More than 200 contractors, consultants, housebuilders and builders merchants entered the sixth annual Building Awards.
Each contender filled in a detailed questionnaire that not only gathered data on their financial performance, but also sought to ascertain their attitude to the environment, their partnering philosophy and their expenditure on training and IT.

The questionnaire also asked for any evidence of technical, managerial or marketing initiatives. Finally, entrants were asked to supply details of a "model project" – a scheme completed in the past year that demonstrated their skills to best advantage.

Four panels of judges, each with a chairman (see factfiles), joined Building editor Adrian Barrick in shortlisting four companies in each of the company categories.

Before the final judging sessions in February and March, awards project manager Camargue carried out a random survey of the shortlisted companies' clients. Although not decisive, the results helped support the information provided by the firms themselves.

For the client and personality of the year, the shortlist was based on a combination of individual entries and nominations by all 21 judges. The winners were decided by Building's readers, hundreds of whom phoned voting hotlines last month.

For the second year running, all 58 finalists were eligible for a special best-practice award, sponsored by the DETR's Construction Best Practice Programme.

The 21 judges* for the 2000 Building Awards

Chairmen

Colin Harding, chairman, George & Harding (builders merchant category)

Roger Madelin, director, Argent Group (contractor and specialist contractor categories)

Sir Michael Pickard, chairman, Housing Forum (housebuilder categories)

Peter Rogers, director, Stanhope(consultant categories)

Other judges

Yolanda Barnes, head of research, FDP Savills
Adrian Barrick, editor, Building
David Beardsmore, chief executive, Mansell
Elliott Bernerd, chairman, Chelsfield
David Birkbeck, editor, Building Homes (now chief executive of Architects in Housing)
Colin Busby, chairman and chief executive, Kier
Clive Cain, quality director, Ministry of Defence
Laurie Chetwood, managing director, Chetwood Associates
Oliver Jones, chief executive, Citex
Peter Mason, group chief executive, Amec
Andrew Ogorzalek, director, PCKO Malcolm Pitcher, managing director, Pitcher Consultancy
Ken Shuttleworth, partner, Foster and Partners
Brian Staples, chief executive, Amey
Bob White, chief executive, Mace
Andrew Wilson, chief operating officer, Lend Lease Projects
Andrew Wolstenholme, construction director, BAA

* Judges did not adjudicate on categories in which they have a direct connection.

Building Awards 2000