The annual Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2025 (ICE Awards 2025) is now open for entries. The ICE Awards is a celebration of the industry’s most ground-breaking achievements, shining a spotlight on innovation, creativity, design and craftsmanship. 

The awards are an unrivalled opportunity for companies of all sizes to showcase their most forward-looking projects and initiatives, demonstrating how they are pushing the boundaries of technology, sustainability, and design to deliver exceptional results for clients.

The deadline for submission of entries is 29 November 2024.

The ICE Awards is a platform where vision meets execution, recognising those who are not just meeting industry standards but redefining them. Contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, clients and key stakeholders all participate in the original and premier recognition of performance excellence for the construction sector in Ireland.

Entry to the ICE Awards is open to: Building Contractors, Construction Management Services Companies, Civil Engineering Contractors, Specialist M&E Contractors, Specialist Contractors, Engineering Design Consultants, Construction Product Manufacturers/Suppliers and introduced last season there is a new dedicated category for Architectural Design, in recognition of the role our design colleagues play in the collaboration process of construction.

New for 2025 the Judges have introduced a ‘Future Leader’ category to recognise emerging talent in the industry, more details about the entry criteria can be found on the ICE Awards site.

Judging

Launching the 2025 call for entries at The Convention Centre Dublin were returning ICE Awards Judge Dr Derek Sinnott with Jo-Ann Garbutt who will have her first outing as a Judge this season.

Returning ICE Awards Judge Derek Sinnott, who has been on the panel for seven years, remains as enthusiastic as ever about his role. “I’m excited to get involved, as always,” he says. With a long-held passion for developing and promoting excellence and sustainability in construction, he says that serving as a Judge allows him to actively recognise outstanding achievements on projects, through collaborative project delivery, sustainable practices and technological innovations. “That for me is very fulfilling,” he says. Derek is Director of Future Focused Solutions, an independent consultant specialising in business performance improvement and growth, leveraging Lean principles, sustainability and digitalisation to elevate enterprise outcomes.

“Be as clear as possible about the challenges you overcame and the opportunities you took, it’s not just about the end result; the journey to achieving that result is equally important.”

Jo-Ann Garbut, Director of Sustainability at Digital Realty, is a highly experienced sustainability and change management professional with a strong foundation in engineering,  With over two decades of experience in the engineering, construction, and technology sectors, she has successfully led complex organisational transformations across North America, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Jo-Ann says she is relishing her first outing as an ICE Award Judge, and will approach the task with a strong commitment to “recognising and promoting innovative and sustainable approaches that deliver exceptional value.” No stranger to judging panels in general, she says that the whole experience tends to be just as rewarding – if not more so – for her as it is for the entrants.

“I really enjoy getting sucked into the stories and getting to see new ways of doing something and improving something,” she says.

You can read more about the ICE Awards Judges here.

Why enter

Entering the ICE Awards offers a unique opportunity to gain prestigious recognition and validate achievements. Being shortlisted or winning elevates your status in the industry, enhancing credibility with peers, clients and stakeholders.

The Awards Gala is a key networking event, attracting the biggest attendance of any social event in Irish construction. It provides an excellent platform to build relationships, exchange ideas, and stay updated on industry trends, boosting your company’s visibility and brand image.

Internally, it boosts employee morale and serves as a benchmarking tool to measure your work against industry leaders, driving continuous improvement, and attracting and retaining great staff. All this plus the massive social media impact of the event makes the ICE Awards an unmissable opportunity to showcase your activity.

Entrants are advised to review potential category entry possibilities ies on the ICE Awards website. The ICE Awards entry process is operated via a dedicated Online Awards Platform. Entrants register and complete all of the requirements online.

Awards Director Colin Walsh says the ICE Awards continue to act as a true north showcase of the ‘best of the best’ in the industry, based on a thorough and diligent process of assessment. For anyone engaged in construction in Ireland, he says, this is the most prestigious prize out there and one that is widely coveted in the sector.

The ICE Awards Gala, meanwhile, has become the most attended social fixture on the construction calendar, with over 1,300 attendees at the gala event in May this year.

Winning words

Winners from last year had some very positive feedback about their experience of the Awards. For example, PJ Hegarty said: “The Irish Construction Excellence Awards are a highly respected platform that rigorously assesses the best in the construction industry. The judges are knowledgeable and thorough, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of our submission. Overall, the process was professional and rewarding, highlighting the high standards of the ICE Awards. Winning this award for the Spencer Place project is an honour for PJ Hegarty. 

BAM said: “Winning the award has been a great boost to the morale of the team and our supply chain partners and has provided a renewed sense of pride in our accomplishments. Being recognised as industry leaders in the digital space is truly special. At BAM, we’re committed to integrating digital solutions into every aspect of our project delivery. This success is as a prime example of our effective approach.”

RKD commented, “We were delighted to see the new architectural categories added this year. The ICE Awards team has clearly put thought and consideration into the requirements of architectural categories. This approach encourages showcasing projects from an architectural perspective, so it provides a better framework for comparison and judgement. Building and maintaining industry relationships is so important for us at RKD. The ICE Awards are ‘construction’s big night out’ so it was a great for us to host a table, and an opportunity for our people to reconnect with industry partners in a sociable environment as well as make new connections on the night.”

Sponsorship opportunities

Sponsoring the ICE Awards offers numerous strategic benefits for companies looking to strengthen their presence in the construction industry. Overall, sponsoring the ICE Awards is a strategic investment that leads to increased brand recognition, enhanced industry standing, and significant business opportunities email: contact@ICEAwards.ie

You can read the full interview with Jo-Ann and Derek in the latest issue of Irish building magazine, out now!