Judging criteria
Building Awards
The project will be judged on the following criteria:
- Overall architectural merit
- Rigorous detailing
- Spatial experience
- Inclusive and accessible design
- Appropriateness to, and impact on, the wider context
- Contribution to the community
- Quality of workmanship
- Robustness and flexibility
- Environmental sustainability
- Appropriate structural design and servicing strategy
David Mackay Award for Engineering and Sustainability
David Mackay was the former Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He was the author of ‘Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air and was instrumental in the forward-thinking brief for the Civil Engineering Building in West Cambridge.
This award is for projects demonstrating engineering excellence in civil, structural, mechanical and electrical, or construction engineering. They will be judged on how these matters have been addressed to a high standard in the scheme.
Craftsmanship Award
Specialist elements of construction exhibiting exceptional quality of workmanship, design, fabrication, and installation quality. The craftsmanship should demonstrate detailed knowledge of materials and show a high level of expertise applied with skill, delivering precision and beauty in work submitted for this award.
Contractor Award
If your project is shortlisted, our awards jury would welcome the chance to meet the contractor who helped make your project a reality. We would request that, where possible, a member of the contractor team, such as the site manager, is able to attend the site visit to help jury members understand the construction process.
The Contractor award will be assessed on the project team’s performance during construction (rather than on design quality), including the below criteria;
- Innovative construction techniques, processes or products (for example, modern methods of construction) or new ways of working (for example, innovative contract arrangements or programming or procurement approaches)
- Sustainable construction methods or products or sustainable approaches to procurement, employment, or improving sustainability during the whole life of the asset
- How the concerns/needs of the local community have been addressed/met, or where community benefit has been provided during the construction period? This may be through charitable work, engagement with local people, and contribution to local employment and/or education
People Awards
The People Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals working in the construction industry, and related fields, in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. The awards are judged on a nominee's biography and a statement from a nominator and a referee. The 3 award categories have different judging criteria, set out below.
Young Professional of the Year
This award is to celebrate the achievements of professionals under the age of 35 on 1 January 2026 who have excelled in their professional fields. Nominations can come from all built environment industry sectors, including property, law, planning, construction, surveying and design. The submissions will be judged against the following criteria:
- Inspiring others: Being a positive role model and representing the future of the profession
- Collaboration and leadership: Excelling at working with others and showing leadership potential
- Innovation: Displaying original thinking, problem-solving abilities, the capacity to overcome challenges, taking positive action to reduce carbon emissions
- Anything else that makes this individual stand out as an exceptional young professional
Apprentice of the Year
This award recognises apprentices who have made a significant contribution to their workplaces and are enrolled on a formal apprenticeship, traineeship programme or vocational degree course on 1 January 2026. The submissions will be judged against the following criteria:
- Achievement: Carrying out work of exceptional quality, showing determination, personal development, contribution to a particular project, overcoming challenges
- Teamwork: Making an exceptional contribution to the workplace and
- Anything else that makes this individual stand out as an exceptional apprentice
Site Manager of the Year
This award recognises site managers' outstanding contributions to projects in the Greater Cambridge area within the past two years, appreciating their pivotal role in the success of a project. The submission will be judged against the following criteria:
- Attention to detail: Achieving consistently high standards of workmanship, resolving technical issues, applying working methods to reduce carbon emissions during construction
- Collaboration: Leadership skills, subcontractor management and developing good relationships with clients and the community;
- Health and Safety: Considering efficient controls and evidencing that the welfare of everyone is a priority; and
- Anything else that makes this individual stand out as an exceptional site manager.
Judging process
Our panel of judges includes representatives from the sponsor organisations and experts with knowledge of buildings in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire District Council and their design and construction.
The judging process for the Building Awards will include an initial selection of a shortlist of projects from the electronic submissions, followed by a site visit by the judges to those projects.
The People Awards will be judged by a panel selected by the trustees of the CFCI.
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Alison Wring – CFCI Chair, AECOM
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Isabel McTiffin – CFCI Trustee, Ramboll
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Adam Knaggs – CFCI Trustee, SDC Builders
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Tom Foggin – CFCI Trustee, R H Partnership Architects
Heather Jones – Strategic Lead 3C Shared Services Building Control, GCSPS
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Jane Green – Built and Natural Environment Manager, GCSPS
The judges for the building awards have an interest in the local built environment and include both Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire Councillors as well as CFCI representatives.
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Fiona Reynolds – former Master of Emmanuel College and Chair of the judging panel
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Chris Jones – Co-chair of the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Design Review Panel
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Cllr Katie Thornburrow – Petersfield ward councillor and Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Infrastructure
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Cllr Tumi Hawkins – Ward councillor for Caldecote and Lead Cabinet Member for Planning
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Mark Taylor – Access Officer, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service
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Rachel Pembroke (CFCI Next Gen, Architect at Owers Warwick)
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Dan MacKenzie (CFCI trustee, Contractor at Barnes Construction)
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Gwylim Still (CFCI trustee, Environmental Engineer at Max Fordham)
The David Mackay Award for Engineering and Sustainability, the Contractor Award and the Craftsmanship Award will be judged by the above judges. Please note that not all judges will attend the site visit