Ms Evans joined BSRIA in 2014 and during her time has become one of the most recognised industry figures, using her position to passionately raise awareness of and advance a number of key industry issues, including well-being and energy efficiency in the built environment.

In particular, Ms Evans has advocated engineering and construction as a long-term career choice and actively promoted the industry as providing great opportunities for women, who currently number only some 13 per cent of the sector’s UK workforce.

Prior to joining BSRIA, Ms Evans was chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, where she campaigned tirelessly to improve the image of the construction industry by setting up and leading Construction Alliance, a grouping made up of key industry organisations.

She also has active roles as a governor of Leeds College of Building, where she will shortly take up the chairmanship; is a board member of the UK International Women’s Federation; and spent three years as the chairperson of the Trade Association Forum, promoting best practice for trade associations.

Tom Smith, BSRIA chairman, said: “The chairman and board of BSRIA is delighted with this award and sends many congratulations to Julia and welcomes the profile this gives to building services and to the great careers in building services that are open to all.”

Ms Evans added: “I am honoured to receive this award which in every way is a reflection of the hard work and efforts of my colleagues at BSRIA and of the wider built environment sector.”