Carmarthenshire in running for building awards
Carmarthenshire County Council is in the running for a hat-trick of national building awards.
Two modernised primary schools and Carmarthen Indoor Market have been shortlisted in the prestigious Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Wales awards.
Ysgol Y Dderwen in Carmarthen, has been shortlisted in two separate categories – sustainability and community benefit.
Llanelli’s Ysgol Maes Y Morfa, joins Y Dderwen in the community benefit category.
Carmarthen Indoor Market has been shortlisted in the restoration category.
All three developments were amongst 28 chosen by an independent judging panel as worthy of site visits, which took place last week.
They have since been named on the shortlist where only four projects from across Wales will compete in each category for the coveted awards, which are seen as the Oscars of the construction industry.
Winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony in Cardiff on May 13, and those that win a Welsh award will be put forward to a UK-wide final to be held in London later this year.
The award entry submitted for the schools took a unique angle – demonstrating how sustainability went one step beyond simply being ‘green’.
As well as their environmentally-friendly features, the entry illustrated how the involvement of building apprentices in the development of both schools has made the local workforce ‘sustainable’.
Through innovative schemes such as Shared Apprenticeships, Next Steps and Building Your Own Future in Sir Gar, where the council’s Property Services team partners up with Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL) and Communities First, the council was able to demonstrate how much local apprentices have gained from the schemes.
On an environmental level, both schools were designed to incorporate outstanding eco-friendly features – including ground-source heating, the use of natural sunlight throughout the buildings and the use of recycled building materials.
The council was also able to demonstrate how both schools have embraced the community ethos. Ysgol Maes Y Morfa in particular excels in this area, with an integrated family centre and community library as part of the school building.
The restoration of Carmarthen Indoor Market formed part of a wider £74million development of Carmarthen town centre.
The £4million scheme saw a brand new market hall built from Welsh Pennant stone and slate while the old clock tower was renovated and retained.
It also features transcripts referring to Carmarthen’s 800-year market history.
Head of Property Services, Phil Lumley, said: “To be shortlisted for the RICS awards is an honour in itself - these are highly contested awards, and the entries had to be strong to even be considered by the judging panel.
“We are extremely proud of our integrated approach to these developments, and how they have benefitted local people and communities.”
Two modernised primary schools and Carmarthen Indoor Market have been shortlisted in the prestigious Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Wales awards.
Ysgol Y Dderwen in Carmarthen, has been shortlisted in two separate categories – sustainability and community benefit.
Llanelli’s Ysgol Maes Y Morfa, joins Y Dderwen in the community benefit category.
Carmarthen Indoor Market has been shortlisted in the restoration category.
All three developments were amongst 28 chosen by an independent judging panel as worthy of site visits, which took place last week.
They have since been named on the shortlist where only four projects from across Wales will compete in each category for the coveted awards, which are seen as the Oscars of the construction industry.
Winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony in Cardiff on May 13, and those that win a Welsh award will be put forward to a UK-wide final to be held in London later this year.
The award entry submitted for the schools took a unique angle – demonstrating how sustainability went one step beyond simply being ‘green’.
As well as their environmentally-friendly features, the entry illustrated how the involvement of building apprentices in the development of both schools has made the local workforce ‘sustainable’.
Through innovative schemes such as Shared Apprenticeships, Next Steps and Building Your Own Future in Sir Gar, where the council’s Property Services team partners up with Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL) and Communities First, the council was able to demonstrate how much local apprentices have gained from the schemes.
On an environmental level, both schools were designed to incorporate outstanding eco-friendly features – including ground-source heating, the use of natural sunlight throughout the buildings and the use of recycled building materials.
The council was also able to demonstrate how both schools have embraced the community ethos. Ysgol Maes Y Morfa in particular excels in this area, with an integrated family centre and community library as part of the school building.
The restoration of Carmarthen Indoor Market formed part of a wider £74million development of Carmarthen town centre.
The £4million scheme saw a brand new market hall built from Welsh Pennant stone and slate while the old clock tower was renovated and retained.
It also features transcripts referring to Carmarthen’s 800-year market history.
Head of Property Services, Phil Lumley, said: “To be shortlisted for the RICS awards is an honour in itself - these are highly contested awards, and the entries had to be strong to even be considered by the judging panel.
“We are extremely proud of our integrated approach to these developments, and how they have benefitted local people and communities.”
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