Entries file in for ITA Awards 2015
Since registration opening on 10 April, more than 30 nominations have been filed for the 2015 awards that will recognise excellence within the tunnelling and underground space industry. The entries will compete in one of nine categories that represent major sectors of the industry from projects of different sizes that completed between January 2014 and February 2015; technical and underground space use innovations; environmental and safety initiatives; and an award to promote the achievements of the industry’s young professionals.
Promoted by the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA), the Awards will be presented at a conference and gala dinner event at the Hagerbach underground test gallery facility in Switzerland on Thursday 19 November 2015.
With the aim of attracting global recognition of the remarkable contributions of tunnelling and underground space developments to the vital infrastructure of the world and the protection of its natural environment, entries are invited from across the world and for each of the categories. Online filing of nominations will remain open until 14 August 2015 at the ITA Awardswebsite.
A panel of 17 experts in the tunnelling industry will adjudicate the entries. The panel for the 2015 Awards comprises Søren Degn Eskesen, Chairman of the Board and ITA President, Denmark; Han Admiraal, ITACUS Chair, the Netherlands; Andre Assis, ITA Past President, Brazil; Zaw Zaw Aye, ITA Expert, Thailand; Mikael Belenkiy, ITA expert, Russian Federation; Tarcisio Celestino, ITA Vice-President, Brazil; Heinz Ehrbar, ITA Working Group 19 Animateur, Switzerland; Amanda Elioff, ITA Vice-President; Simon Knight, ITA expert, Australia; Martin Knights, ITA Past President, UK; Tom Melbye, ITA Expert, Finland; Harvey Parker, ITA Past President, USA; Dominique Perrault, ITA Expert, France; Andreas Tauschinger, Qatar; Shani Wallis, media representative, UK; Jenny Yan, ITA Executive Council Member, China; and Chung-Sik Yoo, ITA Working Group 2 Animateur, South Korea.
A short-list of entries will be announced officially in September 2015 and will provide the conference programme presentations in November at Hagerbach. Winners will be announced during the Prize Awards Ceremony during the evening banquet the same evening. All interested in the underground construction industry and in the Awards themselves are welcome as a delegate at the conference and as a guest at the Awards Ceremony Gala Dinner. Mark your calendar – Thursday 19 November, Hagerbach, Switzerland.
The nine categories of the ITA Tunnelling Awards:
Outstanding Tunnelling Project of the Year - up to €50 million
Tunnelling Project of the Year - between €50 million and €500 million
Major Tunnelling Project of the Year – of more than €500 million
Renovation/Upgrading Project of the Year
Technical Innovation of the Year
Environmental Initiative of the Year
Safety Initiative of the Year
Innovative Use of Underground Space
Young Tunneller of the Year