OREANDA-NEWS. December 04, 2015. An SSE team based in Nottingham has been named one of the most considerate constructors in the country at a national awards event.

The SSE Enterprise Lighting PFI depot in Nottingham, which is contracted by Nottingham City Council to upgrade and maintain the city’s street lighting infrastructure, has received the Considerate Constructors Scheme Gold Award.

The assessors found that the team “took neighbourhood relations one step further” with its ‘Be the Difference’ project which gives all employees a day off to carry out voluntary work for good causes in the community. This led to the appointment of ‘Waste Champions’ to manage issues arising from noise, dust and waste.

With a workforce of 35, the depot is responsible for a five year installation and 20 year maintenance programme for the local authority. 

The Considerate Constructor scheme is concerned about any area of construction activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the image of the industry as a whole. Inspectors carry out office and site visits, assessing a variety of factors including competent management, efficiency, awareness of environmental issues and neighbourliness.

Mike Neary, SSE Enterprise PFI Project Director, said: “The team deserves great credit for this achievement as it demonstrates that they adhere to the highest standards. The team has a high-profile work we carry out every day takes place in busy residential and commercial areas so we have a responsibility to go beyond the basic requirements when it comes to health and safety, environmental best practice, and community relations.”

The inspection of the Nottingham PFI operation also found “obvious consistency and understanding in relation to the company way of working. The first impression and the overall appearance of the working site was exceptional, operationally it gave the impression of a very efficient, planned and organised site. Those affected by the works are informed with proactive feedback sought. All reasonable efforts are made to minimise the disruption and impact of the work.”

The Considerate Constructors Scheme was founded in 1997 by the construction industry to improve its image. Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the Scheme and agree to abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements.