Green accolade for FM Conway's Dover Harbour project

FM Conway has won a Bronze Award at the prestigious Green Apple Built Environment Awards for its surfacing project at the Port of Dover.

The Green Apple Awards are at the vanguard of environmental and sustainable best practice. Organised by The Green Organisation the awards are presented annually to recognise organisations which have carried out projects that enhance the environment.

In March 2011 FM Conway was awarded a contract by Dover Harbour Board to undertake paving and resurfacing works at the Port of Dover. The contract involved the replacement of existing block paving at the Port's Eastern Docks with new, long-life sustainable reinforced concrete materials.

Andrew Hansen, Chief Operating Officer at FM Conway, said: "FM Conway prides itself on developing and delivering innovative solutions which improve the sustainability of our operations. This Green Apple award is testament to FM Conway's strategy to bring environmentally friendly practices in construction and civil engineering to the market place."

FM Conway used its SurePaveTM materials range which has been specifically developed for heavy, channelised, slow-moving traffic in urban and heavy industrial areas. The new surfaces benefit from a reduced risk of cracking and added durability. This has greatly reduced the frequency of future maintenance to the reconstructed areas and will ensure that all necessary planned and reactive maintenance will be easier to undertake.

Nigel Bodell, Head of Infrastructure Development for the Port of Dover, said: "The Port of Dover continues to lead the industry in port environmental management by minimising the impact of one of the world's busiest ports on the local environment and by providing first class infrastructure to sustainably meet the future demands of the business. Those who work with us at the Port must reflect our high standards and, as such, it is rewarding for both parties to see the result of that expectation manifested in the presentation of a Green Apple award."

Conducting the resurfacing works, whilst maintaining the Port's operational integrity, has presented FM Conway with complex challenges which required regular engagement with all the stakeholders involved. To mitigate costly disruption to the Port's operations, FM Conway employed early contractor involvement to ensure that all works were programmed at an early stage. This allowed both FM Conway and Dover Harbour Board to effectively plan diversions and strategies to minimise disruption to the Port's operators and customers, as well as identifying possible opportunities for best value engineering.

The Green Apple Award adds to FM Conway's impressive haul for 2012, which includes awards from RoSPA, the British Association of Landscape Architects and the South East Centre for the Built Environment, as well as an Enterprise in Quiet Transport Award from the Noise Abatement Society and a London Transport Award.