More success for NEC-procured projects at the British Construction Industry Awards

NEC projects again did well in the 2024 British Construction Industry Awards, with Thames Water’s £4.5 billion Thames Tideway tunnel winning three awards.

The awards ceremony at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel in London in October 2024 saw projects procured using NEC contracts win eight of the 14 project-related awards. Of the highly commended entries, four out of five were also NEC.

Triple winner

Thames Tideway tunnel, the three main contracts of which were each let under an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option C (target contract with activity schedule), won the overall Project of the Year Award, the Environmental Project of the Year Award and the National Infrastructure Commission’s Design Principles Award.

The judges said the project had, ‘pushed boundaries in ways that delivered real success in every aspect of project delivery – be it stakeholder engagement, placemaking, a remarkable EDI policy or decarbonisation using new practices and materials. Really outstanding.’

Option A successes

Bristol City Council’s £132 million refurbishment of its Colston Hall concert venue, now known as Bristol Beacon, won the Retrofit Project of the Year following is delivery with NEC3 ECC Option A (priced contract with activity schedule).

Other NEC3 ECC Option A winners were West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s £17 million Halifax bus station redevelopment, which won Transport Project of the Year, and United Utilities’ £18 million water treatment works upgrade in Lancashire, which was voted Upgrade and Renewal Project of the Year.

Top tunnels

National Grid’s £500 million London Power Tunnels phase 2 – package 2 tunnels and shafts, which used NEC4 ECC Option C, picked up Utility Project of the Year. Finally, High Speed Two’s £1.6 billion Chiltern tunnels and Colne Valley viaduct won the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s Industry Innovation Champion award following their successful delivery with an NEC3 ECC Option C.