Wokingham Borough Council is delighted to have been named Client of the Year at the Constructing Excellence Awards.
The success came at an awards ceremony held in London on Thursday 30 June, where the council was also a finalist in the Modern Methods of Construction and Net Zero Construction categories.
The council was nominated for Client of the Year by Reds10, which worked with the council on a number of projects, including the expansion of Addington School in Woodley and the new Dinton Activity Centre. The firm specialises in modular construction and described the council as ‘true pioneers’ in the nomination.
In order to win Client of the Year, the council showed clear and consistent leadership and a commitment to procurement based on quality, value and collaboration, as well as benefits to the community and industry, with an approach that could be used elsewhere to drive continuous growth.
Cllr Clive Jones, the new leader of the council, said: “I’m so pleased that we have been recognised for our forward-thinking and collaborative approach to these projects. There was lots of good competition and I’m sure it means a lot to those who were involved to see their hard work rewarded.
“This recognition is well-earned and reflects what can be achieved by taking a sustainable and innovative approach. I hope our residents will take pride in using these facilities, just as we take pride in providing them with high-quality services.”
Winning the awards
There was a total of 17 prizes at the Constructing Excellence Awards, which celebrate the best companies, projects and clients from London and the South East. The council fought off competition from hundreds of entries and excelled in the shortlisting process, which was followed by interviews with high profile construction industry professionals.
The judge’s testimony says: “The winner showed a differentiator in the connectivity between purpose and vision of the borough council, with a reality where the spaces they build and operate for the community are inspirational, that encourage all members of the community to use those spaces for their health and wellbeing, and enhance a pride in the borough where they live and work.
“Thus, the leadership requirement of this client – to achieve their purpose the way they have with some truly outstanding buildings – set the winner apart.”
About the winning projects
The expansion of Addington School, which is for children and young people with special educational needs, was completed in 2020. A single-storey block was added to increase capacity from 200 to 250.
The £4.4 million project was completed by Reds10, alongside HLM Architects and most of the building work was completed off site to minimise disruption to the school and cut down on vehicle journeys. The building includes four classrooms, a café and social/breakout areas.
Dinton Activity Centre opened at Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst last year. The state-of-the-art centre was Wokingham Borough’s first operationally net zero building and it houses leisure and education facilities.
Costing £2.4 million, the centre has many eco-friendly materials and features, which were commended in the nomination for the Modern Methods of Construction category by project partner HLM Architects.
These features include solar panels, windcatchers on the roof for natural ventilation, low-energy LED lighting and air source heat pumps, all of which reduce the overall energy demand.
Working with our contractors
HLM Architects also put Dinton Activity Centre forward for the Net Zero Construction category and it was named as one of six finalists.
The nomination for Client of the Year from Reds10 reads: “Wokingham Borough Council are true pioneers. This applies not only to their early adoption of and commitment to modern methods of construction, but also to their devotion to sustainability, collaborative working, learning and bettering their constituents’ lived experience.
“Having worked with the council for several years across a variety of projects, it is safe to say each one is a true one of a kind. This is primarily because the council and its representatives have taken a keen interest not only in the top level, but the day-to-day detail, striving for real understanding in order to push themselves – and in turn other councils – to do better.”
More from Wokingham Borough Council
Stay connected
Stay connected to the communities around you. Enjoy the latest news, updates and highlights straight in your inbox. Subscribe to our Wokingham Borough Connect newsletters now.
