Martin Barnes 2024 Awards attract more than 50 entries worldwide

The 2024 Martin Barnes Awards were presented at the NEC Annual Conference on Friday 21 June in London, UK. The awards recognise excellence in NEC project delivery and showcase examples of good practice through collaboration from across the world.

The theme for the revamped 2024 awards was ‘Celebrating visionaries that are shaping the future of NEC’. The judges were keen to identify innovative projects and organisations that demonstrated good practice through collaboration.

Project excellence and best practice awards

The NEC Recognising Project Excellence and Innovation Award was presented to the project team behind the Yuen Long Effluent Polishing Plant in Hong Kong. The project was a joint submission by the Drainage Services Department (DSD) and Aecom Asia. 

Work started on the HK$ 6,900 million (£690 million) project to upgrade the existing Yuen Long sewage treatment works in 2020, transforming it into the Yuen Long effluent polishing plant and increasing its capacity to 150,000 m3/day. Upon completion in 2027 it will be the first treatment plant in Hong Kong capable of achieving energy neutrality. It is being delivered with two NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contracts (ECC) Option C (target contract with activity schedule).

The NEC Leading the Future through Best Practice and Collaboration Award went to the £7 billion Sellafield Programme and Project Partners (Sellafield PPP). This is an innovative Project 13 enterprise framework appointed to support decommissioning and clean up of the former nuclear site at Sellafield in Cumbria, UK from 2019 to 2039.  

Works contracts are being let under the programme using NEC4 ECC Option E (cost reimbursable contract) and services contracts are being let with the NEC4 Professional Service Contract (PSC) option E.

Net zero award

The Hong Kong Civil Engineering and Development Department received the NEC Demonstrating Carbon Dioxide Reduction Initiatives Towards Net-Zero Award for implementing various carbon dioxide reduction initiatives on the Kwu Tung North and Fanling North New Development Area Phase 1 scheme.

The HK$18.2 billion (£1.82 billion) project is being delivered by seven NEC3 ECC contracts using mix of Option A (priced contract with activity schedule), B (price contract with bill of quantities), C and D (target contract with bill of quantities). Work started in 2019 and is due for completion in 2026. 

Client, business leader and business awards

England’s Environment Agency was recognised as the NEC Client of the Year for its NEC-based collaborative delivery framework for flood and coastal risk management works, which includes NEC option X29 for incentivising net-zero emissions. 

The NEC Business Leader of the Year Award was won by Tony Slater, managing director of UK smart motorway partnership the SMP Alliance, while building consultancy NPS Leeds, part of local authority owned Norse Group, secured the NEC Business of the Year Award.

Congratulations go to all the winners, runners up and highly commended entries for their exceptional accomplishments. 

For further information please visit https://www.neccontract.com/projects/awards.