Mayo man secures award at National Property Awards

Ballina native Kevin Loftus has won the Rising Star 2025 Award at the KPMG Irish Independent Property Industry Excellence Awards, the landmark tenth anniversary edition of Ireland’s premier celebration of excellence in the property & real estate industry, which took place at the Convention Centre Dublin. Leading figures from across architecture, construction, planning, development, and real estate gathered to honour projects and people shaping Ireland’s future. 

Kevin Loftus was selected as the 2025 Rising Star Award winner by a national panel of judges and recognised for his visionary leadership in Ireland's Green Transition. Kevin pioneers regenerative design and Design for Disassembly. His approach combines environmental responsibility with social impact, setting new standards for sustainable urban development. As Co-founder, Director, and Design Lead at ACT (Accelerating Change Together), a social enterprise established in 2021 based in Ballina Innovation Quarter, Kevin is emerging as a driving force behind Ireland's Green Transition in the built environment. With a dedication to embedding sustainability, Kevin champions regenerative design rooted in the belief that conventional approaches are "disconnected from natural processes". 

Kevin's architectural philosophy consistently delivers solutions that positively impact people and the planet. A prime example of his spirit and a significant influence on the sector is his pioneering adoption of Design for Disassembly (DfD) in Ireland. The Ripple project, a collaboration with UCD, underscores his innovative impact, winning Ireland's first New European Bauhaus Award for "Reconnecting with Nature", transforming underutilised green spaces into climate-resilient and socially cohesive areas through community co-design. This demonstrates a tangible pathway for the industry to embrace nature-based solutions and community-led design. 

Now in its tenth year, the awards continue to be the ‘Oscars of the Property Industry’, endorsed by Ireland’s leading professional institutes and representative bodies. The 2025 winners demonstrate the extraordinary range of talent and innovation driving progress across the broad property industry.

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