BUILDING PERFORMANCE AWARDS | SHORTLISTS SETTING THE STANDARD The 2024 Building Performance Awards finalists have been announced across 18 categories. Molly Tooher-Rudd spoke to the judges about the impressive level of innovation and creative thinking seen throughout the entries T here was a record number of entries for the 2024 CIBSE Building Performance Awards with the expert panel of judges, led by chair Hywel Davies, rigorously evaluating projects across 18 categories, each representing a vital aspect of the built environment and emphasising an evolving commitment to holistic performance (see page 20 for the full list of finalists). Project of the Year was divided into six awards, and showcased a diverse range of entries. There was an emerging theme of prioritising wellness within buildings, plus a heightened awareness of climate change impacts. Judges observed a commendable understanding of the challenges faced by the sector, saying that projects are extending their focus beyond just the energy performance, to a space where building performance becomes far more holistic. In particular, Project of the Year Retrofit drew attention for its emphasis on embodied carbon conservation, highlighting the crucial need to retrofit older buildings to meet net zero targets. The judges were impressed by how these standout projects exemplified effective solutions, showcasing a positive shift towards sustainable building practices. Similarly, in the Project of the Year Commercial and Offices, the judges saw an impressive amount of innovation and creative thinking. A new category, Project of the Year Leisure, was introduced, acknowledging a number of exceptional projects that delivered on their buildings for leisure through a spectrum of servicing methods from passive to highly complex and efficient systems with the buildings purpose being a priority. The Best Digital Innovation Award, introduced last year, proved highly competitive, with more than 20 entries of exceptional quality. Judges noted a prevalent theme of decarbonisation and a significant shift towards incorporating machine learning into real-world applications. The inclusion of robust data across various categories, including Best Digital Innovation, was praised, emphasising the importance of tangible performance metrics as a key way of visualising performance. However, judges for 1 2 the Project of the Year Residential category expressed a desire for more data-centric schemes, signalling a potential focus area for future innovations in the industry. Facilities Management (FM) emerged as a standout category this year, with a robust field of entries. The judges commended the positive impact FM can have when it takes an active role in engaging with building users, especially in the context of decarbonisation and energy management. Collaboration and knowledge sharing across the entire value chain were highlighted as promising trends. The Building Performance Consultancy award was divided into categories based on employee count, to recognise outstanding salixfinance.co.uk 18 December 2023 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Dec 23 pp18-19 BPA Judging.indd 18 24/11/2023 16:17