. He has worked on building teams throughout the remote Kimberley and has now moved into the management role of quantity ordering and scheduling for all of AEC's special projects. Neil is the classic example of the saying, "The only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys." He loves to tinker with the company's cars, front loaders and trucks to ensure that everything is running smoothly and efficiently.

Lesley Guntrip

Accounts Manager

Lesley has been with AEC since 1997 and is responsible for reconciling accounts, budgeting and ensuring that all ongoing costs are met. She has a sound understanding of the economics of running a successful business and is the backbone of Australian Eco Constructions. She is surrounded by a strong supportive team of long-standing AEC colleagues. After a long day in the office, Lesley enjoys long walks with the dog on Broome's iconic Cable Beach.

Designers and architects

We work with a select team of directly engaged architects who have a passion for building regionally responsive architectures. They also have a passion for ecologically sustainable design features to achieve cutting-edge, resource efficient living systems. The overall outcome is a residential building or commercial space that meets each client's individual needs, including budget.

Our contractor base

AEC hand-picks its contractors and sub-contractors based on a high level of professionalism and a strong ability to meet our high quality workmanship standards. Many of our contractor relationships are long- standing, based on strong mutual respect, a clear understanding of individual and collective responsibilities and a shared culture of engaging in sustainable building practices. Working together under this value system, we have developed an exceptional reputation for consistently delivering holistic building solutions.

Wherever possible and where quality, reliability and experience is demonstrated, it is our strong preference to engage local contractors to maximise the investment in the local economy.