Building Awards 2025 shortlists: Construction Client of the Year

Earlier this year Building announced the names of all the firms that made it onto the shortlists for our prestigious annual Building Awards.

Now we are shining the spotlight on each category in turn and publishing a selection of the images that impressed the judges.

Today’s shortlist is for the Construction Client of the Year.

Bradford City Council

Bradford City Council has built a reputation as a strong construction client by combining ambition with collaboration. It is driving a wave of regeneration, from Bradford Live and the Darley Street Market to the Shipley Sustainable Community Hub, while embedding social value through apprenticeships, skills and local employment.

The appointment of Arup to prepare a masterplan for the £4.5bn Southern Gateway – including new mass transit and a rail station – reflects a bold, transformative vision for long-term economic and social benefit. Bradford’s track record of constructive partnerships is equally important, demonstrated by Balfour Beatty’s Bradford Interchange project, which highlighted its ability to support integration and collaborative working as a client.

The Calthorpe Estate

The Calthorpe Estate has been recognised as a visionary force in urban development. With a legacy of careful stewardship and forward-thinking investment, the estate consistently delivers projects that balance heritage, innovation and sustainability.

By fostering strong partnerships with architects, contractors and the community, Calthorpe – which is located in Birmingham – champions exemplary design, environmental responsibility and social value.

From high-quality commercial spaces to vibrant residential and public realms, every project reflects a commitment to excellence and long-term benefit. This collaborative approach sets a benchmark for best practice, making Calthorpe an outstanding client in the construction industry.

Dudley College of Technology

Dudley College of Technology has become a trailblazer in sustainable construction and procurement innovation. It was the first UK client to implement the integrated project insurance (IPI) model in 2017, refining it through the Institute of Technology and pioneering the new IPI Lite model for the retrofit of the Animal Studies Centre.

This multi-award-winning scheme, delivered on time and £40,000 under budget, achieved Passivhaus-level performance while minimising embodied carbon by retaining original structures.

Alongside the Broadway Campus decarbonisation project, it demonstrates Dudley College’s holistic vision to achieve a net-zero estate, combining collaborative procurement, innovative retrofit and industry-leading sustainability outcomes.

Grosvenor

Grosvenor has demonstrated both financial resilience and strategic foresight, reporting a 16.5% rise in underlying profit and nearly doubling revenue profit, alongside a 3.4% total return on property assets.

Its £6.6bn development pipeline underlines ambition, with highlights including the South Molton scheme in London’s West End and a major residential and commercial joint venture in Vancouver.

The business is also advancing sustainability, achieving a 26% carbon reduction across scopes 1, 2, and 3 since 2019, and recording a 3.7% uplift in biodiversity net gain across London-managed spaces.

Through programmes such as Greener Futures and Inclusive Spaces and Places, Grosvenor aligns investment with community benefit. The strategic sale of its Liverpool ONE stake released capital for reinvestment, including expansion into residential debt.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge exemplifies long-term, socially responsible client leadership through its urban extensions, most notably Eddington. Designed to provide high-quality, sustainable housing for staff, the scheme integrates community facilities, green infrastructure and active travel networks, directly responding to Cambridge’s acute housing and transport pressures.

Significant progress has been achieved through detailed master planning, extensive public consultation, and successful delivery of Phase 1, which now serves as a benchmark for sustainable, mixed-use development.

With further phases advancing through planning and pre-construction, the university demonstrates a clear commitment to creating resilient, inclusive places. This forward-looking approach highlights Cambridge as an outstanding, visionary client.

V&A East

V&A East stands as a landmark cultural investment and regeneration project for east London, demonstrating the institution’s role as an ambitious and socially responsible client.

Prioritising education, accessibility and cultural preservation, the project is designed to generate lasting cultural and social value for local communities and the wider public.

Its distinctive architectural concept, developed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, opens the collection’s storage to the public – an innovative approach that redefines the museum experience.

This transparency reflects the V&A’s commitment to breaking down barriers to cultural engagement, ensuring that world-class collections are more accessible, inclusive and relevant for future generations.

Vivid

VIVID Homes continues to lead in affordable, sustainable housing with a record delivery of 1,505 new homes in 2024/25, sustaining its high output following last year’s 1,524 completions.

It secured a groundbreaking £50m retrofit loan from Barclays under the National Wealth Fund, allowing upgrades of over 2,000 homes and benefiting more than 4,000 social housing residents.

The association also obtained a £125m sustainability-linked facility from NatWest to support new-builds and retrofits focused on energy efficiency.

Through its charitable arm, VIVID Plus, the group delivers targeted support – tenancy advice, employment and placemaking – that produces significant social value.