Constructing Excellence National Awards 2016
The tenth Constructing Excellence National Awards These took place at a packed Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on 4 November 2016. The awards bring together award winners from eight regional events covering Wales and the English regions, followed by a national final featuring all the regional winners.
Download the 2016 Award Winners Brochure
Young Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by Interserve Construction
Winner – Mike Reader (East Midlands)
In just 9 years Mike Reader began his career with Pick Everard as a Graduate Civil Engineer and is now the youngest National Director which the organisation has appointed. During this time, he has helped to propel the business forward by taking the business into new sectors and areas of work, consistently challenging traditional ways of working and offering more effective solutions. His positive outlook on the Built Environment has shown him become a true leader to his colleagues and peers which has made him an invaluable asset to the organisation.
Leadership & People Development
Sponsored by Heathrow Airport Limited
Winner – Costain – M1 Smart Motorway J28-31 (Yorkshire & Humber)
The one team approach and attitude for both Costain and Highways England to this flagship project is the key to their successes which has in turn led the project to achieve many first for the country. From the outset a high performing team was assigned to this project to set the bar for the workforce and extensive training was given to all employees including the clients and supply chain with the projects ambition, that every person on site will leave the project with improved skills and experience.
Integration & Collaborative Working
Sponsored by FaulknerBrowns Architects
Winner – Huddersfield Royal Infirmary – AFL Architectgs, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Interserve Construction and Lendlease (Yorkshire & Humberside)
Collaborative and integrated relationship with the Trust and their partners has provided long-term value and has significantly improved the condition of the estate and the environment for staff, patients and visitors. Two of the four behaviours expected from all Trust employees include putting the patient first and working together to get results, these are embedded within the dedicated project team who are based on the site. The ProCure21+ framework gives the partners a unique opportunity to improve and innovate, ensuring value for money and the highest clinical outputs for patients and staff.
Health & Safety
Sponsored by Association for Project Safety
Winner – Stoke Quay, Ipswich – Bailey Garner, Genesis, ISG, Living Architects, Madlins Construction & Property Consultants, Richard Jackson Limited (East of England)
The £58m major urban regeneration project is in the historic docklands area of Ipswich on a disused brownfield site, and has brought 386 new homes and commercial accommodation to the town. ISG’s involvement in the project began with an initial enabling contract, encompassing the demolition of a number of structures on the site bordering Stoke Quay. The project clearly demonstrates that with appropriate management, and a well organised team and approach, major projects can be delivered safely. With the considerable workforce on site, the team had to be extremely vigilant and ensure works were carried out in the correct manner.
Heritage Award
Winner – Revealing the Roch – CH2M, Rochdale Borough Council, Donald Insall Associates, Environment Agency, Heritage Lottery Fund, VBA (North West)
Revealing the Roch restores key parts of Rochdale’s built and natural heritage. The importance of the River Roch and Rochdale Bridge to the development of the town is twofold; firstly, they made a major contribution to local wealth which in turn paid for the many fine buildings in the town centre. Secondly, the river defines the way the town centre is laid out and while it was hidden the alignment of many historic buildings made little sense. An independent study into regeneration opportunities for Greater Manchester town centres identified heritage as Rochdale’s unique selling point. Rochdale Council decided to take this opportunity and invest in heritage led regeneration.
The Legacy – Sustainability Award
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence in Wales
Winner – Wallasea Wild Coast – BAM Nuttall, Crossrail, RSPB (East of England)
Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project is a landmark environmental scheme made possible due to a unique partnership between Crossrail and the RSPB, which gave a mutually beneficial, sustainable solution to bring 3million tonnes of tunnelled spoil from London to Wallasea Island by marine transportation. Located eight miles north of Southend, Essex, the project aims to transform 670 hectares of farmland back to the coastal marshland it once was over 400 years ago.
Innovation
Sponsored by DAC Beachcroft
Winner – The Enterprise Centre UEA, Norwich – Morgan Sindall, Adapt, Architype, BDP, 3PM and Cygnum Timber Frame (East of England)
Securing a number of global firsts, whilst challenging the industry to think differently, The Enterprise Centre is a symbol of innovation. Not only is the building a BREEAM Outstanding and Passivhaus centre, its targets from concept, empowered the team to innovate at every stage. It began with an innovative client – breaking new ground with a unique procurement route – empowering a contractor-led delivery team to rip up the rule book, bringing changes to the design and construction. Its innovations mean it’s the best place on campus to learn, and the best environment for business to work.
Value
Sponsored by Northumbrian Water
Winner – Rethinking Housing Delivery – Robert Woodhead Limited, A1 Housing and Bassetlaw District Council (East Midlands)
Rethinking housing delivery is all about adding value at every stage of the process. The project was procured through the Efficiency East Midlands Framework (EEM). Members work together to deliver sophisticated and seamless asset management solutions, to drive quality up and cost down. By procuring a three year programme of work as opposed to piecemeal one off projects, the delivery team can have the confidence to invest in apprentices, their workforce, deliver economies of scale and make other meaningful local commitments such as local spend and employment, all of which adds significant value to projects.
SME of the year
Sponsored by Success Train
Winner – McNally & Thompson (North East)
McNally & Thompson’s owner, Fred Hood, bought into the business back in 1997 when it only employed 6 members of staff and had a turnover of £220.000. Since then the business has developed into the £7m company employing over 50 staff which is increasing year on year due to it building client relationships and collaborative working with stakeholders. As a company they aspire to be the ‘first choice electrical solution’ for their clients, and develop their business values to be central in all that they do.
BIM Project of the Year
Winner – 4D BIM for Track Renewals – University of Salford and Network Rail (North West)
4D BIM for Track Renewals is a truly innovative tool that addresses the long-standing issue of programme overruns in railway track upgrades. It provides a visual environment that reduces risk, delivers programme certainty and improves team collaboration for those working in building information modelling environments. It has the potential to be applied across all infrastructure, and to support the provision of reliable operational railways for millions of commuters and the businesses they work in that drive our economy; a significant legacy benefit.
Client of the Year
Sponsored by CLOCS
Winner – South and Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework (Wales)
The first of its kind in Wales, SEWSCAP is the largest cross sector collaborative procurement framework which is setting an example for similar bodies. The Framework was originally set up by the South East Wales Schools Capital Working Group with the primary objective to share best practice in the procurement of the 21st Century School projects, and has exceeded all expectations. It is now on its second iteration having successfully delivered over 45 projects and a total tendered value in excess of £500 Million. The framework was formed in such a way as to maximise opportunity for smaller companies to bid into appropriate sized lots, to encourage consortium collaborative bids and with a strong emphasis on ensuring local supply chain, employment and apprenticeship opportunities were considered and promoted.
Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence in the North East
Winner – John Gittens (Yorkshire & Humber)
John re-joined Interserve Construction back in 2013 from where he originally began his career as a trainee. On his return it became apparent that staff morale and order book were both low. His vision for the next five years was to turn this around by instilling his passion for the company and the industry. To achieve this, John set out 6 key areas for the business unit’s success which included restructuring the business unit; innovation and modernisation; raising standards; a collaborative approach; more sustainable business and improving communications.
Project of the Year: Civils
Winner – Morpeth Flood Alleviation Scheme – Balfour Beatty, Environment Agency, Northumberland County Council, CH2M, Turner & Townsend, JBA Consulting and Ryder Landscape Consultants (North East)
This scheme, the largest in the north east, has been a partnership since conception with works being jointly funded between the Environment Agency and Northumberland County Council. There have been many technical challenges to overcome which were resolved collaboratively with Balfour Beatty and their supply chain. Certainly, working in a historic market town and building a large dam accessed through narrow country roads is a great achievement. Significant consultation with residents and landowners had to take place before any actual construction began. A key feature throughout has been close working and cooperation between professional partners and also the community, including the Town Council and Morpeth Flood Action Group, who have all worked together to bring about the finished scheme.
Project of the Year: Building
Winner – Factory 2050 – Interserve Construction Ltd, University of Sheffield, Bond Bryan Architects Ltd, Curtins Consulting Limited and NG Bailey (Yorkshire & Humber)
The University of Sheffield’s high profile Factory 2050 project at Sheffield Business Park, is the latest development by the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing designed to meet the future needs of aerospace and other high-value manufacturing industries. The building design is unique and the completed project provides a superb environment for both researchers and engineers. Meeting the project vision meant reimagining the operational and aesthetic form of the research and manufacturing environment through stakeholder consultation workshops. Understanding what this meant for the built form required expertise from a range of disciplines. The result was a four-storey fully glazed circular research building and a traditional rectangular double height volume workshop building, totalling 6,699 m2 .
Constructing Excellence National Awards 2015
Constructing Excellence National Awards Winners’ Brochure 2015
Young Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by SuccessTrain
Winner – Danny Branson (East of England)
This Year’s Young Achiever is extremely passionate about the industry, in just five years they have self-funded a carpentry apprenticeship, won a Regional Carpentry Competition, beat thousands of competitors to finish fifth in BBC’s national search for Talent of the Year, and all while securing a series of promotions that now see this individual as a construction manager for their employer.
This spectacular individual is a natural leader and committed to delivering maximum performance on every project from £5m to 15m. Their positive outlook and continuing desire to learn more about the construction industry has shown how committed they are to delivering quality for customers, driving forward the sustainability agenda and engaging with young people to give them an insight into our industry
Leadership People and Development
Sponsored by Heathrow Airports Ltd
Winner – Cundall (West Midlands)
The winner of this Award support and encourage staff in progressing professional qualifications, supporting further and higher education, and operating accredited in-house-training schemes with engineering institutions. The organization’s internal seminar programme provides opportunities to share knowledge and experience. They encourage their employees to attend technical lectures, external seminars and networking events – all of which help develop their career.
Their ‘We Believe’ partnership helps employees understand, not only their own role, but how they participate within the wider construction industry. Identifying and developing talent, through a focus on long-term career planning and recognising excellence, through their annual “Excellence Award”. They also reward loyalty through a flexible benefits scheme and Long Service Awards.
Health and Safety
Sponsored by APS
Winner – Cardiff Business School (Wales)
This year’s winner has shown from the start of the project to achieve outstanding levels of health and safety not only among the workforce but with the general public. Implementing the successful health and safety strategy was underpinned by the integrated and collaborative team working established on site.
The safety of the general public in and around the live project was addressed through such measures as secure site access arrangements and the introduction of safe pedestrian routes with barriers and lighting. An innovative health and safety app was developed and distributed to the supply chain to help manage travel safely, including deliveries to site.
The employees worked with a local cancer charity to provide on-site health screening sessions for the workforce and the local community. The site also received a merit award from the International Safety Council and the health and safety app has been used on other schemes.
Heritage Award
Winner – Lincoln Castle Revealed – Lincolnshire County Council, Arrol and Snell, Robert Woodhead Limited, The Morton Partnership, FAS Heritage, Summers Inman, Belvedere and Mouchel (East Midlands)
This particular project is highly sustainable, multi-functional building including the first new build development within the area for over 150 years and the centre is a focal point of Heritage skills and development. Protecting and conserving the walls these were done through traditional techniques, with it being of critical importance to weather proof the paved top surfaces and properly re-point all parapets to prevent rainfall penetration. The project comprised of installing a complete circuit ‘Wall Walk’ experience which, for the first time in recent history, offers visitors panoramic views across the town and is accessed through the installation of a contemporary lift tower and staircase.
This project was to celebrate the Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary in 2015 with the focuses on their entry of three project phases: the Heritage Skills Centre, the conservation of Lincoln Castle Walls and Lincoln Castle Prison and Subterranean Magna Carta Vault
Integration and Collaborative Working Award
Sponsored by Waterloo Air Products
Winner – P21+ Repeatable Rooms – ProCure21 Plus Partnership Group, Department of Health, Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try, IHP, Interserve, Kier and Willmott Dixon (South East)
The winning project team which includes six main principal contractors work together in a non-competitive partnering ethos to develop evidence-based healthcare designs that improve patient outcomes whilst delivering capital construction cost reductions. The project has facilitated the formation of virtual teams comprising clinicians, patients, academics, managers, designers and others to develop these facilities.
The standard components alone have already saved over £1m, with the potential for £30m per annum savings based on the annual framework spend of £600m. The aim of these rooms is to exceed the 14.1% cost reduction target set by the Department of Health. The first P21+ project to use Repeatable Rooms has only just been completed with savings of up to 9% already verified and savings in excess of 20% predicted.
The Legacy – Sustainability Award
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence Wales
Highly Commended – Gas to Grid – GENeco (South West)
Winner – The Abberton Scheme – Northumbrian Water Group, MWH, EC Harris and Carillion Plc (East of England)
The purpose of this winning project was to create a sustainable legacy, that will have long term benefits for people, businesses and the environment. The extensive scope of works incorporated within the scheme required the inclusion of several technical disciplines and demanded careful co-ordination and management.
Planning applications included a substantial Environmental Statement containing a comprehensive impact assessment, reflecting the high ecological value of the landscapes involved. The key to success was keeping communities informed and part of the decision-making process. More than 100 public meetings were held and over 700 local residents attended the Drop-in sessions and provided overwhelmingly positive feedback.
The scheme is an exemplar of sustainable construction and development a showcase of what can be achieved when engineers and environmentalists share a common goal; working together to enable man and nature to co-exist in a changing climate.
Innovation
Sponsored by Northumbrian Water Group
Winner – UtterBerry Wireless Sensor Devices – UtterBerry Ltd and Costain Skanska JV Crossrail (South East)
The winner of this Award shows how their product will revolutionize civil engineering instrumentation and monitoring by introducing this new technology. This product is used to render the task easier to perform, with better measurement precision, and yielding dependable results in real time with their zero power electronics, a powerful microprocessor and wireless communications. The devices also measures displacement and tilt in three axes, as well as other variables such as vibration, temperature and humidity.
The project saved millions of pounds by using this new product and provided unparalled monitoring technology, particularly in a sealed environment with no human access. When benchmarked against other technologies the key outcomes were overall project installation time/complexity, impacting overall cost; equipment weight (affecting transportation, fixing); automation of analysis, calibration; cabling and health and safety.
Value
Winner – Huddersfield Royal Infirmary – Interserve, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and AFL Architects (Yorkshire & Humberside)
The winning project shows a collaborative relationship between the partners and has provided long-term value and has significantly improved the condition of the estate and the environment for all involved. The ProCure21+ framework gives the partners a unique opportunity to improve and innovate, ensuring value for money and the highest clinical outputs for patients and staff.
The collaborative relationship has achieved many of the goals recognised within the ‘Construction 2025’ vision; namely reducing costs, project programmes and emissions whilst delivering high levels of customer and product satisfaction. The programme has generated around 20% cost saving from the initial project. The operating theatre programme is generating savings of circa 16%. The delivery timescale for the refurbishment programme was reduced from the original 26 weeks per ward to 17 weeks per ward, with a 34% saving.
BIM Project of the Year
Highly Commended – A1 (M) Leeming to Barton Improvements – Carillion Morgan Sindall Joint Venture, Highways England, Aecom and Grontmij(Yorkshire & Humberside)
Winner – Pride Hospitals – Hopewood Park – Laing O’Rourke, Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Medical Architecture and Turner & Townsend (North East)
A ‘one team’ collaborative culture underpinned the BIM response for this project, driven by a need for early client engagement and effective communication with the hospital’s stakeholders. The coordinated response, enabled by co-location of the design teams, appropriate management software and the use of innovative techniques to not only construct the project but walk the client and stakeholders through a 3D model of what they could expect of their finished facility.
The coordinated BIM response allowed for the early engagement of principal subcontractors, full design synchronisation and clash avoidance and detection. The models were readily available to be reviewed at design team meetings to efficiently resolve issues and ensured everyone on the team was working towards the same goals. Collaborative working was demonstrated further when the architects co-located with the service engineers in their office for two weeks as part of the ‘one team’ culture that was instilled throughout the project. This approach was extremely beneficial for both parties, providing them the ability to coordinate room-loaded information during this period of intense design work and stay on programme.
Working with the contractor, the design team provided accurate and coordinated information in BIM to allow building elements to be sent directly for offsite manufacture. These included structural concrete panels (with coordinated openings for services), steel frame, timber frame and en-suite pods. Clash detection/avoidance was also a major benefit, saving costly rectification on site by finding the problems sooner. Using the Navisworks model also allowed the design team to engage the client and stakeholders in new ways. Using the architect’s own 3D equipment library they were able to incorporate loose and fitted furniture and equipment into the model. This not only allowed the generation of 3D room-loaded drawings but were able to use the model to ‘walk’ them through the building, showing them how it would appear when constructed.
SME of the Year
Winner – Hodgson Sayers Ltd (North East)
With over 35 years in the industry this organisation has excelled over the past few years with a change of management and new headquarters in 2007. This saw a new future direction, planned growth and development strategy for the organisation. As a responsible employer and proud of the industry in which they work, they are active members of various industry body organisations including NFB, Competent Roofer, Trustmark & British Safety Council. They also hold accreditations with CHAS, SafeContractor, Achilles B2, Constructionline and BRE Loss Prevention Certification Board. In their pursuit of improvements in performance they were one of the first construction companies in their region to recognise the importance of externally verified quality standards in 1996 and consequently followed by many others.
Through their blog, social media channels and traditional media they have contributed to discussions on a wide range of subjects including apprenticeships, business ethics, recruitment and training, technological developments within the sector, the Living Wage Foundation, CITB Be Fair anti-bullying and the effects of Health and Safety to name but a few.
Client of the Year
Sponsored by Diligentia
Winner- Stockton Borough Council (North East)
This winning client shows vision at the forefront of their organisation and how they operate to develop relationships to deliver benefits for not only main contractors, but also their suppliers. This underpins successful delivery and fosters a culture of excellence which benefits all.
This client was named as one of the 12 pilot towns in the 2011 Portas Review for a wider Town Centre Regeneration Investment Plan. The project has brought huge benefits to the town itself and will have a huge impact on local businesses and residents.
The procurement method used has also been important in creating a culture of excellence by empowering the contractor through ECI, benefits are realised throughout the initial stages of the
project by identifying and maximising efficiencies across the board and encouraging innovation and best practice. Collaboration is placed at the heart of the process to ensure success is delivered whilst developing open and honest working relationships.
Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence in the North East
Winner – Louise Brooke-Smith (West Midlands)
The overall winner of this category goes to an individual who drives their organisation and employees forward which is seen as one of the top ten independent consultancies in the UK. The company has recently been award the Regional Planning Practice of the Year by the RTPI.
This individual was the first female RICS president and has been an advocate for diversity across the property sector. She has led various initiatives including supporting women spokespeople across the UK, an initiative which eventually will be rolled out internationally.
She has led and headed up many international professional groups & meetings in the Far East and Africa and recently chaired the RICS Governing Council meeting in Johannesburg. She has been invited by the UK Government onto many advisory panels such as The Cabinet Office, DCLG and DWP. This individual has been named as Outstanding Women in Construction in 2015 and with her busy RICS ambassadorial duties, consultancy work in the UK together with her family obligations showing that, with the support of a good team, it can be done!
Project of the Year
Commended – Penarth Learning Community –Leadbitter – A Bouygues UK Company, Vale of Glamorgan County Council, HLM Architects, Arup and AECOM (Wales)
Highly Commended – Lincoln Castle Revealed – Lincolnshire County Council, Arrol and Snell, Robert Woodhead Limited, The Morton Partnership, FAS Heritage, Summers Inman, Belvedere and Mouchel (East Midlands)
Winner – Dawlish Emergency Project – Mott MacDonald, Network Rail, Tony Gee & Partners, BAM Nuttall, Amalgamated Construction and Dyer + Butler (South West)
The winning project overcame a series of issues within a very short deadline to complete the project. One of the main issues were the continued storms, but this project team rose to the situation named by Prime Minister David Cameron as the ‘Orange Army’. The work between all parties has shown a clear indication of the Latham Report benefits of collaborative working. Queries, discussions and problems were discussed in an open and honest forum with a no blame culture. The collaborative nature required buy in from all parties and it was their determination to continue in this manner which drove the project to be completed within the ambitious 9 week deadline.
Work continued 24/7 with an average of 300 people each day and 150 each night working tirelessly. Whilst rebuilding the infrastructure was the common goal, protecting people and communities throughout this endeavour had to remain top priority. With the working demands fatigue had to be controlled through managing rolling shifts and it is estimate 300,000 site hours attributed to the works.
This project is a great example for why others should embrace the collaborative working culture on all construction projects.
Constructing Excellence National Awards 2014
Young Achiever – G4C
Sponsored by Success Train
Winner – Richard Marsden, BDN, nominated by Northumbria University
This Year’s Young Achiever is extremely passionate about the industry as well as adopting all aspects of the G4C vision. Sustainability, BIM and whole life value are at the heart of what he does.
Since graduating he has succeeded in blending his creative talents and entrepreneurial flair, resulting in him taking on leading and influential roles in the construction industry. In a very short time he has developed cutting edge expertise as a director, as well as establishing his own innovative award winning eco-development company.
He has mentored and employed students, and hosted workshops that have resulted in them producing bespoke house-types that have already attracted attention from major housing providers and could result in the development receiving international acclaim.
Leadership & People Development
Sponsored by Heathrow Airports Ltd
Winner – Bournville Propertycare Services
The winner of this award has a long history of apprenticeship training in one form or another. They have continued with their founder’s vision of training and innovation and truly believe that their apprentices are the future of the company and they have over the years cultivated some brilliant talent. Not only are they keeping alive the historical methods of building and construction but they are also embracing the future and have recently constructed a whole estate of housing with modern, up to date technologies while also reducing the carbon footprint. Their health and safety training not only looks at the usual Asbestos Awareness, but also deals with mental health issues, compulsory first aid, and the list just goes on. In 2013 they were named the ‘UK Apprentice Employer of the Year’ by the CITB and an ‘outstanding training provider’ by OFSTED
Integration & Collaborative Working
Sponsored by Waterloo
Highly Commended – Carillion PLC, Birmingham City Council, Mecanoo Architecten, TPS, Buro Happold, Capita, EMCOR Engineering Services, A J Morrisroe & Sons Ltd, Lindner Facades Ltd and Birmingham Repertory Theatre for the Library of Birmingham
Winner – Clugston Construction, Johnson Matthey PLC, Sadler Brown Architecture and Castle Building Services for the Catalyst Research Laboratory and Office Facility, Billingham, Tees Valley
Although the contractor had enjoyed the trust and mutual respect derived from developing a long term relationship with their client their collaborative approached demonstrated to all staff how successful project teams can transcend company boundaries and that people can work together in a spirit of cooperation working together to achieve common goals that go beyond the mere commercial aspects of the Project.
The project engendered a sense of mutual pride and achievement and shared professionalism, not just in the contractor, but also within the client, project and end-user teams. Within the construction industry it should be used as a prime example in selling the benefits of collaboration as the way forward, and to demonstrate that the early engagement of all parties really works!
Health & Safety CDM
Sponsored by Association for Project Safety (APS)
Winner – Designed for Life: Building for Wales Framework
The judges were looking for the project or organisation where health and safety has been driven forward to go beyond what is required within the duties as stated in CDM.
The Winning Award goes to an organisation for their exemplary record on safety and health over a number of differing projects in existing buildings. The clients approach to the selection of capable project team members resulting in health & safety excellence throughout and for making the process available to other public bodies.
The Legacy – Sustainability
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence Wales
Winner – Provelio, Cornwall Council, SDS, Ward Williams Associates and Lorne Stewart for Green Cornwall
The winning project’s aim was to allow the organisation to be carbon neutral by 2025. It will also achieve triple bottom line sustainability performance by 2016 of revenue savings of £22.4M with the savings being reinvested to improve the local community and the protection of front line services.
They used innovative techniques for identifying high energy and water use in buildings. The project used the latest in energy saving technology, such as Biomass Boilers, Voltage Optimisation, Microhydro Generation, Combined Heat and Power Systems, Photovoltaics and LED Lighting.
Continues improvement to particularly important t them and they wanted to improve on what had been achieved previously and they have been recognised as a leaders in energy saving by their peers who have undertaken similar smaller projects
Innovation
Sponsored by NWG
Winner -Yorkshire Water and Morgan Sindall Grontmij Joint Venture for Starting a REVOlution
The winner of this category has developed a ground-breaking innovative way to operate the most energy intensive assets.
In 2011 the organisation identified energy would become their largest operational cost and their carbon footprint emissions were also significant.
Together with their JV partner they embarked on a scheme to generate substantial savings delivering this new technology collaboratively across 65 sites representing over 50% of the companies consumption as a business. The innovative control modules for high energy consuming assets known as Remote Energy Visibility and Optimisation (REVO).
Value
Commended – Willmott Dixon Construction, NHS South of Tyne & Wear, P&HS Architects, Billinghurst George & Partners, A & ER Roberts, Turner & Townsend, Southern Green and PACE Acoustics for St Benedict’s Hospice
Highly Commended – Interserve Construction Ltd, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, Interserve Consulting, Boyes Rees, Clarke Bond Wales Ltd, Lee Wakemans, FP Hurley Ltd and Julian James Cladding Ltd for Ysbryd y Coed – Elderly Persons Intermediate Care Unit
Winner – Kier Construction Central, Gloucestershire County Council, Roberts Limbrick, O’Brien & Price, NDC, DSC Consultants and Smiths Demolition and Asbestos Removal for Maidenhill School
The eventual winner in this award goes to a Framework refurbishment contract within a live school environment. The project was delivered in six critically programmed phases over an 80 week period and succeeded in achieving 99% of the school’s main priorities on their wish list- a remarkable achievement as the project was initially £500k over budget.
The project team worked collaboratively with client and the school’s head teacher, staff and students to value engineer and achieve as much as possible within the constraints of the budget.
They listened carefully to what the school was trying to achieve in terms of its ethos and vision, whilst at the same time focussing on practical issues and priorities; namely improving the learning environment, addressing issues of severe overheating in summer, efficient winter heating, lighting and improving student circulation around the buildings.
The resulting transformation has created a professional, smart school which looks brand new, with new internal heart and external hub spaces but which, more importantly, is fit for purpose and a facility the students, staff and wider community are extremely proud of.
Heritage
Winner – Team Force Restoration, Spencer& Dower, Structural & Civil Consultants, John Letts, William Tegetmeier and David Humble for Black Barn, Northumberland
The winner of this category is a striking and rare survival, conservation project which has been achieved with a careful and well-considered approach, producing an exceptional result of great technical interest and integrity. The judges particularly liked the archaeological approach to understanding the building’s surviving fabric, and the assessment of options and experimentation with methods and materials before agreeing the best approach to carrying out works, as well as learning from the outcomes on site. The project has contributed strongly to wider national understanding and training in traditional skills, which the project will have helped sustain. The result has been a highly focussed and rewarding conservation project worthy of being the overall winner.
SME of the Year
Sponsored by Clugston Construction
Winner – Lift & Engineering Services Ltd
The winning organisation is a company who invests heavily in training and development for their employees across the board. Their sales have grown by 77% over the last two years. The growth has been underpinned by continuous improvement in all aspects of the company addressing people, processes, management of performance, improvements in customer satisfaction and adopting best practice and new ways of working, often in collaboration with customers or suppliers.
They continue to seek best practice by using innovative working methods to provide the competitive edge. They have recently won a number of Awards including SME Business Growth, Manufacturing Achievement and Female in Engineering. They have also set up their own training programme.
From 2011 one of their offices has grown in employees from 4-12 and they have recently opened a London office which now employs 5 people. This organisation is now seeking Constructing Excellence Lifelong Learning Accreditation so their training can be used for others in the industry.
Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by Constructing Excellence North East Club
Winner – Martin Chambers, Shaylor Group
The overall winner of this category goes to an individual who has been involved within the construction industry from a very young age, starting as a trainee and working their way through the ranks to now leading a sought after SME contractor. This individual is associated with the regional Constructing Excellence body as well as many professional bodies and universities.
They have gone onto oversee many large, high profile projects which have truly impacted on their communities and the wider construction industry. Outside of work this specific individual is Chair of a well known Housing Association and Fire Service as well as being a lay visitor for the local police force. They also spend a lot of their time visiting schools & universities to encourage young people into the industry.
Sustainability methods are very close to this individuals heart as they built their own house using modern methods of construction and renewable technologies to achieve this.
Client of the Year
Sponsored by Diligentia
Highly Commended – Ministry of Justice Directorate
Winner – East Riding of Yorkshire Council
This organisation is a very proactive construction client, and shows excellent drive in their region. They deliver and lead on implementing current national initiatives in the sector along with real development of best practice whilst involving the whole of the supply chain with innovation, training commitments and fair payment charters. They are part of the first UK framework to achieve National Skills Academy status. They are also the first oragnisation of their type to hold Registered Practice Status with the Association of Project Safety and achieved Investors in People Gold Standard.
Special Award 2014
Winner – Engineering for Overseas Development for the Kachumbala Widows Co-operative Mill & Grain Store, Uganda
Whilst the focus of the scheme has been the support of villagers in Africa, it was a chance to pass on construction expertise and construct valuable infrastructure. One of the real benefits has been that students and engineers have not just developed their skills but it also gave the apprentices a chance to experience another culture and pass on their skills in what was a life-changing opportunity for everyone involved.
The apprentices had to manage every aspect of the job including developing a work force and they had to make bricks by hand on site with no use of machinery. They fed a village for 3 months by paying the locals on a daily basis to work for them
The confidence of these young apprentices has improved so much some of them are now managing small sites back in the UK and their enthusiasm and work ethic has changed out of all recognition.
Project of the Year
Sponsored by National Building Specification (NBS)
Highly Commended – 4Delivery, Southern Water, Mott MacDonald, Turner & Townsend, Halcrow, Enpure, Veolia Water Solutions & Technolgies, Andritz, Plasticon, Bourne Steel, Prater and Land & Marine /Westminstrt Dredging JVCleaner Seas for Sussex Project
Winner – Carillion PLC, Birmingham City Council, Mecanoo Architecten, TPS, Buro Happold, Capita, EMCOR Engineering Services, A J Morrisroe & Sons Ltd, Lindner Facades Ltd and Birmingham Repertory Theatre for the Library of Birmingham.
The winning project built in a busy city centre was delivered on time and under cost and was delivered to the clients & community expectations.
This particular project showed great innovative design and is a remarkable building to the region. The supply chain as well as integrating the project team from the beginning is truly outstanding and their commitment to Health & Safety aspect was second to none.
