DUBAI/United Arab Emirates: The fifth edition of the Big 5 Global Impact Awards has unveiled 150 finalists competing across 19 categories, marking a record-breaking year with a 58 percent surge in entries from project owners, including leading government authorities.
The awards, which celebrate innovation and excellence in the built environment, recognize organizations, individuals, projects, and teams driving sustainable, technology-led, and collaborative achievements across the construction and urban development sectors.
Josine Heijmans, Senior Vice President at dmg events, described this year’s response as unprecedented. “We have seen a remarkable 58% increase in entries from project owners, including key government authorities, alongside a 63% rise in new entrants across all categories. These figures underline the importance of Big 5 Global Impact Awards and highlight the industry’s commitment to sustainable development, innovation and collaboration,” she said.
Finalists were drawn from 21 countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, Spain, the UK, the US, and Trinidad and Tobago, underscoring the global reach and relevance of the awards.
Government participation was particularly strong this year, reflecting the growing role of the public sector in advancing sustainable and innovative practices. Among the finalists are the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), the County Government of Tana River in Kenya, Lagos Free Zone, Fujairah Municipality, Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority, Ethiopian Electric Power, and the Sharjah Department of Town Planning and Survey.
The Sustainable Initiative of the Year award drew the highest number of entries, recognizing measurable success, collaboration, and adherence to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. Notable finalists include Msheireb Properties for Msheireb Downtown Doha: Sustainable Downtown City; Soudah Development for the Soudah Cloud Forest Reforestation Programme; Ethiopian Electric Power for Serving Community: Sustainable Social Impact; County Government of Tana River for the Maji ya Solar Initiative; and Fujairah Municipality for its Green Geopolymer Concrete from Industrial Waste project.
Another prominent category, the Liveable City Initiative of the Year, highlights projects that improve urban quality of life and social infrastructure. Finalists include Centum Real Estate for Two Rivers Social City; Concept Dash for Reclaiming the Edge – Public Realm Reimagined; the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Building Humanization Certification; and The Arab Contractors Company (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.) for the Greater Cairo Monorail.
Matthew Jackson, Co-Founder of ZERO Construct and member of the independent international judging panel, praised the calibre of submissions. “The projects are moving beyond ambition to demonstrate real action on sustainability, digital innovation, and community impact. At the same time, there is still a long way to go before this becomes the norm across the industry. This shortlist proves what’s possible and sets a challenge for all of us to keep raising the bar if we are serious about building a resilient, inclusive and zero-carbon future,” he said.
Winners will be announced on November 25, 2025, at a gala ceremony at Address Sky View, Downtown Dubai, where more than 400 industry leaders, innovators, and government representatives will gather.
The Big 5 Global Impact Awards 2025 is supported by Gold Sponsor Wurth Professional Services and Category Sponsor AGSI for the Carbon Net-Zero Initiative of the Year.
