Category Criteria

People

Future Sustainability Leader

The most exciting talent in sustainable architecture & design over the past 2 years. This is open to architects, designers, engineers and even students who have influenced and / or added to the world of design by their ideas, innovations and concepts.

Emerging Architect / Designer

This Award is for a registered architect and/or firm that has demonstrated a measurable contribution to the profession of architecture.

Women in Sustainability

The Award will be presented to a woman who has made a significant contribution to built environment sustainability in Australia over the past 5 years. There is no age limit for nominees, but they must demonstrate that they have at least 2 years’ experience in the built environment industry.

Projects

Commercial Architecture (Large)

A project over $1 million designed and built primarily for any commercial purpose (including retail, hospitality, offices, sport & lifestyle).

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the commercial building category include:

• Form, technology, material used and big picture thinking.
• The design will represent an example of functional sustainability in a commercial context, while also being responsive to its physical locality.
• The design will adhere to or expand upon best practice sustainability outcomes while ensuring that an optimum work environment has been achieved.
• Ideally, it will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context.

Key considerations: innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium- to long-term.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Commercial Architecture (Small)

A project under $1 million designed and built primarily for any commercial purpose (including retail, hospitality, offices, sport & lifestyle).

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the commercial building category include:

• Form, technology, material used and big picture thinking. The design will represent an example of functional sustainability in a commercial context, while also being responsive to its physical locality.
• The design will adhere to or expand upon best practice sustainability outcomes while ensuring that an optimum work environment has been achieved.
• Ideally, it will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context.

Key considerations: innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium- to long-term.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Education & Research

A childcare preschool, primary, secondary or tertiary educational facility and/or joint research facility in which an educational institution is the major partner.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and architectural firms located within Australia are eligible. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the education & research building category include:

• An original approach to addressing issues of sustainability through design and integrated technology.
• The building will demonstrate both immediate and ongoing functionality and performance in the context of sustainability within the educational environment.
• Improved outcomes for both the environment and the building’s users / inhabitants will be proven.
• The design will align with – or improve upon – established best practice sustainability principles from design (e.g. material sourcing) through built outcomes (e.g. data that supports ongoing performance).
• The building will also specifically respond to its immediate locality and the uses of the building as contained in the client brief.

Key considerations: brief, originality, immediate functionality and ongoing performance, sustainable materials and technologies, relevance to context, high levels of research, longevity of both building and sustainable outcomes.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Public & Urban

A building or facility or even artwork which primarily services, or is used, by the public (except in the case of educational and healthcare facilities).

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the Public & Urban category include:

• The design will demonstrate sustainable functionality and performance while servicing the needs of its inhabitants.
• The entry will exhibit both a high level of research as well as a high degree of originality.
• In both function and concept, the design will be innovative while also demonstrating a new direction in sustainability for our public structures, and by extension, our future cities.
• All the sustainability and user outcomes will need to be supported by data.

Key considerations: immediate functionality and ongoing performance, integrated sustainability aspects, long-term thinking, relevance to context, high levels of research, serviceability and public amenity.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Multiple Dwelling

The design of a new townhouse, duplex or residential complex that contains multiple residential dwellings. Projects nominated under this category must be classifiable as Class 2 buildings.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and architectural firms located within Australia are eligible. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the multiple dwelling category include:

• The design will demonstrate sustainable functionality and performance while servicing the needs of multiple residents.
• The design will align itself with or expand upon best practice sustainability principles and demonstrate innovation in the way it approaches sustainable living, building and design.
• Ideally, the building will suggest a new direction in sustainability for our future cities by solving common sustainability challenges faced by industry and the broader public in the context of multi-residential.
• Ergonomic issues and specific user needs will be resolved in an original, empathetic, and long-term manner. Sustainability and user outcomes will be supported by data.

Key considerations: originality and innovation, liveability, functionality and performance, high levels of research, longevity, breadth of approach.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Single Dwelling (New)

The design and construction of a single residential structure to which a Class 1a Building category is applicable.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and architectural firms located within Australia are eligible. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the new single dwelling category include:

• A design that demonstrates a balance between dual considerations of usability (as outlined in the client brief) and ongoing sustainability outcomes.
• The design will be original both in its response to the client brief and in the way it tackles issues of sustainability as related to single dwelling homes.
• The design will represent a holistic and innovative approach to achieving best practice sustainability outcomes: from material sourcing to implementation and the building’s ongoing maintenance.
• The design will enhance levels of liveability and make sustainability approachable and easy to maintain within a residential context.
• A high level of research into materials and technologies will have been used, and sustainability outcomes will be supported by data.

Key considerations: response to client brief, originality and creativity in tackling challenges, high levels of liveability, long-lived and easily maintainable solutions, relevance to context, high levels of research.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Single Dwelling (Alteration)

Extensions of Class 1a building or alterations to 50 percent or more of a Class 1a building.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the single dwelling (alteration or addition) category include:

• a design that demonstrates a balance between dual considerations of usability (as outlined in the client brief) and ongoing sustainability outcomes.
• The design will be original both in its response to the client brief and in the way, it tackles issues of sustainability as related to single dwelling homes.
• The design will represent a holistic and innovative approach to achieving best practice sustainability outcomes: from material sourcing to implementation and the building’s ongoing maintenance.
• The design will enhance levels of liveability and make sustainability approachable and easy to maintain within a residential context.
• A demonstrable improvement to previous sustainability outcomes will be supported by data related to building performance.

Key considerations: innovation and originality, response to client brief, high levels of liveability, long-lived and easily maintainable solutions, relevance to context, high levels of research, holistic view of sustainability measurements.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Landscape & Biophilia

Buildings or non-building projects at the intersection of architecture, landscape design and urban planning. Examples include parks, pedestrian bridges and walkways, pools, shelters, picnic facilities, toilet blocks and children playgrounds. Can also include green roofs, green walls and other urban garden and similar type installations.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

• All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Projects submitted under the landscape and urban design category will demonstrate a long-term approach to tackling issues – with a particular focus on the site’s ongoing use of resources for maintenance – and an innovative way of approaching existing challenges.
• Ergonomic issues and specific user or contextual needs will be resolved in a highly innovative and empathetic way. A demonstrable improvement to previous sustainability outcomes will need to be supported by data related to building performance.

Key considerations: innovation, longevity, a holistic approach to sustainability (as demonstrated through materials etc.), relevance to context, empathetic to user considerations, high levels of research into use of resources, translatable concepts.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Prefab & Modular

This Award recognises Prefab or Modular homes, which can be produced and erected more efficiently, consume less energy and generate less waste than the construction of conventional homes.

Entries to this category must also show some sustainability outcome in either the design and/or the manufacturing of the product.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the commercial building category include:

• Form, technology, material used and big picture thinking. The design will represent an example of functional sustainability in a commercial context, while also being responsive to its physical locality.
• The design will adhere to or expand upon best practice sustainability outcomes while ensuring that an optimum work environment has been achieved.
• Ideally, it will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context.

Key considerations: innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium-to long-term.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Best Adaptive Reuse

The best projects that transform old buildings for a new or different use. This category is open to both individuals and firms.

This category covers heritage-listed structures as well as non-heritages listed buildings.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the commercial building category include:

• Form, technology, material used and big picture thinking. The design will represent an example of functional sustainability in a commercial context, while also being responsive to its physical locality.
• The design will adhere to or expand upon best practice sustainability outcomes while ensuring that an optimum work environment has been achieved.
• Ideally, it will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context.

Key considerations: innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium- to long-term.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Best of the Best

The Best of the Best is selected from among all the category winners on the basis of sustainable outcomes and aesthetics as well as innovative design principles.

Innovation

Intelligent Building

Any building within Australia that uses automated processes to automatically control the building’s operations including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, security and other systems. This infrastructure helps owners, operators and facility managers improve asset reliability and performance, which reduces energy use and minimises the environmental impact of building.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

• All projects in this category will provide a model for solving a range of current sustainable issues faced by our city, while providing a functional and serviceable public amenity.
• Projects submitted under the Intelligent Building category will demonstrate a strategy to building automation – with a particularly focus on innovative ways of approaching existing building automation challenges and their impact on sustainability. A demonstrable improvement to previous sustainability outcomes will need to be supported by data-related to building performance.

Key considerations: use of sustainable /green building materials, longevity, a holistic approach to sustainable (as demonstrated through materials etc.), relevance to context, empathetic to user considerations, high levels of research into use of resources, translatable concepts

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Green Building Material

Any building material that can be proven to have helped lower the environmental footprint of a structure via design, materials or technological enhancements.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

Key considerations: use of sustainable /green building materials, longevity, a holistic approach to sustainable (as demonstrated through materials etc.), relevance to context, empathetic to user considerations, high levels of research into use of resources, translatable concepts.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.

Waste Elimination

This Award recognizes clean and green energy designs for the environment that offer measurable reductions in the use of traditional or ‘dirty’ energy sources and also recognises builds that have lowered their waste during the construction phase. This Award is open to commercialised solutions and designs as well as experimental or non-commercialised ones.

Category Criteria

Is your submission suitable for this category?

All projects and design firms located within Australia are eligible to enter. Outside of these preliminary requirements, the qualities and characteristics of nominations under the commercial building category include:

• Form, technology, material used and big picture thinking. The design will represent an example of functional sustainability in a commercial context, while also being responsive to its physical locality.
• The design will adhere to or expand upon best practice sustainability outcomes while ensuring that an optimum work environment has been achieved.
• Ideally, it will demonstrate a new direction or a new model for sustainable design in a commercial context.

Key considerations: innovation, functionality, expertise, measurable sustainable qualities in the medium-to long-term.

To be eligible for this category your project must be located in Australia, and must have been completed between 1 January 2018 and 5 July 2019.