Kidderminster solar energy specialist Eco2Solar is flying the flag for the West Midlands after being named National SME Construction Company of the year at The National Constructing Excellence Awards 2012.

It comes after the firm, based at Hoo Farm Industrial Estate, was named a regional winner in the West Midlands Constructing Excellence Awards in July this year, taking them forward to the national UK finals.

Hundreds of environmental activists were on a secret "blacklist" used by construction firms in an attempt to disrupt high-profile protests against road building and other developments.

Files on more than 200 campaigners were held alongside a list of more than 3,000 construction workers who had raised legitimate health and safety concerns or belonged to a trade union.

Held over four weeks, six fellows from Commonwealth countries Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, spent time learning about the cement industry in the UK.

A further aim was to showcase how environmental performance can be improved by developing constructive working relationships between industry, regulators and local communities.

Despite the brisk winter weather, President Christina Paxson, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and more than 30 others gathered Wednesday morning for the topping-off ceremony of the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching.

The ceremony took place outside of the renovated building, the former Hunter Laboratory, and included a series of speakers who were involved in the construction and planning process of the building. It also featured the harnessing of the final structural beam, which was signed by the attendees before being set in place. While the scheduled completion date for the renovation of the building is not until fall of 2013, the ceremony celebrated a landmark moment in the $35 million project.