Production Innovation of the Year

This category is open to any business or supplier that has created or launched an innovative product to improve construction or civil engineering processes between Jan 2023 to Jan 2024.

Build Test Solutions

Heat3D

Heat3D is a digital app and portable hardware solution that allows you to precisely measure heat flow and U-values of walls using a low-cost, quick and non-invasive method. Developed by Build Test Solutions in partnership with app developers Electric Pocket and the University of Salford during the past five years, Heat3D can produce a measured result within one hour. This makes it a game changing prospect for the construction supply chain, for which traditional techniques currently take days or weeks to produce results. It is also a non-destructive process, so has significantly less impact on occupants than other methods. Heat3D is currently undergoing developments to deliver additional changes so it can reliably measure floors and ceilings. This will help the industry to better understand existing buildings, provide effective quality assessments and improve how the industry signs off new works. 

Free4m Lighting

r_PEC Digital NDT Development, Free4m Lighting

Free4m Lighting Ltd has designed, built, tested and operates its own portable digital non-destructive testing kit for metal structures based on Pulsed Eddy-Current technology (r_PEC). Testing using this technology has demonstrated greater accuracy and flexibility over conventional Constant Current Eddy-current testing. Free4m developed their testing platform following the 2019 launch of the lighting column best practice guide GN22, co-authored by Free4m. Conventional testing for lighting columns to that point ascribed a single minimum thickness to column test areas leading to over-conservatism in assessments. Free4m’s r_PEC kit maps the varying residual thickness of metal structures leading to more accurate structural assessments. The test kit is portable fitting into a standard backpack providing clients with improved testing executed with a reduced carbon footprint on public realm assets. Free4m have completed testing programmes for City of Westminster and Transport for London.

Geoptic Infrastructure Investigations

Cosmic ray muons

Cosmic ray muons are subatomic particles produced by the collision of space-borne protons (and other ions) with molecules in the upper atmosphere. At the Earth's surface, cosmic ray muons dominate the natural radiation background. Geoptic has developed a novel downhole muon imaging system that measures the cosmic ray muons' trajectories through the detector, allowing Geoptic to acquire an x-ray like image of the subsurface and/or buried structures. The image reflects changes in density as lower density regions allow more muons to pass through than higher density ones. As a general density imaging method, there are many potential applications for this instrument in civil engineering from the detection of underground assets to near surface void characterisation to the investigations of other concrete structures. The engineering understanding of buried, concealed features has been shown to be greatly enhanced by Geoptic’s subsurface muon imaging approach.

Giatec

Heathrow Taxiway concrete strength monitoring trials

Giatec working with its partners, Heidelberg materials, engaged with Mace and sub-contractors, Oliver Connell to try and provide an innovative solution to speed up the reinstatement of pavement quality concrete on a taxiway at Heathrow Airport and provide an accurate, digital solution to the monitoring of concrete strength and temperature. Using the SmartRock concrete sensors the project stakeholders were able to have in situ concrete data at their fingertips. The real-time data provided demonstrated the early strength gain of the concrete, giving the confidence needed to reinstate the taxiway for airport traffic. Based on the results from the initial trial using the sensors, the concrete had gained its designed strength 14 days early compared with the original project programme. The potential of using SmartRock in future projects has the potential to save significant programme time, project costs, reduce risk and ultimately provide better service and value to the end client.

Kelda Showers

Kelda is the inventor of high-efficiency Air-Powered mixer showers that reduce carbon emissions by using significantly less water and energy. Patented Air-Powered shower technology injects water into a high-velocity air stream to improve experience and performance. In domestic trials, Kelda’s Air-Powered shower was rated 8.3 out of 10 by homeowners surveyed, despite using around 50% less water than a conventional mixer shower. Kelda's innovative Air-Powered showers are the first and only shower technology recognised by Government (DESNZ) for its water, energy and carbon emission savings. Installing a Kelda shower is proven to reduce household domestic primary energy and emissions by 10% enabling housebuilders to deliver more energy-efficient and affordable homes. For homeowners, this can amount to a saving of around £385 per year. And, it's not just housebuilding, in the Leisure sector a Kelda shower is saving 10,000 litres of water every day at just one David Lloyd Club (Ipswich).

Nodes & Links

AI Agent built for project controls

Nodes & Links has developed a groundbreaking AI-driven platform designed to transform capital project management. Our innovative AI agent automates and optimizes key project management workflows, including risk analysis, delay analysis, and forecasting. Developed over seven years with 35 specialized AI models, the platform significantly improves decision-making, enhances project outcomes, and promotes sustainability. Notable successes include reducing workflows from 10 business days to just 1 hour and achieving substantial cost savings and efficiency gains for clients like Costain, Turner & Townsend, and HS2. Our AI platform sets a new industry standard, driving advancements in project delivery and efficiency across the capital project management sector.

CheckedSafe

CheckedSafe driving licence checking service

CheckedSafe has created an innovative and fully remote, user-friendly and cost effective solution for checking driving licences. This checking service has simplified fleet management by using innovative tech to manage a tricky time consuming task. Further the risk scoring enables fleets to properly mitigate the risks of drivers. In addition the management of records and reminders is also simplified by an online dashboard. We have been informed that we are the only company in the UK checking licences this way, which shows our dedication to innovation and simply the process of checking licences in the industry. By using existing tech, customers have no further capital outlay meaning cost is not a barrier to safety and compliance. Since launching this service in January 2023, we have checked over 3000 different licences, and over 6000 in total. 

WeavAir

Digital twin solution powered by sensors, satellite networks and AI

WeavAir's digital twin software is a cutting-edge solution designed to revolutionize construction and civil engineering. Integrating satellite earth observation data, IoT sensor networks, and advanced AI, WeavAir provides real-time anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and operational intelligence. The innovation significantly reduces operational costs, enhances safety and reliability, and supports comprehensive ESG reporting, helping organizations achieve their sustainability goals. Notably, the WeavPredict component delivers unparalleled insights into energy use and carbon emissions, making it an essential tool for optimizing infrastructure projects.