The British Construction Industry Awards were launched by New Civil Engineer magazine and Thomas Telford Ltd in 1998, at the time both owned by the Institution of Civil Engineers.

New Civil Engineer is the monthly magazine for members of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the UK chartered body that oversees the practice of civil engineering in the UK. First published in May 1972, it is today published by Metropolis. Under its previous publisher, Ascential, who, as Emap, acquired the title and editorial control from the ICE in 1995, the ICE regularly discussed the magazine's content through an editorial advisory board and a supervisory board.