A Call for Ecological Balance
At the 21st Construction World Architect & Builder (CWAB) Awards held in Mumbai, renowned architect Hafeez Contractor shared a personal reflection on urban development. He stated that he previously believed vertical growth was the way forward, but now feels that "we cannot encroach upon forests and green spaces and must provide for them adequately for good ecological balance." His remarks came during the awards ceremony, which took place alongside the Construction Technology Show (CTS) 2026 on August 19 and 20 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre.
The ConTech Show: Bridging Technology and Construction
The combined event, branded as The ConTech Show, was inaugurated by Pratap Padode, Founder of FIRST Construction Council. He emphasized that India is now building hyperscale data centres, semiconductor facilities, giga battery plants, and sophisticated Global Capability Centres. "These demand extraordinary precision in power, cooling, clean-room environments, fire safety, structural systems and services coordination," he said, adding that such projects require technology and high-grade skills. "You cannot build the infrastructure of the future with yesterday's processes," Padode remarked, explaining why the Construction Technology Summit was integrated with the CWAB Awards.
CTS 2026 was themed "From Blueprint to Build: Making Construction Technology Work on Ground." The event brought together developers, contractors, architects, consultants, technology companies, and industry leaders to examine how technologies such as AI, BIM, digital twins, robotics, and analytics can address real challenges in project execution. Discussions focused on the gap between technology's potential and its adoption at construction sites, the use of technology in large infrastructure projects, and AI's transition from experimentation to practical implementation. The exhibition showcased a growing ecosystem of solutions across digital engineering, AI, robotics, visualisation, analytics, and project management.
Debut of ConTech Awards
CTS 2026 marked the debut of the ConTech Awards, recognizing startups and innovators transforming the construction technology ecosystem. Winners included RDash and Inkers Technology for ConTech Startup of the Year; SitePace.AI and Bandhoo Solutions and Services for Best AI Solution for Construction; Aasaan Tech and RDash for Best Project Management/SaaS Platform; 5D VDC Services and Bandhoo Solutions and Services for Best BIM/Digital Twin Solution; and Zenalyst and Aasaan Tech for the Industry Adoption Award.
CWAB Awards: Celebrating Excellence
The 21st CWAB awards were built around the theme of Materiality. Winners were evaluated by eminent jury panels representing architecture, engineering, construction, real estate, finance, and sustainability. Falguni Padode, Co-founder and Group Managing Editor of ASAPP Info Global Group, said that the credibility of an award lies in the rigour behind it, and that CWAB is built on a robust evaluation process and the collective expertise of its juries.
Among the highlights, the CWAB Legacy Recognition - Editor's Choice Award was presented to URC Construction for "70 Years of Trust, Technology and Timely Delivery." The Hafeez Contractor Awards for Young Architects were presented to Nikhil Gyan Bhandari, Vishwas Venkat, Shashank Shahabadi, and Ravideep Singh.
HAACE - Tailor Made Bespoke Construction won the Construction Technology Innovation Award 2026 for its M-80 Concrete Monolith Construction solution. Bhawanipur House, Kolkata won the Sustainable Project of the Year for its adaptive reuse of a century-old structure.
Real-estate companies recognised at the awards included Sunteck Realty, Raymond Realty, Kalpataru, Signature Global, Ajmera Realty, Sobha, Godrej Properties, Brigade Enterprises, and Prestige Estates. Winners in the interiors categories included AMRUT, The Atrium House, Mercury EV Tech Pvt Ltd Office Building Interior, JGMM Library, Celestial Manor, and Gulmohar Lane Flagship Store.
The combined CTS and CWAB platform was supported by Zenalyst as AI Innovation Partner; HAACE as Bespoke Construction Specialist Partner; RIB as Technology Partner; HDFC Capital as Knowledge Partner; Highbar Technocrat as Associate Partner; Larsen & Toubro as Lanyard Partner; TiE Mumbai as Ecosystem Partner; Turner International India as Silver Partner; IMPACCT as Business Intelligence Partner; and Bright Outdoor Media as Outdoor Media Partner.
Perspectives
- Hafeez Contractor: Expressed concern about urban encroachment on forests and green spaces, advocating for adequate provision of natural areas to maintain ecological balance.
- Pratap Padode: Emphasized the necessity of advanced technology and skills for India's modern infrastructure projects, framing the ConTech Show as a response to these needs.
- Falguni Padode: Highlighted the importance of rigorous evaluation processes in maintaining the credibility of awards like CWAB.