BDP lighting director Laura Bayliss has been named the NCE / ACE Young Consultant of the Year for 2009.
The award is a testament to Laura’s great passion for her profession and the judges commented that “Laura is bursting with enthusiasm for her discipline and for engineering. She is an inspiration to her team and a real asset to her company.”

At 29 Laura is the youngest-ever director at BDP. Three years ago she moved to BDP’s Manchester studio to head the lighting team and in that time it has grown from one lighting designer to nine, making it the largest lighting design practice in the north of England. Her recent work includes heading the lighting scheme across the Liverpool ONE masterplan which has transformed and revitalised Liverpool’s city centre, the success of which she attributes to the hard work and talent of her team; a clear demonstration of her collaborative approach and how she brings out the best in those around her.

Laura said of the award, “I feel extremely honoured to receive such an accolade and look forward to acting as a young ambassador for engineering.''

Laura was one of only four to be shortlisted for the awards along with BDP civil and structural engineering director John Roycroft and fellow lighting designer Chantelle Stewart for her work on sustainable Guerrilla Lighting events in Ireland in the outstanding achievement category.

Laura is no stranger to winning top industry awards, last year she won the future star category of the inaugural Inspire Awards. She won the CIBSE Young Lighter of the Year in 2005 and the LIF David Currie Award for Advanced Lighting Student of the Year in 2004.