Showcase Your Success: UKSTT Awards 2026 now open for entries
The UKSTT Awards 2026 represents the ultimate recognition within the trenchless technology sector, honouring exceptional accomplishments and pioneering innovations. These esteemed awards have consistently elevated the industry reputation of winners and runners up, establishing fresh standards of excellence throughout our sector.
We are delighted to confirm that entry into the UKSTT Awards 2026 is now open, and we welcome submissions covering the eight categories, with the deadline for submissions set for Friday 3rd July. This recognition programme provides an exceptional opportunity for businesses and professionals to demonstrate their impressive projects, breakthroughs and accomplishments within the trenchless industry.
UKSTT Opens Nominations for 2026 Industry Excellence
Entries for the UKSTT Awards 2026 encompass various categories, each crafted to acknowledge distinction across different facets of trenchless technology. The competition comprises eight separate categories, spanning from cutting-edge technology to detection and inspection proficiency.
Rehabilitation – 2 awards (Large >£500K & Small £100K – £500K) – These two awards cover successful UK pipeline rehabilitation projects of any diameter or technique for cables, ducts, culverts, and pipelines for any utility type, using trenchless techniques.
New Installation – 2 awards (Large >£500K & Small £100K – £500K) – These two awards will be presented to companies demonstrating their key roles in successful new installations of cables, ducts, or pipelines using trenchless techniques.
Small Scheme (<£100K) – This award is offered by UKSTT to encourage applicants to submit projects that, despite being small, are examples of excellence either technically or professionally, that they believe support the aims of the awards ethos as well as demonstrates innovation in street works and the protection of the environment. It is designed to encourage submissions from a wider range of entrants in the trenchless world that can be related to any underground infrastructure projects such as cables, ducts, culverts, & pipelines for any utility using trenchless techniques.
Detection, Location & Inspection – This award will be presented to the entry that best demonstrates the use of detection, location, or inspection techniques to overcome significant challenges in the use of remote and less intrusive ways of assessing existing underground assets.
Innovative Technology – An award that covers emerging and applied
product/system/install/renovation to support the use of trenchless techniques and must demonstrate that it has been accepted for use in the utility industry. Innovative technologies must be trenchless and new to the UK market e.g. asset health inspection, underground mapping, installation equipment, new materials, and techniques.
Young Professional –The UKSTT Chair award will go to the professional (<30 years) who can best demonstrate their contribution to Trenchless Technology. We will be looking for evidence of an understanding of Trenchless Technology, the individual’s contribution made, the quality of the submission, and the candidate’s vision for the future of Trenchless Technology. The Winner of this award receives a £250 Amazon Gift Voucher & Shield.
The assessment methodology employs a comprehensive point-based framework. Particularly, every submission garners evaluation across five crucial dimensions: project management, community impact, legislative compliance, sustainability, and innovation.
The UKSTT Chair’s Award, significantly, honours emerging professionals aged under 30 who exhibit remarkable contributions to trenchless technology. This distinctive category provides a £250 Amazon Gift Voucher and Shield to the recipient, determined by their comprehension of the discipline, project involvement, and perspective for the future.
All entries must arrive by Friday 3rd July 2026. The finalists will receive notification on the 26th August and the winners will be announced at the UKSTT Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 30th September 2026 at The NAEC Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
How Winners Transform Their Industry Standing
Achievement at the UKSTT Awards 2026 delivers considerable advantages to organisations through an extensive assessment framework. Each winning entry exhibits excellence throughout five essential areas that influence industry benchmarks:
Project Management: Champions demonstrate proficiency in punctual completion, budget management, and conflict prevention
Community Impact: Successful initiatives display remarkable public engagement and limited disruption
Legislative Compliance: Leading entries uphold outstanding health and safety standards
Sustainability: Champions pioneer carbon footprint reduction and ecological preservation
Innovation: Recognised projects present creative approaches to intricate challenges.
Judges Reveal What Makes Entries Stand Out
Fundamentally, the UKSTT Awards 2026 judging panel utilises an advanced evaluation structure whereby submissions can receive points throughout five dimensions. The judges carefully examine each entry via a scoring framework, guaranteeing equitable and rigorous appraisal.
The points allocation demonstrates what genuinely distinguishes exceptional entries:
Project Management: Superiority in schedule adherence and financial oversight
Community Impact: Substantial emphasis on stakeholder engagement and disturbance reduction
Legislative Compliance: Comprehensive health and safety procedures
Sustainability: Defined carbon mitigation approaches
Innovation: Inventive responses to technical obstacles
The judges scrutinise each submission’s advancement of trenchless technology standards. Entries must exhibit not simply technical superiority but equally pragmatic implementation in operational environments. The submission deadline of 3rd July 2026 provides sufficient opportunity for entrants to assemble thorough applications that satisfy all assessment parameters comprehensively.
International Recognition
All winning entries will automatically be entered into the 2027 International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT) Awards, delivering additional acknowledgement on a global scale.
Conclusion
UKSTT Awards 2026 represents a pivotal occasion for trenchless technology distinction. Throughout eight carefully considered categories, these accolades acknowledge accomplishments spanning project sizes and disciplines. Winners secure significant sector acknowledgement whilst establishing fresh benchmarks in scheme administration, environmental responsibility, and creative advancement.
Every entry is assessed against our 50-point evaluation framework by a panel of independent judges guaranteeing impartial appraisal of technical capability, environmental awareness, and stakeholder influence.
We encourage all qualifying organisations to submit your applications by 3rd July, affording you substantial opportunity to present your accomplishments thoroughly.