ISG named Contractor of the Year at Education Estates Awards

ISG was delighted to be named Contractor of the Year at the Education Estates Awards 2020, during a virtual ceremony on 15 October, which formed part of this year’s Digital Week virtual conference. There was strong competition from fellow finalists; Wilmott Dixon, BAM and TG Escapes.

Debbie Hobbs, ISG’s group director for sustainable business, also led a session during the virtual conference which focused on creating sustainable estates and how we can check if we are on the right track – previewing ISG’s Sustainable Buildings Monitor, due to be launched in early 2021.

ISG’s commitment to transforming the industry and investing in the future held the key to the win, through innovation, the next generation and social value.

Demonstrating an innovative and collaborative approach, in 2019, ISG was awarded 11 Department for Education (DfE) framework projects and tasked to find a solution for cost effective and efficient school delivery. Early partner workshops and lessons learnt exercises inspired solutions that led to the development of a standard component design for a school with BIM asset data, with work underway on further projects using this innovative approach.

Named as the DfE’s Framework Contractor of the Year in 2019, ISG has now also been invited to join the Construction Innovation Hub’s Platform Design Programme as an Ecosystem Consultant.

Recognising the challenge facing the education sector in the wake of COVID-19, ISG developed a bespoke app with Vale of Glamorgan Council to support 60 schools with their safe re-opening in June – an app featured by BBC Wales and which has since been adapted to support more client partners.

In terms of the next generation, ISG was recognised not just for talking about the skills gap, but actively working to close it. In 2018, recognising a knowledge gap at Level 3, the business partnered with awarding organisation, WJEC, to develop the Professional Construction Practice diploma. The course now has a diverse mix of 121 students across five schools and colleges.

Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC) is one of the Level 3 Learning Alliance partners, and ISG delivered the Richmond Building project in February 2020, procured through the Pagabo framework. The building brings together education, enterprise and the local community to deliver innovative activities that utilise the latest technologies.

The RuTC project was a finalist in two categories at this year’s Education Estates Awards, along with the University of Reading Library project, also delivered by ISG, which modernised and increased study space and improved the building’s energy efficiency.

A social impact valued at £3.5bn – from working with a homeless charity on education and career opportunities to supporting Mental Health UK – is true testament to ISG’s people and culture.

ISG’s chief operating officer for its UK Construction business, Zoe Price, accepted the award virtually and commented:

“Working in collaboration across the education sector with clients and stakeholders provides ISG with the opportunity to be a true partner in the widest sense. Our clients are continually faced with new challenges and by working together through investment and innovation, we are identifying solutions fit for the future.

“Our people and this ethos are now, thanks to Education Estates, award winning, and we couldn't be prouder to share in this celebration with our clients and project partners, as one extended team.”