On the evening of 30 April 2026, some of the biggest names in Britain’s property and construction industry partied in Manchester for the Sunday Express Construction and Property Awards – the largest event of its kind in the UK. Hosted by Kate Garraway MBE, it was an exhilirating night celebrating the companies pushing boundaries and doing extraordinary work that often goes unrecognised, building the future of Britain.
We were there on behalf of our partners Sevadis, conducting the winners’ interviews. And it was one of those evenings that reminds you why this stuff is important.
So why was a home EV charging company sponsoring a construction awards night?
Fair question. At first glance, – one of the UK’s leading smart EV charging specialists – might seem like an unlikely presence at an event full of property developers, architects, and construction professionals.
But if you think for a few minutes, it makes complete sense.
The buildings we live and work in are changing dramatically. New homes are increasingly expected to come with EV charging infrastructure built in from the very start. Residential developments, commercial sites, logistics hubs, and offices are all navigating the same question – how do we make electric vehicle charging part of the fabric of what we build, rather than an afterthought bolted on later?
That question sits right at the intersection of construction and sustainable technology, which is where Sevadis operates. Since 2016 they’ve been working with developers, commercial property owners, and businesses to design and install smart charging solutions that work at scale. The decisions that influence those installations are made long before a homeowner or employee ever plugs in. They’re made by folks who were celebrating in that Manchester room.
An industry that deserves the spotlight
One of the quotes that stuck with me from the evening was:
“This event gets bigger and better every year, but it’s celebrating an industry which is so often neglected in terms of coverage. The Sunday Express, by backing these awards and coming in partnership, is lifting the lid on some of the immense work that goes on in the property and construction industry.”
That landed. Construction is responsible for a significant share of the UK’s carbon footprint – from materials used, to energy that powers buildings for decades after they’re built. The companies doing the hard work of making the industry cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable rarely make national headlines. Nights like this exist to change that and give credit where credit is due!
The 2026 awards expanded to more than 25 categories, reflecting the growing breadth of the sector. Interviewing the winners on the night, the emotion was real. “It feels absolutely amazing to be recognised for the work that we do,” one winner told me. “It’s incredible.” These are teams who pour everything into projects that most people never hear about. Having that work acknowledged, publicly, in front of their peers clearly meant a great deal.
Why this connects to everything I talk about on The Sustainable Dad
For those of us thinking about how we live, where we live, and how we travel, the construction industry’s choices matter in a very direct way.
The home you move into, the office you work in, the car park at the supermarket – whether any of those places supports easy, affordable EV charging is increasingly determined by decisions made at the design and planning stage. Get it right, and residents wake up every morning to a full battery without ever having to think about it. Get it wrong, and EV charging becomes a retrofit headache years down the line.
Sevadis being in that room? sponsoring an awards night that recognises the best of Britain’s builders and developers, is a signal that the conversations about sustainable construction and electric vehicle infrastructure are the same conversation. The companies that understand this are the ones designing Britain’s built environment for the next generation.
And as a dad thinking about the world my kids are going to grow up in, that feels like the right room to be in.
Thinking about home EV charging?
If you’re considering a home – whether you’re in a new build or an existing property – Sevadis offers smart charging solutions with a nationwide network of approved installers. Their MaxiCharger connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, lets you schedule overnight charging to hit the cheapest rates, and is built to last outdoors.
Find an approved installer near you at sevadis.com.
