More than €18 billion was spent on the construction sector in 2020, generating employment of some 129,000 people, according to Linesight's Ireland Market Review 2020. So even in a year as challenging as last year, the construction sector continues to be one of the economy's most dynamic drivers.
The Irish Construction Industry Awards was a timely opportunity to acknowledge that hard work and the individuals who have made the sector what it is today. The winners were announced to a live digital audience in a virtual ceremony on February 10th presided over by business journalist and broadcaster Richard Curran.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Ireland returned as title sponsors for the fourth year. “We were delighted to once again be the title sponsor for the Irish Construction Industry Awards in 2020,” said managing director Alan Bateson. “At Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, we have a close relationship with the construction industry and understand how uncertain the last 12 months have been for the sector.
“However, the industry is a resilient one that continues to drive forward, as seen by the high standard of projects presented at this year’s awards. It was great to see so many positive, successful stories showcased in a safe and engaging event. Congratulations again to this year’s winners.”
Leica Geosystems was another sponsor. “We at Leica Geosystems and Hexagon believe health and safety is the number one priority on our construction projects," said Leica's Ireland country manager, John Kerrigan. “We strive to bring new solutions to the market to ensure that technology can be used to keep construction workers safe and sound.
“We are proud to support the Excellence in Health & Safety Award at the Irish Construction Industry Awards 2020. Well done to all the nominees and congratulations to all the winners.”
There were twenty-four trophies awarded for 2020 and John Paul Construction collected no fewer than three of them. Liam Kenny, their managing director, said, “We are delighted to have won three prestigious category awards at the ICI Awards, including overall construction project of the year for the Lidl Regional Distribution Centre. These awards represent the attention to detail and efforts of everyone involved.”
Another winner was Alucraft Ltd. “We are honoured to have won this prestigious award," said managing director Ronnie Mills. "It is a testament to the passion and determination our team has put into developing, showcasing and implementing our Graduate Programme, making it best in class for current and future graduates.”
Overall, 67 businesses and individuals were shortlisted for the 2020 Awards, with georgeboyledesigns picking up multiple nominations across numerous categories, one of which they won outright. Their principal architect, George Boyle, said, “To have made the shortlist for not one but seven of our projects across five separate categories in the 2020 Irish Construction Industry was a huge surprise and an exceptional honour.
“It reflects the painstaking attention to detail and design flair of our wonderful team, and to win in the Conservation category is an award for our commitment to heritage and bringing the great ghosts of Ireland past to life in our refurbishment and renovation works.”
As ever, the awards was only made possible thanks to the generous support of its sponsors, which included Etag, Soprema Ireland, Diatec Group, Conack, Westport Equipment and Vistona.
The 2020 judging panel
- Judging co-ordinator: Gerry Wynne, construction consultant
- Gerard Bourke, senior architect, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
- Collette Burns, architectural project leader, Campus Planning, TU Dublin
- Brian Graham, lecturer in construction management, Waterford Institute of Technology
- Anthony Greene, construction director, JJ Rhatigan & Company
- Máire Henry, director, dhb architects
- John Hunt, senior advisor & globallead, Construction & Digital, Enterprise Ireland
- Mark Kelly, lecturer in building and civil engineering, GMIT
- Robin Mandal, architect
- Dr Barry McAuley, programme chair for the MSc aBIMM, TU Dublin
- Aidan McGovern, chartered engineer, Office of Public Works
- Noel McKenna, head of department, Built Environment, DkIT
- Jim McNamara, lecturer, Construction & Civil Engineering, AIT
- Trevor McSharry, head of Department, Civil Engineering & Construction, IT Sligo
- Cathal O'Donnell, BIM implementation lead, Linesight
- Brian O'Neill, company director, McCrossan O'Rourke Manning Architects
- Derry Scully, group president, Linesight
- Sujana Sudhir, lecturer, Architectural Technology, Institute of Technology, Carlow
[ Irish Construction Industry Awards 2021Opens in new window ]
