At the inaugural Women in Construction Awards in June, female leaders in the building industry, commonly dominated by men, solidified their standing. The event, attended by over 350 people, was hosted by television and radio personality Ruth Scott at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry. Throughout the evening, 15 women from different areas of the building sphere were recognised and celebrated, illustrating the growing influence of women in a once male-dominated field.
According to the most recent government report from Ireland on the construction industry in 2022, dubbed Project Ireland 2040, nearly 160,000 individuals were employed in the industry, with a scant 8% being women. These fresh awards aim to break down existing barriers for women in the industry.
These awards, orchestrated by events expert Business River, highlight the increasing presence of women who are making strides in their careers at both large and small companies, covering various sectors and competencies such as design and architecture, engineering, sustainability, and managing projects. The award recipients ranged from women at the start of their managerial journey, labelled as ‘ones to watch’, to women in top managerial positions or those running their own businesses.
The highest accolade was awarded to Bronagh Carty, an associate director at John Paul Construction. A seasoned quantity surveyor, Carty holds a postgraduate diploma in property development from the University of Ulster and has completed her course in leadership for senior managers at the Irish Management Institute. Joining John Paul Construction in 2016, she successfully extended the company’s influence in the west region and played an integral role in several sectors’ regional operations.
In their verdict, the judges stated, “Bronagh Carty, of John Paul Construction, has shown exceptional leadership in the building industry, particularly in her capacity as an associate director. Her impressive track record and commitment to executing complex projects have rightfully earned her this distinguished accolade.”
The entries for the contest were highly lauded by separate judges for their superior standards. Associate director at Arup, Carol Andrews, acknowledged that while all entries met high standards, there were a few that particularly stood out. Similarly, Juliana Calabria-Holley, a lecturer from the University of Bath’s Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, stated that the function was an enormous hit. She highlighted that the assortment of award winners reflected an equal, diverse, and inclusive representation, with young senior members and individuals from various races.
She spoke of an immense variety of applications, including enthusiastic young professionals on the brink of becoming exceptional leaders in their respective industries and senior women who have contributed immensely to the building industry, thereby setting an example for their juniors. She professed her admiration for the quality of the entries, which often made the process of judging challenging.
Ethos Engineering, a mechanical and electrical consultancy, seized two awards. Bid manager Rosie Maclot grabbed the award for outstanding performance in bids and tenders, while Alison Heffernan, head of people, won the best female-led team award for her work in people and talent management.
The commendation provided by the judging panel praised Alison and her team’s productive, innovation-oriented initiatives. Their praise for Rosie Maclot recorded her success in the clarity and precision of her submission, along with an impressive escalation in bid win rate from 48% to 86%. This, along with her comprehensive approach towards nurturing the company’s talent pool was acknowledged as impressive leadership in bid management.
Ethos Engineering’s CEO Greg Hayden expressed immense pride and jubilation. He claimed that Ethos is greatly honoured to have had their remarkable women participate in the Women in Construction Awards, appraising the win of two awards as a victory for the whole establishment.
The primary sponsor for the awards was marketing agency Pennypop. Proprietor Iris Kavanagh mentioned that they were delighted to sponsor the event as a female-run, rising Irish business, backing an occasion aimed at promoting women in the construction industry.
The prestigious diversity and inclusion champion award was clinched by project management company PM Group. The adjudicators praised the firm for its dedication to diversity and inclusion, underscoring initiatives designed to foster a culture of inclusivity and people-centric workspace. In the construction sector, the company’s comprehensive and successful diversity strategies set a standard, fuelling enduring positive transformation. PM Group expressed in a statement that earning the diversity and inclusion champion award demonstrates the concerted efforts of everyone involved in advancing diversity and inclusion in their sector.
In addition, another valuable contributor was family-owned construction company Elliott Group, started in the 1920s by the couple Patrick and Alice Elliott. Elliott Group’s Construction Director, Gary O’Sullivan commented that these awards underline industry contributions, accordening recognition and acknowledging the part played by women in construction. They were extremely pleased to sponsor and take part in the first ever Women in Construction Awards and hope to motivate future generations to choose careers in construction.
The honour for the business owner of the year was awarded to Brenda Sorensen and her company Aspect Interior Design. The award description lauded Brenda Sorensen for her remarkable leadership and progress of Aspect Interior Design. Brenda’s commitment, tenacity, and dedication to her firm, staff, and clients have tremendously propelled the prosperity and expansion of her business.
Business River’s director of partnership programmes, Kevin O’Driscoll, expressed gratitude to their 2024 sponsors and business partners, which include Bretland, Ardmac, Walls, Elliott Group, SIG Workplace, Steelcase, Pennypop, Falcon Green, BWDI Ltd, Lighthouse Club – The Construction Industry Charity, Circle Club and iPropertyRadio. O’Driscoll stated that their backing of the awards demonstrates their endorsement and support of this critical business area.
The panel of judges included
– Carol Andrews – Associate Director, Arup
– Juliana Calabria-Holley – Lecturer, University of Bath
– Joanne Cunningham – Director, Cunningham Contracts Group.
The original text lists the heads of various departments and institutions like – Amy Kruse from Considerate Constructor Scheme, Dr Audrey Martin who is a senior lecturer at TU Dublin school of surveying and construction management, James McNamara who is a lecturer from TUS Midlands/Midwest, Dr Róisín Murphy from TU Dublin, Professor John Spillane from the University of Limerick, and Katie Tallon from Property District.
In addition to this, it also mentions the distinguished award winners from different fields:
Audrey Dantras from Elliott Group bagged the Rising Star award for engineering while Imane Hachadi from Mitchell McDermott won in the consulting category (sponsored by Ardmac). Rosie Maclot from Ethos Engineering was awarded for her outstanding work in bids and tenders. The Best Sustainability Leadership award went to Helena McElmeel from Helena McElmeel Architects. The Best Health and Safety Leadership award was handed over to Laura McCooey from Elliott Group.
Chinwendu Kane from Scott Tallon Walker Architects excelled in architecture and design and was rewarded for her work, sponsored by SIG Workplace. Ciara Doherty received the Excellence in Project Management award (sponsored by BWDI Ltd). The Engineering department honoured their leader Ciara Lappin with an award sponsored by Walls. Magda Mickiewicz from MCA Architects was recognised for Excellence in Senior Leadership for Architecture and Design, sponsored by Bretland.
Bronagh Carty bagged two awards; Excellence in Senior Leadership as a Contractor (sponsored by Falcon Green) and also obtained the sought-after Overall Leader Award (sponsored by Elliott Group). Her exceptional work is celebrated at John Paul Construction.
RKD won the Workplace of the Year. PM Group was celebrated as the champion of diversity and inclusion. The Best Female Led Team award was taken home by the People and Talent Team from Ethos Engineering. Brenda Sorenson was applauded as the Business Owner of the Year for her work in Aspect Interior Design.