​Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2026​​​​

​

Since 2013, the Biodiversity Challenge Awards have recognised construction industry projects and people who go beyond compliance to deliver real benefits for nature. Projects that go BIG – and prove it. If your team has delivered biodiversity work you’re proud of, this is the right place to show it.

 

Entry is FREE.

​

Enter here

​

Why enter?

​

Exceptional biodiversity work happens across the construction industry every year. Much of it goes unrecognised – not because the projects weren’t good enough, but because the teams who delivered them didn’t think they were worth promoting.

​

The Biodiversity Challenge Awards are designed to change that. Your work is assessed by an independent panel of experts who understand the complexity involved. That validation carries weight, whether you’re presenting to stakeholders, justifying approaches to clients, or simply demonstrating best practice to peers. For many entrants, it’s also a meaningful way to formally celebrate their team’s efforts internally.

​

Who can enter?

​

Anyone involved in the delivery of a qualifying project may submit an entry – including client organisations, contractors, designers, engineers, ecologists, consultants, and suppliers. Projects from outside the UK are welcome, too.

​

For project award categories (1-8), biodiversity interventions must have been completed between 20th July 2023 and 20th July 2026. You may enter the same project in up to two categories, but each requires a separate, tailored submission. If you’re unsure which categories best fit your project, contact bigawards@ciria.org – we’re happy to help.

​

For Champion categories (9 and 10), nominations can be submitted by the nominee, their employer, or someone from another organisation. Nominee identity is anonymised before being shared with the judging panel to remove unconscious bias.

​

Previously shortlisted? You may re-enter a project that has previously been shortlisted, provided there has been significant and measurable progress since the previous submission.

​

Award Categories

​

There are ten categories spanning biodiversity projects of all types and scales, plus individual recognition for outstanding practitioners.

​

Placemaking for Nature – Categories 1 – 3

​

1. Single Property: Green roofs, blue roofs, green walls, rain gardens, tree planting – at the scale of a single property. From a single residential property or office building to a large retail building or skyscraper.

​

2. Development Scale: Projects that take advantage of larger land space to deliver a wider range of nature-based solutions for the enhancement of biodiversity. Entries could include hospitals, schools, university campuses, residential developments, or business parks; with all buildings located within a 0.5km radius. 

​

3. Neighbourhood to City Scale: Larger neighbourhood to city scale projects that deliver various green infrastructure interventions and associated social and environmental benefits. Projects are likely to be delivered by local authorities with multiple project partners.

​

Biodiversity Feature Award – Categories 4 to 7

​

4. Nature Recovery: Transforming existing low-biodiversity green spaces – parks, playing fields, abandoned land, grass verges, brownfield sites – into biodiversity rich habitats.

​

5. Coastal Eco-Engineering: Projects that green the grey – delivering improved biodiversity in engineered coastal or estuarine areas.

​

6. Infrastructure Networks: Biodiversity enhancement on and around linear and non-linear infrastructure – major highways, railway lines, large-scale utility assets, power plants, wastewater treatment works.

​

7. Water management: Biodiversity projects with water at their core – wetlands, rivers, natural flood management, and other nature-based solutions that create diverse habitats. Nutrient management is also considered.

​

Innovation – Category 8

​

8. Innovation for Nature Award: Unusual and innovative enhancements – bespoke products, new approaches to data collection, alternative methods for tackling identified challenges. Interventions that leave a lasting legacy and support continual learning are viewed favourably. This category is deliberately open to interpretation.

​

Biodiversity Champions – Categories 9 & 10

​

Nominations can be submitted by the nominee, their employer, or someone from another organisation. Nominee identity is anonymised before being shared with judges to remove unconscious bias.

​

9. Biodiversity Champion Award - Early Career Professional: Recognising outstanding biodiversity and sustainability professionals with fewer than 5 years’ experience in biodiversity-related work who have contributed most to the ethos of going BIG for nature.

​

10. Biodiversity Champion Award - Established Professional: Recognising established biodiversity practitioners with more than 5 years’ experience who have contributed most to the ethos of going BIG for nature.

​

An Overall Winner is selected from across the biodiversity project category winners (1-8): the entry that demonstrates the most outstanding commitment to biodiversity across the full judging criteria.

​

What judges look for

​

An independent panel of judges is assigned to each category. Before you start your submission, download the Awards Guide – it sets out exactly how entries are reviewed and what a strong response to each criterion looks like.

​

Download the Awards Guide here​

​

Key Dates

​

Entry deadline – Monday 6 July 2026 at 17:00. Completed entry forms (Word document) and high-resolution supporting images should be sent to bigawards@ciria.org.

​

Shortlist announced – September 2026. The primary contact for each entry will be notified directly following the judging process.

​

Shortlist video – Shortlisted entries will be invited to provide a short video of their biodiversity enhancements, to be shared at the ceremony and used in post-awards marketing. The video does not form part of the judging.

​

Awards ceremony – Thursday 5 November 2026, Woking. A ticketed event – further details to follow.

​​

Enter here

​

​

​

​

​