Energy and utilities

Utilities

Utilities companies operate in a challenging and demanding environment – our integrated service offering can help boost efficiency and reduce costs.

The challenges facing utilities companies are forever on the increase. Along with more regulation, there is the need to balance compliance with rigorous regulatory frameworks, and high quality delivery with customer service provision. Systems and networks, meanwhile, must be flexible, providing sustainable solutions that address environmental objectives.

So far, we have delivered projects in the water, gas, electricity, waste, energy and district heating sectors, with a deep understanding of the challenges involved. Water companies, for example, are reacting to a future of increased competition brought about by market reform for non-domestic and domestic customers, with a focus on total expenditure (TOTEX) on assets and preparations for PR19 requirements. Large scale investment to reduce wastage, mitigate flood risk and water shortages must be made whilst demonstrating efficiency and innovation to reduce delivery costs.

We help our utilities clients at both a strategic and tactical level: delivering discrete projects and offering broader organisational and structural reviews. Working with an intelligent partner like Mace can help utility businesses drive value for money through every aspect of their operations.

What we offer

Our integrated service offer includes:

  • Project and programme management
  • Cost consultancy
  • Construction management
  • Facilities management
  • Utilities management services
  • Business improvement
  • Safety, health and environment management
  • Planning supervision
  • Design management

Our broad range of experience puts us in a unique position when it comes to procurement and delivery strategies. Mace has direct responsibility and influence for more than £42.5bn of work worldwide, with £22.5bn in the UK for construction in the private and public sectors. In the utility sector, we estimate we have direct influence on £2bn value of utility work.

Contact us

  • Rachel O'Donnell

    Director for Resilience – UK & Europe
    Email

why mace?

Major commissions

Mace has delivered major commissions for clients in the utilities and energy sector since 2005. We have worked with companies that offer water, gas, electricity, waste, energy and district heating.

We bring industry-leading knowledge, as well as project and commercial management experience to complicated projects, and have worked with companies such as Thames Water, United Utilities, Severn Trent, Southern Water, Irish Water and Affinity Water. We also have experience of working on major programmes for clients such as National Grid, UK Power Networks and EDF Energy.

Programme management

Our integrated service delivery model provides support to your project or programme through all phases of design, construction, operation and maintenance. National Grid asked us to improve the security of 77 sites to bring them in line with new legislation, so we created, and are now implementing, an updated plan.

Reducing costs

As a contractor and consultant, we draw on our diverse expertise to provide a truly unique consultancy offering to utilities clients. For United Utilities, we performed a complete review of their management systems, processes and data, recommending ways it could be improved and made more cost effective.

Methodology and framework review

We work with clients across the full development and delivery lifecycle, combining our technical expertise, sector knowledge and experience. With Severn Trent Water, we refurbished a major depot, increasing efficiency, then were able to concentrate on a reduction in energy usage and carbon footprint.

Utilities management services

 

Arranging statutory utility infrastructure is often quoted as ‘the single most common cause of delay and frustration on a construction project’ - We provide utilities management services for projects and programmes across the lifecycle from feasibility studies, strategic and master planning and route/building clearance through to design and installation of new services, disconnections, diversions, metering and energy and water retail contract procurement.

 

We are currently managing over £200m of utility infrastructure throughout the UK and assisted Irish Water with the installation of 1.05 million new revenue meters. We have experts in electricity, gas, water (potable and foul), telecommunications copper and fibre), district heating and cooling, metering and street furniture. We provide our services on all types and scales of projects from infrastructure programmes of national importance to single premise sites.

Long-term relationships

We add value by integrating our services, defining best practice across sectors, and providing clear and transparent support and direction. We have worked with Affinity Water since 2005, and have a very close-knit relationship. Recently, we helped the company replace 600km of water mains, using our industry knowledge, while delivering significant savings and health and safety improvements.