Winner of the Best Small UK Consultancy, xburo received the coveted accolade at an award ceremony held at the Leonardo Royal London Tower Bridge Hotel which was attended by hundreds of guests from the world of engineering and the built environment.

The ACE Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements within the industry, championing the best in the business, projects that excel and recognises companies from the world of engineering consultancy and the built environment.

xburo was shortlisted within the Best UK Consultancy (small) alongside: Aegaea Limited; M-EC Development Technical Consultants; and Rybka.

xburo’s director Sarah Peterson, said: “To win the Best Small UK Consultancy at The Association of Consultancy and Engineering Awards is a phenomenal achievement for xburo and the team. It is an honour to be recognised alongside our peers, by ACE, a leading industry body, and among leading companies. This award recognises the achievements of teams of engineers and energy experts as we continue to scale in growth and our in expert delivery as we help clients to achieve their ambitions, particularly as they navigate the route to net zero.”

Xburo director, Thomas Brady, added: “Winner of the Best UK Consultancy is an outstanding accolade to be given by an industry body that recognises best practice. To be named amongst leading companies, our peers and innovators driving engineering and sustainability is testimony to the work that xburo delivers for its clients by our teams of experts. Congratulations to the team as we continue to do what we do best; bringing expertise, excellence and experience to those we work for and with.”

Also on the night, multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy Harley Haddow scooped up the Best Sustainability Project award for its work on SWG3.

Praised by the judges for their creative flare, Harley Haddow was commended for its work on the iconic event space as part of the BODYHEAT project. Harley Haddow’s work with SWG3 helped revolutionise the event space by turning eventgoers body heat into reusable energy. The consultancy held the ACE Net Zero Adviser status since 2021 and is continuing to wave the net zero flag within the sector.

The consultancy was also recognised in the Emerging Professionals category, with Daniel Ross, associate director at Harley Haddow, being highly commended.

Jim Kellachan, director at Harley Haddow, said: “Winning this highly sought-after award provides a great sense of recognition for our work at Harley Haddow. Over the course of last year, we have collaborated with clients on a range of exciting projects, such as SWG3, and the success reflects the commitment and expertise of our team, whose hard work has been key to turning this win into a reality. We are privileged to be awarded Best Sustainability Project and can’t wait to build on this further in 2024.”

Elsewhere, Lily Erskine, an associate and section leader in Narro’s Edinburgh office, was awarded the prestigious Emerging Professional of the Year.

Lily’s exceptional talent, commitment to excellence, and dedication to nurturing and developing her team have set her apart as a rising star.

Lily has demonstrated exemplary leadership and expertise in her role. Her ability to navigate complex challenges and deliver outstanding results has not only impressed her colleagues but has also contributed significantly to the success of the projects she has been involved in. Lily also heads the Narro Diversity and Opportunity committee, driving improvements to the practice’s inclusivity policies and promoting engineering as a career for currently underrepresented groups.

In response to receiving the award, Lily expressed her gratitude and excitement, stating: “I am truly honoured to receive the Emerging Professional of the Year award from ACE. This recognition is not just a personal achievement but a reflection of the collaborative and supportive environment at Narro. I am fortunate to work with a team that encourages creativity and values continuous growth and I look forward to continuing to promote engineering as a fantastic career choice.”

Narro managing director Ben Adam also commended Lily Erskine on her achievement, saying: “Lily’s dedication to her work, innovative mindset, and ability to drive results make her a standout professional in our organisation. We are thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved recognition, and we look forward to witnessing her continued success in shaping the future of the engineering industry.”

Narro’s civil engineering team were Highly Commended in the Best Transport Project category for Active Annandale. This is one of several active travel projects that the team are involved with.