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Created to recognise sustainable construction products with proven real-world impact, the first BBA Sustainable Innovator Award will be presented live at London Build 2026, highlighting some of the latest innovations driving the future of the built environment.

The winner of the inaugural BBA Sustainable Innovator Award will be revealed live at London Build 2026, closing a session on the future of sustainable construction on the Sustainability Stage at 16:50 on Wednesday 25 November.

It is the first time the British Board of Agrément (BBA) has presented the award, created to spotlight a market-ready innovation that is already making a tangible difference in the built environment. The winner will be the first recipient of the BBA Sustainable Innovator Award and will walk away with a route into independent certification worth approximately £50,000.

Held at Excel London, London Build is the UK’s largest construction show, drawing more than 35,000 attendees, 700 speakers and 450 exhibitors across two days. The award finale caps a full day of sustainability programming on the stage, which runs from inclusive construction and embodied carbon through to heat pumps, heat networks and the road to net zero.

The session opens with Hardy Giesler, CEO of the BBA, setting the scene on the role innovation plays in tackling the sustainability challenges facing the built environment, and why turning promising ideas into trusted, market-ready solutions matters more than ever. Attendees will be among the first to witness the presentation of the inaugural award, before an exclusive discussion with one of the judges, who will share practical insight into bringing innovative products to market, drawn from their experience of evaluating innovation across the sector.

Whether your interest is emerging technology, sustainability or innovation, the session offers a fresh, ground-level view of where sustainable construction is heading, and of what it takes for a new idea to earn the industry’s trust.

The winning entry will receive a full BBA Agrément assessment (or HAPAS assessment in the case of civils products), providing the opportunity to progress through the BBA’s established certification process free of charge. This includes assessment, scoping and certification activity in line with standard BBA protocols, but excludes the cost of testing. Whilst certification is not guaranteed, the prize enables the winning manufacturer to enter the process without the usual cost barrier, subject to meeting all technical and procedural requirements.

In addition, the winner will benefit from a dedicated account manager throughout the assessment process. If Certification is awarded, the prize will also include a 3-year standard maintenance cycle, expert feedback from industry-leading professionals as part of the judging process and post-award publicity.

There is still time to be in the running. Entries close on Friday 28 August 2026, and the award is open to growth-ready start-ups and small businesses that are the original developers of a sustainable, innovative construction product already in production. Manufacturers can find the full criteria and enter at www.bbacerts.co.uk/sustainable-innovator-award.

Hardy Giesler, CEO of the BBA, comments, “Innovation is where the built environment’s sustainability ambitions become real, but a promising idea only changes the industry once it can be trusted and specified at scale. That is exactly what this award is built to accelerate. The awards will showcase some of the UK most exciting new innovators and demonstrate to the industry what credible, independently assessed innovation looks like. I would urge anyone serious about the future of construction to be in the room.”

The BBA Sustainable Innovator Award finale takes place at 16:50 on Wednesday 25 November on the Sustainability Stage at London Build, Excel London. Entry is free to register. Don’t miss it.

Stay and celebrate with complimentary drinks hosted by London Build at the exclusive after-party following the award presentation. Taking place after the show closes on Day One, the event brings together speakers, exhibitors, judges and other VIP guests for an evening of networking, conversation and live music, offering the perfect opportunity to continue discussions sparked on the Sustainability Stage and raise a glass to the industry's latest sustainable innovation.

To register, visit https://forms.reg.buzz/londonbuildelementallondon-2026/lb-website

To find out more about the award, visit www.bbacerts.co.uk/sustainable-innovator-award.