Keltbray, a leading UK-based specialist construction engineering and infrastructure services company, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Global Gold Award for Sustainability at the Green Apple World Environmental Award for its use of drones in utility inspections. This recognition comes on the heels of Keltbray’s success in the 2022 UK Green Apple Awards, where Keltbray won four awards.
The Green Apple Awards are presented to businesses that demonstrate environmental best practice, and Keltbray was recognised for its approach to reusing materials and building circular economy principles into its projects, reducing the use of fuel generators on construction sites, and a tailored approach to social value, with initiatives including employment support for long-term unemployed people.
However, the Green Apple World Environmental Award specifically recognises Keltbray’s use of drones for utility inspections, which was deemed of special merit in the approach to reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional inspection methods by 50%. The award recognises Keltbray’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint using cutting-edge technology.
Keltbray’s use of drones allows for more efficient inspections of utility installations, reducing the need for machinery and personnel and minimising disruption to the surrounding environment. Moreover, the use of drones has enabled the collection of thermal imagery, reducing the need to deploy all-terrain vehicles, replacing the use of helicopters for LIDAR surveying, eliminating staff working at height or traversing rugged terrain, identifying defects in detail, eliminating asset downtime, and cutting inspection costs.
Furthermore, drones have expanded Keltbray’s client portfolio by conducting electricity inspections without shutting down critical infrastructure and are currently used in tendering processes, where they can be used to capture high-quality aerial imagery and data for projects. This ensures that clients and organisations have accurate and up-to-date information to make informed decisions.
Overall, the use of drones in powerline inspections is revolutionising the condition-based assessments, reducing a once time-consuming, labour-intensive, and high-risk process with a highly efficient, safe, and data-rich alternative for sustainable development.
Gordon Cranston, Project Manager for Keltbray’s drone capability, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded the Gold Green Apple World Environmental Award for the first time. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, who have worked tirelessly to reduce our environmental impact and make Keltbray a more sustainable company. We are committed to continuing to improve our environmental performance and to being a responsible corporate citizen.”
