An incredible shortlist which was made entirely from refurbishment & retrofit projects (although we did get some great new build submissions!). The winning project demonstrated collaborative team behaviours that led to a long-term spirit of partnership that saw this project overcome Brexit impact on trades, Covid lockdowns and inflation triggered by the war in Ukraine.

The judges were unanimous in singing the project praises…. Teamwork. Client leadership. Quality of finish. Technical performance. Celebration of existing fabric. Shining a light on the industry and people at their best.

The winning project exhibited excellence from the outset which was carried forward to the initial design phase and then through to construction, resulting in a remarkable building that will serve as a standard for the future. A robust digital strategy was seamlessly embedded within the project, enhancing efficiency and precision at every stage.

Sustainability was a cornerstone of this project, with high levels of sustainability practices implemented and clear, demonstrable actions taken to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Furthermore, the project demonstrated a strong commitment to social value, prioritizing community engagement and benefits.

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the Building Project of the Year Award is ZED PODS Limited with St Andrews House. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

The 'Client of the Year Award' recipient prioritises customer satisfaction and community well-being, excelling in housing solutions that create thriving neighbourhoods. They invest in local initiatives, provide employment opportunities, and focus on sustainability and innovation.

Eco-friendly, energy-efficient designs are paramount, with plans to implement Net Zero Operational Carbon Standards for new developments from April 2025.

Older properties will also be upgraded to match these standards.

The client collaborates with local authorities and supports SMEs in the industry. With over 50 years of history, they manage more than 36,000 affordable homes across England. Their commitment to superior housing and community development continues to grow, ensuring high-quality living for all residents.

The winning project was a real stand out for the judges and showed how, with the implementation and adoption of a fully sustainable design from the outset, whilst in use and through to end of life, we can achieve the carbon reduction required to achieve our climate action targets by 2050.

The project team achieved 85% pre-manufactured value, with a low carbon design and procurement of green materials, they considered carefully the cost-of-living savings for occupants, included 35% social value from a prisoners’ home-building scheme for factory labour and also included ecological and biological enhancements to the scheme, collaborating with local neighbours throughout.

By working with a forward thinking openminded client, this project has allowed the entrant to set the gold standard for future sustainable development & full circularity, a project the judges would hope to see delivered on a national scale to set a pioneering precedent demonstrating a new way of working to achieve net zero in the UK residential market.

The winner of this award is the project that we considered the most value compared to the project budget and had the biggest impact on the wider community. Among other things, the project achieved a social value over 8 times the target set at the start of the project, a social value that almost matched the total project value. As well as the statistics presented, the judges were impressed with the impact the project provided on a deprived community. During the project support was provided to community kitchens and foodbanks, a police-led intervention scheme in local schools was sponsored, nutrition and youth schemes were funded. The project has also left a legacy of apprentices in bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing and electricians in the local area and has brought life back to a site that had been abandoned and the focus of antisocial behaviour since 2011.

The winning organisation showed a strong commitment to all three elements of ESG. They have set themselves key targets, held themselves accountable and achieved excellent accreditations as a result of their efforts.

The judges felt that this organisation is delivering on ESG to a high standard both through the projects it works on, and also as an organisation itself. We were impressed by the business's efforts to put ESG front and centre of their external and internal offering, something which we understand is appreciated equally by clients, staff and wider stakeholders. The submission was well presented with impressive qualitative and quantitative data to back it up.

The winning project was a real stand out for the judges and showed how, when a Contractor is given a full sense of ownership of a project from project design to completion what can be achieved when it comes to environment, social value and governance.

The requirement for a Net Zero carbon in operation building, minimal impact on ecology, setting of targets for social value required a collaborative approach to achieve the following gains:

1. Biodiversity Net Gain of 30%;
2. BREEAM Excellent;
3. 376 waged training weeks on site;
4. 45 hours volunteering, which included the set up of WSM’s GLOW Festival;
5. 20 career and guidance events.

The project team achieved this by instilling a positive culture from the moment you stepped through the gate – the warm professional welcome from the gate person, first class welfare facilities and induction ensured a successful project.

The judges were really impressed with all the submissions especially our shortlisted candidates Henry, Megan and Will. During the interviews all the judges felt that the nominations gave inspiration and hope about our next generation of leaders. The winner really demonstrated leadership attributes especially in taking on the role of mentoring new trainees, and there advocation for sustainability initiatives and improvements.

The judges expressed their excitement to watch all the candidates’ careers develop over the next 10 years but in particular our winner whom we predict big things for!

This team had to overcome numerous and significant logistical and practical challenges on this complex project. It was one of the first projects in Bristol having to contend with the new Building Safety Act. This led to an open and constructive dialogue with stakeholders such as the new Building Safety Regulator. To overcome these challenges, the team fully embraced the notion of early contractor involvement. As well as offering certainty to their supply chain, this ensured that the designs and plans for the project, which included modern methods of construction, were achievable, compliant, healthy and safe. The careful planning also meant that the right work/life balance was achieved, and we commend the team for their focus on mental health and wellbeing.

The judges were very impressed with all the finalist's entries and presentations. However, one project stood out as a testament to visionary design, engineering prowess and project delivery. From its inception, this project set new benchmarks in sustainability, efficiency, community impact and social value. The project team demonstrated exceptional collaboration, overcoming complex logistical challenges and ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure.

This year's Innovation Award recognizes an innovation that, while seemingly simple, demonstrates the power of comprehensive research and product development.

Tackling critical issues like overheating and regulatory compliance with a simple and seamless application while also successfully navigating the complexities of pricing, warranties, and customer feedback.

The winning nomination was very robust, factual with successful outcomes well defined. The high level of collaboration between the contractor, client and other stakeholders was clear to see. Without this, the project could easily have failed, given the enormous project challenges. This level of collaboration and willingness to work together shone through during the finalists’ interviews.

Bravery and trust are two words that sum up the winners in this category. To put this in context, brave decisions to rip up the original design and start again, made the project affordable and workable. The trust within the whole team to make this decision ultimately delivered the success of the finished building.

Ultimately the client is now able to provide important services to the community exceptionally well, thanks to this wonderful purpose-built facility, excellently delivered.

The judges were impressed with the level of entries for this year’s Modern Methods of Construction award. The bar continues to be raised and this year it was great to see examples of MMC being used as a solution for residential, commercial and infrastructure projects.

This year’s winner met all of the judging criteria and clearly demonstrated a kit of parts philosophy which could be used repeatedly and safely. In fact, it was only because of the adoption of MMC that the project was viable for the client.

During their judging interview, the winners told the judges that due to the successful use of MMC on this project, it is already being rolled out on their future buildings. We should therefore all be very excited to see how the future of construction is shaped by their continued adoption of MMC to achieve such positive outcomes.

The judges felt the winner of this award truly reflected the Constructing Excellence agenda of knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Effectively showcasing the diversity throughout the initiative, embedding positive culture and creating a sustainable model for future generations of the construction industry to develop their skills and collaborate towards better outcomes was inspiring. Our hope is that others in the sector take their lead and adopt this scheme on a national level.

From the initial submission to the live presentation, the panel was impressed by how the team conveyed the impact of the project across multiple levels, including sustainability and social responsibility. Through innovative retrofitting techniques and a commitment to preserving heritage, the project has transformed a derelict building into a vibrant hub that will benefit the community for generations to come. This project serves as a shining example of how thoughtful planning and execution can lead to positive outcomes on a large scale. The panel was particularly impressed by the project team’s approach to lessons learned, making them available to the industry so they can be transferable to other projects to improve safety and delivery. The presenters demonstrated a genuine passion for their work, which was reflected in every aspect of the project. This is a fantastic example of what collaboration beyond standard communication can achieve, showcasing the true essence of what this award stands for.

The winning scheme for this year’s Residential Project of the Year had to weather the storm in an extremely challenging environment. Delivered at a time when many of us were under lockdown, site conditions and in particular managing staffs mental health would have been a challenge for anyone. If that wasn’t enough, throw in the added pressures of rising inflation and the Grenfell disaster and you can get a feel for the complexity of delivering this scheme.

In line with the Constructing Excellence core values this project team worked collaboratively to deliver an exemplar scheme that exceeded client expectations in many areas, including safety, social value and sustainability. The project was also chosen to represent the ‘gold standard’ of response to the Building Safety Act, with the Building Safety Regulator using the site to inform what they’re looking for on inspections and what good looks like for residential new builds in a post-Grenfell world.

The SME of the Year Award was an exciting but challenging category to judge, with several outstanding entries received. However, one company shone through due to their passion; commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment; their focus on sustainability and their impressive growth. This company is truly people-focussed and the range of support for their employees is exemplary, from flexible working to staff recognition.

This is very much a forward-thinking company with a clear focus on people, growth and sustainability. The company continues to grow from strength to strength through their focus on three strategic pillars and clear performance measures. We look forward to seeing this company thrive and for their reputation as a thought leader to continue to grow.