Communities and Social Value Leadership finalists
CERC Boldesti-Scaeni
A decade of sustained social impact through sustainable design
CERC Boldești-Scăeni is a community resource centre in Romania serving a historically marginalised Roma community. For 10 years, it has delivered educational support, vocational training and family counselling to around 80 children and 60 families annually. All after-school participants have progressed to upper secondary education, with two or three of them reaching university each year. Built with negative embodied carbon using local materials, the centre features photovoltaic systems covering annual electricity demand and closed-loop water systems, demonstrating how sustainable design enables lasting social value and community transformation.
Infinito Delicias
A community-first cultural hub transforming urban regeneration in Madrid
Infinito Delicias has transformed a disused 1963 industrial building in Madrid’s working-class Arganzuela district into a radically inclusive third space. Developed by Fundación Daniel y Nina Carasso, this cultural and culinary hub features experimental kitchens, a 400m² auditorium, artist residencies, and a public courtyard freely accessible from the street. Achieving BREEAM ES New Construction certification with 19 out of 20 Management credits and a perfect Transport score, the project demonstrates how social value and environmental performance can be inseparable in urban regeneration.
Luas Finglas
Transforming transport and community wellbeing in Dublin
Luas Finglas is a pioneering light rail project connecting Broombridge to Charlestown in Dublin, Ireland. As the first BREEAM Infrastructure Version 6 certification and first rail project to achieve an Excellent rating in the Republic of Ireland, it demonstrates exceptional social value in a disadvantaged community. The scheme integrates gender-sensitive design, public life surveys and extensive stakeholder engagement to create accessible transport infrastructure with 70% green track, enhanced cycling routes and reimagined public spaces that prioritise inclusivity and long-term community benefit.
Paddock SEN School
Transforming specialist education through inclusive design and community integration
The Paddock Special Educational Needs and Disabilities School in Wandsworth, London, demonstrates exceptional social value through the redevelopment of a Victorian building into a modern specialist education facility. Delivering 64 additional places for pupils with complex needs, the project combines inclusive design with community engagement features, including a student-operated public café that builds confidence and employability skills. Certified under BREEAM New Construction, Refurbishment and Fit-Out, the school exemplifies how thoughtful design can strengthen local education provision while preserving heritage, generating measurable economic benefits and creating lasting positive outcomes for pupils, families and the wider community.
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) – W1/W2A Manchester to Stalybridge
Transforming rail infrastructure while delivering exceptional social value
The Transpennine Route Upgrade W1/2A project, connecting Manchester to Stalybridge, demonstrates how major rail infrastructure can deliver transformative social value alongside sustainability excellence. Certified under BREEAM Infrastructure Version 6, this railway electrification project exceeded all social value targets, creating 240 apprenticeships, engaging nearly 42,000 young people, and delivering over 12,000 volunteering hours. The project prioritised local employment with 67% of the workforce recruited locally, while directing 67% of supply chain spend to regional businesses, supporting economic regeneration across one of England’s most deprived areas.
The Harrison
Refurbishment project delivering exceptional social value in east London
The Harrison, an office refurbishment in Shoreditch, London, demonstrates how construction projects can deliver transformative community impact alongside environmental performance. Achieving BREEAM UK Refurbishment and Fit-Out certification, the project significantly exceeded social value targets through local employment (71%), targeted skills development, and strategic partnerships with community organisations. Working with The Land Collective's Black Girl in Property programme and supporting three new apprenticeships, the project created lasting opportunities for underrepresented groups while maintaining responsible procurement practices with 65% local spend and 100% engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises.