Modular builder honoured with King’s Award for championing sustainability in construction

SUCCESS STORY: Integra Buildings celebrating its King’s Award for Enterprise

By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor

East Yorkshire-based modular construction business Integra Buildings has received royal recognition for its pioneering approach to sustainability.

Integra was named as the only modular builder and one of fewer than a dozen Yorkshire companies to receive the prestigious The King’s Award for Enterprise.

Regarded as the UK’s most prestigious business awards, winners of The King’s Awards are recognised by His Majesty The King as among the country’s best companies.

Integra was honoured in the Sustainable Development category of The King’s Award for Enterprise, reflecting its total commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable manufacturing and operations.

Integra, which is based in Paull, east of Hull, received the Sustainable Development award alongside just 26 other companies nationwide, with only one other based in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The King’s Awards celebrate outstanding achievement, ingenuity and success. The Sustainable Development award honours commercially successful products, services and management that benefit the environment, society and the economy.

Founded 28 years ago and now employing 160 people, Integra is the only modular construction company named as a 2025 The King’s Award recipient.

Integra works with high-profile private and public sector clients, providing bespoke modular solutions in sectors ranging from sport and education to health and defence.

Integra Buildings CEO Gary Parker said: “Receiving The King’s Award for Enterprise is a tremendous honour for our business and all of our team.

“This award reflects and rewards the total commitment we have across our business to excellence in project performance and delivery. It also recognises our commitment to adopting sustainable policies and practices in everything we do.

WINNERS: Integra Buildings directors, from left, Sarah Marshall, Jim Butler, Gary Parker, Paul Tansey, Chris Turner and Mike Marriott

“Modular building has so many advantages over traditional methods of construction; one of those being that it is inherently more sustainable.

“We passionately believe that the future of construction is modular and that the companies embracing sustainability will be the most successful for many years to come.”

The King’s Award commended Integra for “challenging the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable construction through bespoke design and offsite manufacturing”.

Whether it’s through the buildings it delivers, the development of its team or making responsible decisions across its supply chain, sustainability is rooted in Integra’s values.

Integra has set a target to be net zero by 2038. The company has cut gas consumption by 22 per cent since 2022, with plans to remove it altogether by 2028, and has installed more than 1,000 rooftop solar panels on office and production facilities to generate 200,000KW of clean electricity capacity.

By expanding its capabilities to provide a full turnkey modular construction service, Integra has delivered huge efficiency improvements in project delivery and enhanced sustainability. Modular manufacturing is a controlled environment which ensures superior build quality, reduction of waste and emissions, and flawless consistency.

Integra strives to meet BREEAM standard – a world-leading sustainability assessment for the built environment and infrastructure – in a growing number of its buildings, and has secured four ISO certifications to underline its focus on excellence and consistency.

A waste reduction programme has seen materials sent to landfill cut from 70 per cent to 1.2 per cent in just three years, and Integra plans to introduce a rainwater capture system to become self-sufficient for water, with the exception of drinking water.

In addition, almost all (96 per cent) of Integra’s essential raw materials are sustainably sourced, with 84 per cent of the company’s suppliers located within a 15-mile radius of its East Yorkshire site.

Gareth Thomas, Minister for Services, Small Businesses and Exports, said: “There are some inspiring businesses from Yorkshire and the Humber recognised in this year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise: from White Rose Education’s success exporting educational resources around the world to Integra Buildings’ sustainable manufacturing methods.

GROWING: Members of the Integra Buildings manufacturing team

“I wish the winners every success as they continue to grow, innovate and prosper, and commend the invaluable contributions they have already made to communities at home in Yorkshire and Humber region and abroad, helping to boost the UK economy.”

Since moving to its current site in Paull in 2018, Integra has doubled both its turnover and workforce. In 2023 the business celebrated its best-ever year, with turnover topping £50m for the first time, with pre-tax profits of £6.6m.

Integra strives to be an innovator and pioneer across its production processes and recently secured its fourth ISO certification – 19650, for Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM brings with it efficiencies in time, cost and quality control, as well as sustainability benefits by encouraging building reusability and longevity.

Integra was also one of the first UK contractors to develop and test, with a recognised test centre, a JCoP unit, underlining its commitment to driving safety standards in the industry. JCoP (Joint Code of Practice) relates to fire safety in construction.

Integra continues to grow and evolve, with a strong commitment to supporting and developing its employees.

In 2023 alone, Integra contributed almost £70,000 towards education, training and formal qualifications of its office-based and manufacturing team members, and has a range of initiatives to support the physical and mental wellbeing of colleagues.

Integra is also committed to supporting the local community and communities in which it works, donating time, resources and funds to causes close to its heart.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise has recognised over 8,000 companies since its inception in 1965. Winners hold the award for five years.

Recipients pass a robust assessment process, judged by experts from industry, academia, the voluntary sector and senior officials in Whitehall. On that basis, The King’s Awards for Enterprise recipients are recommended by the Prime Minister and approved by His Majesty The King.