THE search is on for the North East’s best buildings with the launch of the annual Constructing Excellence awards.

The CENE Twenty Twelve Awards take place at the Newcastle Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel on Friday, May 11, 2012. With more than 500 people turning out every year from across the built environment, it has become one of the industry’s highlight events of the year.

CENE, the only organisation that crosses all disciplines within the construction sector, helps to deliver improved industry performance in order to achieve a better built environment.

The awards are open to both members and non-members of CENE alike. Winners will be selected from across 12 categories, with the winners going on to compete in the National Constructing Excellence Awards in the Autumn.

The Twenty Twelve applications will be open from the start of January, with a closing date of Friday, February 24. CENE chief executive Catriona Lingwood said: “It is important to highlight the excellence that is present in the region’s built environment.

“The list of award categories covers the whole spectrum of the construction industry, with the aim of showcasing high-quality and innovative services, products, techniques and practices. Every year, the awards attract a high calibre of entries that demonstrate the excellent work going on in the region, and I’m sure that this will continue with the 2012 Awards.”

Award categories include Leadership & People Development, Sustainability, Integration & Collaborative Working, Health & Safety, Heritage, Value, Innovation, SME of the Year, Achiever of the Year, Client of the Year, Student of the Year and Project of the Year.

For the second year in a row, headline sponsor is Corepeople Recruitment. For more information call 0191 374 0233 or email awards@cene.org.uk.