ACT Celebrates Double Victory at Building of the Year and RDS Foundation AwardsLeading the shift toward a circular built environment.

27 Apr 2026

Ballina, Ireland — ACT has announced a significant double victory for its regenerative design initiatives, winning the Best Design Concept at the Building & Architect of the Year Awards and the Circular Economy Award at the 2026 RDS Foundation Awards. Both accolades recognise Scotch House, a circular town centre housing blueprint, as a transformative model for sustainable urban living in Ireland.

The awards coincide with the launch of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment’s Circular Economy Strategy 2026–2028, which highlights the urgent need to rethink how Ireland designs and builds its spaces. Scotch House serves as a live demonstration of these national policy goals, proving that circular business models and green technologies can drive both sustainability and competitiveness in the construction sector.

"This recognition from the RDS and Building of the Year awards shows that the shift toward a circular, regenerative built environment is finally gaining the momentum it deserves." ACT

Architectural Designer, Inna Stryzhak and ACT Director, Tom Lindsay receiving the Design Concept of the Year award at the Building and Architect of the Year Awards in Dublin, April 2026.

Scotch House was conceived in response to the 'donut effect' hollowing out Irish town centres. The design approach is rooted in ACT’s model of critical spatial practice, focusing on densification without demolition, helping to scale circular solutions across Ireland’s built environment.