Max Fordham won Engineering Consultant of the Year at last night's Building Awards held at Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane.

The practice trumped some of the biggest players in the construction industry to claim the award. Senior Partner, Henry Luker was delighted to be in such good company. 'The contenders for this award came from right across the engineering disciplines, not just mechanical and electrical,' he noted. 'There were some heavy hitters on the short-list and we are thrilled to have come away with the prize.'

Luker said the win was an endorsement of the Max Fordham approach. 'It's no secret that the last five years have been difficult for the construction industry,' he said. 'We saw the recession as a real opportunity to improve the way we do things. We invested in the business and we invested in improving our service to our clients. To claim the Building Award in light of those decisions is very satisfying.'

In announcing the winner, compere James Corden said the judges chose the winner 'on the quality of their work'. 'I was on my feet as soon as he said that,' Luker says with a laugh. 'I thought it must be us!'

The prize caps a remarkable period of recognition for the practice. It comes after claiming Consultancy of the Year at this year's CIBSE Awards as well as a raft of gongs for recent projects that include the Hive in Worcester, Brockholes Visitor Centre, Tate Britain and the London 2012 Water Polo Arena.