Building Awards 2026 shortlists: Delivering Social Value Award

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 Delivering Social Value Award.

Bidwells

At the Viking Centre, Bidwells supported Sprowston Town Council in the transformation of  an underused asset into a sustainable civic hub, creating a lasting, locally owned legacy through community engagement and social enterprise. Delivered through £1.5m of community infrastructure levy investment, the former public house now provides flexible community space, a charity cafe, offices and a pre-loved shop, supporting inclusion, employment and social connection. Retaining the existing building reduced embodied carbon, while PV panels, air-source heat pumps and fabric upgrades improved its EPC rating from D to A. 

HTA Design

HTA’s work at Kidbrooke Park Road in Greenwich borough is transforming brownfield land into 122 net-zero, 100% affordable council homes, the first phase of England’s largest new council housing development. Designed around families and long-term public benefit, the scheme combines accessible homes with a new nursery, community hub and extensive green infrastructure. Achieving a 68% reduction in regulated emissions, its all-electric energy strategy, photovoltaics and high-performance fabric support net zero ambitions. Extensive engagement shaped the design, while 90% of residents are happy with their homes and 98% value the landscape.

Kier Construction

Kier Construction delivered exceptional social value through a bespoke, measurable programme aligned with London South East Colleges’ priorities. The project generated £6.75m of local and regional supply-chain spend, 25 jobs and 25 apprenticeships, alongside 11,522 training hours and 133 weeks of work experience. Community impact included 500 volunteering hours and support for five organisations. The college achieved BREEAM Outstanding at 91.94%, making it the UK’s first further education college at this level. Kier Construction’s innovative three-year careers hub engaged 80 students, creating a sustained pathway into construction careers.

Kier Group

At the Unity Centre, Kier Group has created a sustainable civic heart for Northstowe, shaped by residents, community groups and service providers from the outset. Genuine engagement influenced design decisions, while £8.08m of social value included £1.99m local spend, 19 apprentices and 301 apprenticeship weeks. The fossil-fuel-free building achieves 578kgCO₂e/m² whole-life carbon, beating its target by more than 20%, with CLT construction, ground-source heat pumps and photovoltaics. Inclusive facilities, NHS services, a food bank and a fully booked programme demonstrate lasting community impact beyond construction. 

McGregor Bowes

McGregor Bowes’ £4.5m restoration of John O’Groats Mill has transformed a neglected heritage asset into a thriving community hub, shaped from the outset by local people. More than 400 attended the project’s open weekend, while 649 survey responses established priorities for a working mill, accessible facilities and community ownership. Delivered by local contractor O’Brien Construction, the project retained most of the existing structure, achieving an estimated 50% embodied carbon saving. A new coastal path, local employment, skills training and partnerships further strengthen its lasting social, economic and environmental legacy.

Morgan Lovell

Morgan Lovell has demonstrated how design expertise can create transformative social value through Café Bee, repurposing a disused toilet block in Ware Park, Ware, Hertfordshire, into a professional, inclusive workplace for adults with learning disabilities. Working with Always Bee You, Riverlabs and the supply chain, Morgan Lovell provided design, fit-out expertise, donated furniture, equipment and ongoing support. The resulting cafe gave 20 participants genuine employment experience, building confidence and practical skills. Continued funding, training and community initiatives demonstrate Morgan Lovell’s commitment to creating lasting opportunity through purposeful, collaborative design.

New Hospital Programme, delivered with support from Mott MacDonald

The New Hospital Programme demonstrates how nationally led infrastructure can deliver lasting local social value. Supported by Mott MacDonald and partners, social value was embedded in procurement and delivery, measured through a programme-wide action plan. More than 400 hours of education engagement, 42 placement weeks and 197 apprenticeship weeks created pathways into employment, while £34,801 supported VCSEs and over 700 volunteering hours strengthened communities. A pioneering healthcare curriculum won national recognition, while environmental projects, SME training and wellbeing initiatives demonstrate a scalable model for responsible infrastructure investment.

MYCO

MYCO’s work at Roman Rise delivers 31 high-quality affordable homes for Lambeth, combining thoughtful design with meaningful social and environmental value. Two brick-clad buildings provide a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes alongside attractive communal spaces. Sustainability measures include a fabric-first approach, air-source heat pumps, photovoltaics and material reuse. Social value is equally strong, creating 14 local jobs, 14 training opportunities and 21 weeks of placements. More than 150 hours of litter-picking and £2,400 of community improvements further demonstrate a lasting commitment to residents and place.

Populo Living

Newham council and Populo Living have transformed meanwhile (temporarily unused) space on the Carpenters Estate into an inclusive community asset, responding directly to residents’ desire for accessible exercise facilities. Delivered with Steel Warriors, the outdoor gym repurposes around two tonnes of confiscated knife steel, equivalent to approximately 8,000 knives, turning harmful waste into a positive community resource. Free weekly coached sessions have driven growing participation, confidence and social connection, while creating employment for qualified local coaches. The project demonstrates how purposeful meanwhile use can unite health, safety, sustainability and community regeneration.

Sir Robert McAlpine

In the City of London, 1 Broadgate generated £409m of total social impact, including £19.5m in social and environmental value, while creating more than £390m of economic benefit. Its community-led approach delivered 1,796 apprenticeship weeks, engaged 1,741 students and supported 44 apprentices. Long-term partnerships created pathways into the industry, while £24,936 supported grassroots projects and £139,950 was raised for charity. Environmental performance was equally strong, with 99.94% waste diversion, BREEAM Outstanding and carbon emissions exceeding targets, demonstrating lasting value for communities and the environment.