In a year when construction hasn’t received the best headlines, the Building Awards remind us that there’s plenty to celebrate.

And you don’t have to turn many pages to see how much we have to be proud of – burgeoning profits, spectacular feats of design, construction and engineering, not to mention the highest standards of sustainability and best practice.

Our judges had their work cut out picking winners, particularly in the Consultant of the Year and Engineer of the Year awards. Firms in these categories are on the ascent, leading construction in the UK and abroad.

For the first time this year, we rewarded an outstanding PFI project and a general building project, to celebrate schemes that set standards for the industry to follow, in terms of impeccable delivery and architectural prowess.

The first Building Magazine Project of the Year award went to Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium – one of a few prizes collected by Sir Robert McAlpine, who also scooped the Constructing Excellence and Major Contractor of the Year awards. Benny Kelly, its director, was named Personality of the Year.

But these awards are not only about the industry’s superstars – smaller firms and the achievements of individuals in the early years of their careers were recognised too, in categories such as the Entrepreneur of the Year and the ConstructionSkills Achiever of the Year awards.

Our gratitude goes out to all our sponsors who made these awards possible. And finally, thanks to all of you who entered – your achievements continue to make these awards a magnificent showcase for construction excellence.

Denise Chevin, editor, Building