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2025 Brownfield Award Categories & Criteria

Conditions of Entry

 

To be eligible for entry, there must be evidenced activity on the submitted project during 2023 to 2025.  For 'Best Application of Remediation Technologies', validation is needed from the regulator in this time period.

General Criteria

Judges will assess all entries and score them against the following criteria, so each submission should clearly outline how each criterion has been considered and demonstrated.

The Award will go to the entry that in the view of the judges best demonstrates:

  • Well written and presented entry, with good grammar, formatting, and excellent use of supporting annotated information (figures/tables/photographs). A maximum of c.2,000 words and 6 pages in length (including all imagery, but not including the additional PowerPoint slides). The entries should show obvious fit to the submitted category including any additional specific category criteria.

  • Notable innovation, exemplary best practice, and a defensible solution.

  • Compliance with legislation, codes, best practice, and guidance.

  • Effective public / stakeholder engagement.

  • Effective thorough commitment to H&S throughout the project.

  • Real environmental and social benefits, clearly linked to Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrating Social Value with adherence to diversity practice.

  • Evidence of robust project closure / verification, where applicable.

Some categories also have specific requirements, which are detailed in the category overviews below.

Award Categories

Best Project Preparatory Work

Planning and conduct of site investigations, including use of the National Quality Mark Scheme (where applicable), conceptual modelling, and/or development of a remediation strategy which both demonstrates best practice and provides a sound basis for remediation, verification and subsequent use or development of a brownfield site.

 

Best Research or Application in the Advancement of Science, Technology or Digital Innovation in the Brownfield Sector

Evidenced by a published academic or industry-led research project, or guidance document, or the practical application of a scientific, technological, or digital-based innovation leading to enhanced procedures and / or processes in the brownfield sector. Demonstration of the broad potential impact and value of its application was shown.

 

Best Public Engagement and Participation of a Brownfield Activity

Demonstrating the positive impact and contribution made by a brownfield regeneration project delivered in collaboration with all stakeholders and encouraging the participation and involvement of local communities.

  • Effectively raising the profile of brownfield development amongst the community and other stakeholders

  • Demonstrates proactive community engagement before and during the project

  • Project takes positive steps towards improving diversity, equity and social well-being

 

Best Application of Remediation Technologies

This contractor-led entry should show effective use of appropriate ex-situ and / or in-situ remediation technologies, whether alone or in combination, on a brownfield site.

 

The entry should show the development of a remediation strategy, which both demonstrates best practice and provides a sound basis for remediation, and the practical application of that strategy on-site. Demonstration of robust project closure and verification, with sign off by the appropriate regulator, if applicable, must be shown.

 

Best Sustainable Re-Use of Materials

 

Sustainable and beneficial re-use of material in a brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure project. Must quantify materials re-used and demonstrate compliance with legislation, guidance, codes of practice, and agreement by the appropriate regulator. Ideally should demonstrate an innovative approach to working towards net zero goals.

 

Best Sustainable Brownfield/Urban Regeneration/Infrastructure Scheme

 

Excellence in the delivery of any aspect of the sustainable regeneration of a brownfield or development, or brownfield-led infrastructure project, led by a multidisciplinary team. Entries should clearly show real positive economic, environmental, and social impacts, clearly linked to Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrating Social Value.

Best Public Sector / Not for Profit Brownfield Project

Excellence in any aspect of brownfield development or a brownfield-led infrastructure project, where the project is led by a public sector or not for profit organisation. The Award could be entered by consultants and contractors on behalf of their client, but, if so, the winner would be the public sector / not for profit organisation.

Best Biodiversity Net Gain or Enhancement on a Brownfield Project

Demonstration of positive impact on, or enhancement of, the natural environment and local ecosystems in a brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure project. Long-term planning of a regenerative approach to enhance biodiversity and amenity value should be demonstrated.


Evidence of biodiversity improvement / net gain against the latest DEFRA Biodiversity Metric or equivalent
In perpetuity / long term management of biodiversity should be shown, as appropriate.

Best Overseas Project

This Award is open to any organisation who has leveraged experience via the export market or is based outside of the UK to deliver excellence in any aspect of a brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure project overseas.

 

Best Early Career Brownfield Professional

Entries can be submitted by the individual, the employer or jointly. The entrant should have no more than 7 years relevant brownfield experience up to 2025. This may comprise accumulated ‘full time equivalent’ experience of 7 years whilst working part-time or around an extended period of absence. The judges welcome submissions from both young professionals and those who have made a career move into the Brownfield sector.

Entries are welcomed from site based or office based people who have a consultant, contractor, and/or regulator background.  By default, the requirements may be different based upon the experience of the entrants.  As a result, the below is a guide, and the applicants should clearly demonstrate FIVE OPTIONAL GUIDE criteria clearly outlined criteria in their application, supported by the MANDATORY aspects.

Mandatory specific entry criteria:

  • Good quality entry written EITHER in the first person by the applicant OR the 3rd person if nominated.

  • Entrants will be judged on all-round ability, not only on academic and work-related achievements, but also their enthusiasm for work within the brownfield industry.

  • Clearly show 7 years experience by giving dates of employment.

  • Supporting statement provided.

 

Optional Guide Criteria (Demonstration of ANY 5 to be Outlined):

  1. Understanding and compliance with the regulations that control the process of remediation, site investigation and monitoring.  Including, surface and groundwater Regulations, Planning conditions, use of Dow:CoP, Part 2A responsibilities, Environmental Permitting and HSE.

  2. Ability to process large amounts of information from multiple sources and determine the most appropriate actions, i.e. taking multiple risk assessments and site investigation reports to identify the areas of a site requiring remediation.

  3. Show your ability to communicate technical ideas to a workforce.  Many of the concepts in Contaminated land are highly technical, involving Civil Engineering, Geology, Chemistry and Ecology.  These concepts must be converted into tasks that can be understood by the site team.  This may be in the form of written method statements or verbal communications.

  4. Show Commercial management. Demonstrate that you can control costs of labour, materials, subcontractors, and plant on site and identify activities that are outside the current scope.

  5. Health and Safety. Understanding and managing the risk of your working with contaminated land on sites and the impact that the site works may have on the larger community “beyond the fence”.

  6. Demonstrate your ability to deliver work on time by understanding and producing a programme of works.

  7. Reporting & Data Management Skills. Site work will generate large amounts of data -  demonstrate that you can manage and report this data.

  8. Going the extra mile. Cross cutting work ethos. Personal effectiveness.

  9. National and/or regional work with professional/group industry bodies, such as chartered institutions, SoBRA, RemSoc, CLOG, etc.

  10. Can show clear knowledge of, and abidance by, the ‘Regulators Code’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulators-code).

 

Technical Lead of the Year Award

 

Entries can be submitted by the individual, or employer / peer nomination and will be awarded to an individual who can demonstrate excellence in leading the delivery of any aspect of a brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure project, including evidence of:

  • Clear vision and strategy development

  • Inspiring and leading the project team

  • Keeping the project on-time and in-budget

  • Clear exemplary championing of H&S

  • Consideration of sustainable practices 

  • Engagement with the wider technical community

Brownfield Consultancy of the Year Award - New Award

Without relevance to the companies size or age, entries can be submitted by the company, or peer nomination, and will be awarded to the company who can demonstrate excellence in leading the delivery of a wide range of aspects relating to brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure, including evidence of:

  • Delivering multiple brownfield schemes/projects

  • Inspiring and leading the project team

  • Commitment to promoting, enhancing, and developing guidance, procedures, and best practice.

  • Support for engagement groups (Cl:AIRE, SiLC, SoBRA, RemSoc, etc.)

  • Support, training, and progression of staff

  • Exemplary commitment to H&S

Brownfield Contractor of the Year Award New Award

Without relevance to the companies size or age, entries can be submitted by the company, or peer nomination, and will be awarded to the company who can demonstrate excellence in leading the delivery of a wide range of aspects relating to brownfield development or brownfield-led infrastructure, including evidence of:

  • Delivering multiple brownfield schemes/projects

  • Inspiring and leading the project team

  • Commitment to promoting, enhancing, and developing guidance, procedures, and best practice.

  • Support for engagement groups (Cl:AIRE, SiLC, SoBRA, RemSoc, etc.)

  • Support, training, and progression of staff

  • Exemplary commitment to H&S

Judges’ Choice Award

This Award is not open to applications, but is awarded at the Judges’ discretion after considering all winning entries this year.  The winner will be picked from the winning entries for Categories 1-8.

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