RDM Electrical & Mechanical Services, a leading South Wales-based building services company and part of the wider Raven Delta (RD) Group, is celebrating a remarkable achievement, having secured victories at both the ECA Industry Awards 2024 and the BESA Awards 2024 for its work on the Cross Hands East Strategic Employment Site (SES) project.

The company won the Best Sustainability Project at the ECA Awards, held on October 11 at the Hilton Bankside, London, and just days later triumphed again by taking home the Net Zero Initiative of the Year award at the BESA Awards, which took place on October 17 at The Brewery, London. Instrumental to RDM’s awards’ success is RD Group sister-company, EFT Consult, who helped coordinate and develop the scheme’s design.

The ECA Industry Awards are renowned for celebrating excellence across the electrotechnical and engineering services industry, and RDM’s win for the Cross Hands East SES project underscores the company’s dedication to sustainable innovation. The project was praised for its cutting-edge design and installation of mechanical and electrical services, achieving substantial carbon reduction, energy efficiency, and strong community engagement.

At the BESA Awards, which recognise excellence in building services, RDM’s work on the Cross Hands East SES project stood out for meeting ambitious net-zero carbon targets. The development was lauded for its forward-thinking approach, combining sustainability with long-term environmental and community benefits.

The Cross Hands East SES project is a collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council, the Welsh Government, and the Active Building Centre, where RDM and EFT Consult played a pivotal role. The project achieved high standards of carbon reduction and energy efficiency, with the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and electric vehicle charging stations, significantly reducing reliance on non-renewable energy. Energy usage was kept to less than 55 kWh per square meter annually, setting new benchmarks for operational energy consumption.

RDM’s environmental leadership throughout the project was evident, with sustainable drainage systems implemented to manage stormwater runoff and a rigorous waste management strategy that diverted 96% of construction waste from landfills. In addition to its environmental achievements, RDM contributed to local workforce development by providing over 1,900 hours of apprenticeship experience, supporting the next generation of skilled workers and boosting local employment.

RDM’s use of the Active Building Design Toolkit, a first for Wales, along with the integration of a bespoke Building Management System (BMS), enabled real-time monitoring and optimisation of energy performance. These innovations ensured that the project not only met its sustainability goals but also provided valuable data to inform future developments.

Dave Kieft, Raven Delta (RD) Group CEO, said:

“We are incredibly proud to have been recognised by both the ECA and BESA for our commitment to sustainability and innovation. The Cross Hands East SES project exemplifies our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions that not only reduce carbon emissions but also contribute to long-term environmental and community benefits.”

“These awards are a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of our entire team and partners. We believe that projects like Cross Hands East SES will set new standards for sustainability in the building services industry, and we look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible in this space.”

Raven Delta (RD) Group is an innovative, high quality, multi-faceted Group of companies – comprising EFT Consult, RDM Electrical & Mechanical Services, and DRS FM Services – providing full building services solutions.

RD Group employs a holistic approach to every project it undertakes, with a real focus on improving the standard of indoor environmental quality and, therefore, the health and wellbeing of all the buildings’ occupants. In 2021, the British Standards Institute (BSI) recognised the importance of the Group’s pioneering work in this field – the creation of PAS 3003 – by incorporating it into a new British Standard designed to assess indoor environmental quality. RD Group is also passionate about supporting, training and inspiring the next generation of building services engineers and encouraging career development for those already working in the industry. It achieves this through community engagement projects, school and college visits, apprenticeships, and ongoing personal and professional development for its staff.