Judge Spotlight - Mark Rugg MRICS

“2026 will be the 15^th year that I’ve been involved in the RICS Awards. In 2011, a judge dropped out of the Awards dinner I went along to make up numbers on the judge’s table. The Awards evening sparked my interest in the Property Awards and after being asked to join the judging panel shortly after, have been a judge every year since.

“It’s so exciting to see the incredible things happening in the built and natural environment in Yorkshire and Humber. The north and our region are sometimes seen as a poor relation to the south, but the RICS Awards are an incredible showcase of the range of skill, innovation and amazing projects that we have in Yorkshire and Humber. Perhaps we are less likely to have the quantity of extravagant projects that you might see in the south, but these awards are not about extravagance. They’re about delivering projects that matter, meeting the needs of business or the local community.

“I’ve judged everything from nuclear research facilities, cathedrals and chocolate factories to schools and village halls. What all these projects all have in common, and what brings me the most enjoyment from visiting them, is the passion and enthusiasm of the people involved.

“As a judge I feel lucky and honoured to get to see a project up close. I have license to be nosy, to interrogate how and why something has been achieved. We all come across quirky or difficult challenges in our work, and I’m constantly inspired by the way other people tackle them in theirs. Being a judge is an incredible learning opportunity for me.

“What’s more, the RICS Awards are not just about projects that look nice. The great thing about being invited to get under the skin of a project is I gain a full appreciation of the thought behind it. I visited a Victorian school building, for example, that had built a Passivhaus special educational needs facility on site. The budget wasn’t big, but the result was fantastic. The building’s smart technology and construction meant that it ran itself, allowing the school staff to concentrate their time and budget to invest in great teaching.

“I’d urge anyone to think about being an RICS judge. I spend about two or three days at most judging each year, but the rewards are worth every minute. I’m inspired, and I’m better at my own job because of everything I’ve learnt.”

Find out more about becoming an RICS Awards judge.