A New Era. A New Stage. The NI Construction Awards 2026
The CEF Excellence Awards have been a long been a highlight of the construction calendar, recognising innovation, quality and professionalism across the sector. In 2026, the awards are evolving to reflect the scale and breadth of today’s construction industry.
Following a highly successful event in 2025, the Awards night will return for their 27th year with a gala evening on Thursday 1st October 2026, with a new name - the NI Construction Awards and a new larger venue ICC Belfast - hosted by architect and television presenter George Clarke and presenter Claire McCollum.
In a first for Northern Ireland, CEF is joining forces with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Mineral Products Association (MPA) to deliver a unified, cross-sector celebration of the built environment bringing together contractors, engineers and materials producers.
This is more than a rebrand. It represents a new chapter for the awards and a broader collaboration across the industry.
What this means for our guests and partners:
• Increased Scale - a larger audience of senior industry representatives
• Broader Reach - participation from across engineering, manufacturing and construction
• A Premier Venue - hosted at Northern Ireland’s flagship conference centre, the ICC Belfast
Entries for the NI Construction Awards 2026 will open on Monday 30th March, with submissions accepted through to end May , ahead of the Awards Evening on Thursday 1 October 2026 at ICC Belfast.
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