A leading civil engineering firm has been shortlisted for two industry awards for its work at a North Wales wind farm.
Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is up for sustainability and civil project of the year awards by Construction Excellence in Wales (CEW), which celebrates success in the Welsh construction sector.
The family firm is a contender thanks to its approach at the Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm project, which factored in reusing on site materials, sourcing local labour and reducing emissions.
It was appointed by renewable energy developer RWE Renewables to deliver the 27-turbine scheme, which is capable of generating enough renewable energy for up to 64,000 households annually.
During the course of the project, Jones Bros has been able to provide 15 apprentices and trainees with experience of a major renewables scheme, helping them develop their skills for the future.
Rhys Roberts, project manager at Ruthin-based Jones Bros, will now have to present to judges at the end of July via Microsoft Teams as part of the award submissions process.
He said:
“We are thrilled to be shortlisted for both awards by CEW. It’s fantastic to be recognised for our innovative and high-quality work.
“We worked closely with RWE Renewables and Natural Resources Wales to deliver the infrastructure, which included the construction of the turbine bases and access tracks as well as the installation of the cables.
“We always aim to minimise the impact on the environment, and we achieved this at Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm by using two on-site concrete batching plants which prevented a significant number of vehicle journeys and minimised traffic disruption.
“In addition, bespoke specification and construction methods allowed us to make use of more than 500,000 tonnes of site won materials which further reduced our carbon footprint and impact on the local highways network.
“An environmental consultant was also employed and we ensured local wildlife such as goshawks, squirrels and dormouse were protected through surveys and creating new habitats.”
Jones Bros will find out if they have been successful at the CEW Awards 2020 virtual ceremony on September.
Jones Bros has experienced success at the CEW awards previously, winning in 2018 and 2019 for its work on Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm and its dedication to people development.
The Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm has also won a Considerate Constructers Scheme (CCS) award this year, with RWE Renewables and Jones Bros finding out whether it is gold, silver or bronze in the autumn.
Rhys added:
“As with all of our developments, we were heavily involved with the community and held site visits for schools and colleges as well as sourcing local suppliers where possible.”
For more information visit www.jones-bros.com
